HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dagolden@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Alexandre Golden)
Subject: Re: Many-to-one combats
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 19:24:18 GMT

In article <08OCT92.15402995.0090@UNBVM1.CSD.UNB.CA> LRPR000 <LRPR@UNB.CA> writes:
>
>I've often thought that when many opponents gang up on you, your AC
>should be lowered by the fact that one of them feints and makes an
>opening for the others - at least when dealing with intelligent,
>weapon wielding opponents, or animals which hunt in packs, such as
>wolves. This gives the horde of goblins *some* chance to hit that
>guy in +3 plate mail. I also use the 1st edition weapon modifiers
>(e.g. Two handed sword vs. plate mail gets a +2 to hit). I'm
>thinking of a rule that each opponent beyond the first lowers your
>AC by 1.  Any comments?

Many to one means back attacks (w/o shield and dex adjustments), called
shots to hamstring, called shots to trip, overbear, etc.  We (players) use
this against ogres, trolls, etc.  Anything we can surround and harry.  The
rules make many-on-one pretty fair



-- 
David A. Golden '95           (dagolden@phoenix.princeton.edu)
Princeton University
From: jviv@usmi01.midland.chevron.com (John Viveiros)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Intelligent opponents
Date: 7 Oct 92 19:22:17 GMT
Organization: Chevron

One of the most fun things about the game is the ingenuity of the
players, when you give them a near insoluble puzzle.  How I'd deal with
some of the following:

In article <1992Oct7.145347.19563@Princeton.EDU> tao@potato.princeton.edu (Terry Tao) writes:
>Place the real dragon lair in a place that is virtually inacessible except
>by flying.  Hence, the traditional land-based adventurers will have a tough
>time getting any treasure.

Unless you have a really controlled dungeon, most moderate (7-9) level
parties will have flying capabilities (rings, pegasi, carpets, fly
spells, levitate and ingenuity, etc.).  This would be a good start, but
should be easily overcome by a cooperative party.
>
>Have a fake, human-size entrance at the base of the mountain (say).  The
>real entrance is at the top.  Once the humans get in, lured by some fake
>gold and some audible glamers of snoring dragons, a trap closes off the
>passage they came through.  Now the room they are in is like a giant
>funnel, and they are in the bottom of it.  The dragon, 100 feet above, just
>flames them three times a day until they die.  Dropping boulders, etc from
>above will also do wonders, as will opening hole in the wall and letting
>some lava in.
>
Passwall, rock to mud, teleport, wall of ice (heat protection too)
should prevent fatal damage, and eventually allow escape.  Plus, the
party now knows a back entrance.

>Also, dragons with spells will construct the usual defenses around the
>lair, e.g. illusionary walls, fools gold.  The baby red dragons would
>be kept in a small (for them) room only accessible by swimming through a
>lake of lava, thus knocking out the easy kill.
>
Good suggestions

>Also, the shadowgate solution to dragon hordes: melt the gold together so
>that it can only be moved in one piece, and keep it HOT.  magical items
>would be IMBEDDED inside the gold, unless directly useful to the dragon.
>
Don't make it too hot, a dragon wouldn't want all his magic to have to
to save versus magical fire.
>p.s. if there are problems reading this post please tell me.
>
>Terry

Just having fun trying to work through these problems.  Think of what
you would do to get around these things, and the players will come up
with better.

John
-- 
John Viveiros     (jviv@chevron.com)
Chevron USA        Standard disclaimer applies
Midland TX 
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters)
Subject: Re: Input wanted on a combat scenario
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 18:28:56 GMT

In article <71235@hydra.gatech.EDU> ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz) writes:
>In article <68760012@hpcvnb.CV.HP.COM> moursund@hpcvnb.CV.HP.COM (David_Moursund) writes:
>
>[Description of fight and events leading up to it deleted.]
>
>>Questions:  Put yourself in the elf's place; what can you do to escape
>>  this situation?

>
>> Should you pull a dagger, and try to stab the 
>> gigantic musclebound oaf who is beating the stuffing out of you?
>
>In real life, yes.  But not in D&D.  A dagger won't do much good (unless
>the poison affects him).

In MY game, any successful attack with a weapon breaks a hold.  Of course
the elf is going to have a minus to hit.  Once the hold is broken, run
like hell and get a spell ready.

>
>> Now put yourself in Mr. Brawny's place; you actually managed to get
>> the drop on your enemy, and so far have kept him from casting any
>> of his devastingly powerful spells at you. 

Switch the two-handed strangle to a headlock, pull a dagger and finish
him off.  If you want to take him alive, there is a certain number of
hit points which a hold allows you to do *automatically*.  Bounce his head
off the wall or floor (should do at least the +damage due to STR.)

If you can, break his jaw.

-Coyt


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: tao@fine.princeton.edu (Terry Tao)
Subject: Re: house-rules
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 00:57:21 GMT

The underworld contacts of the thief can actually be a great advantage, I
think.  Preciselyt because thieves are not the strongest, the most
righteous, or the ones who are gifted with magic (btw I could start a whole
new thread on whether magical ability is a gift or something anyone can do,
BUT getting to the subject..) I think many other evil humans will
sympathize with even the neutral good thieves up to a point.  No goblin
will trust the holier-than-thou cleric and the steamroller-fighter, or the
smart-alecky wizard - they have all the power, all the grinding monsters
under their heels, etc.  However, an outcast from society, one with no
special skills except the ones he picked himself, might be able to win over
many humanoid monsters.  A thief, knowing the underworld, can also fit
right in into an enemy camp of bandits, say.  Great rpg idea!

about thief advancing faster in levels: this flattens out after a while,
the difference is always at most about three levels for the first dozen
levels or so, I think..

Why not make thieves able to use poison in a limited way? some abilitiy
like this may attract PCs to this character class.

Terry

levels, I think.  (I'll hve
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: dv52151@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (SilverFang Ahroun)
Subject: Re: house-rules
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 19:28:07 GMT

rothwell@bach.udel.edu (James C. Rothwell) writes:

>I've been reading the various threads recently, and have some house-rules
>that may provide some slight game-balance ideas. <NOOOOO!  NOT THE *gb*
>WORD>.  

>tables, and hit dice.  Our reasoning went something like: 1) rogues depend
>on their wits, speed, and stealth, but know that there will always be
>dead-ends with the watch just behind, (or jealous/enraged spouses for
>bards), so they have great incentive to study weapon skills every day for
>at least a little while;  2) priests study some mundane weapon skills, but
>also rhetoric and spells as weapons, and so have less time devoted to
>physical combat skills.  

Well, the "cleric" is based on a Knight Templar idea. I'd say they
could easily spank a thief. Giving thieves d8 hit die and the better
THAC0 will quickly lead to some very powerful thieves. My suggestion
for those thieves that want more combat capability is to build their
own character class with the optional rules, and use the fighter 
THAC0 and the d6 hit die. It makes for a combat capable, but not
combat durable, character. JMO. 

Axly

Organization: Freshman, CIT general, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp
Date: Wed,  7 Oct 1992 18:55:44 -0400 
From: "Andrew N. Westmeyer" <aw36+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: ftp sites

Can someone tell me where I can find the whereabouts of the net.books?
From: zweldron@ruhets.rutgers.edu (Matthew Charlap)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Thri-Kreen and blowguns
Date: 8 Oct 92 18:24:50 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

I play a thri-kreen air-cleric in a Dark Sun game. I just got my (last) weapon
proficiency- the only available weapon for an air cleric left was a blowgun.
It was decided that a Thri-Kreen could use one, so don't start to argue this
point.
What we can't decide on is: since the blowgun dart is in the air for a fraction
of a second (under normal circumstances) can the paralyzation poison from the
Thri-kreen be secreted onto a blowgun shot, and still be potent when the dart
hits.
We agreed to let the net decide this question. Please, only people familiar 
with thri-kreen respond.
--Matthew
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: malamb@eos.ncsu.edu (Marc Lamb)
Subject: NEW D&D PBeM GAME
Originator: malamb@c00810-247dan.eos.ncsu.edu
Reply-To: tocrawle@eos.ncsu.edu (Toby Crawley)
Organization: North Carolina State University, Project Eos
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 22:40:15 GMT


	I am beginning my first PBem campaign.  The adventures will take place 
in Forgotten Realms.  If you are interested in playing, mail me a copy of your 
first-level character (2nd edition only).  The adventures will be solo, but if 
your character meets another character, then you will be given that player's
address.  I will send much more information to those who are interested.  If
you want to play or if you have any ideas or suggestions, please contact me.
	Marc	
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: dmatiske@larson.helios.nd.edu (David Matiskella)
Subject: Re: A question about dual class characters
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.dnd
Organization: University of Notre Dame
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 02:57:21 GMT

In article <Bw4M2M.2Hz@acsu.buffalo.edu>, V276m8gv@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu
(Eric Frohnapple) wrote:
> 
> In article <71231@hydra.gatech.EDU>, ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz) writes...
> >In article <1992Oct13.151722.7588@iscsvax.uni.edu> boelter3945@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:
> >>In article <AeqSsbC00VooQ8BpNy@andrew.cmu.edu>, "Joseph E. Beck"
> >>   <jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
> >>> 

> 
> 	Why is two long swords out of the question?  I understand that this
> is the nastiest combination of weapons you can have in the game, but there
> is no physical reason that you can not use two long swords at the same time.
> They are not too heavy or bulky (trust me, if you have ever held a long sword
> in your left hand it is no problem...)
> 	Understandably, you will have a few things that should be taken into
> account:
> 
> 	1) reduce the amount of damage a long sword does to a large creature
> 	   to 1-10.  (This is where it belongs.  Two handed weapons -sword
> 	   excluded- should be increased here.)
> 
> 	2) reduce the effective strength that a character has in his left hand.
> 	   (how many people -even ambidextrous ones- have two arms equally 
> 	   strong?)
> 
> 
> eric
	Actually your arms are just as strong but nowhere as dextrous. My question
is how many attacks a round does a character who has specialized in a long
sword get if he is using a long sword in both hands?
From: DLODG00@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU (Corwin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Detect Evil
Date: 10 Oct 92 06:34:53 GMT
Organization: Rice University

In article <rupe.718642962@navy32>
rupe@rtsg.mot.com (Bernard Rupe) writes:
 
>
>My players and I have had some problems with the new interpretation of
>detect evil (both the spell and the paladin ability).  An otherwise evil
>creature will not show up as evil unless there is evil intent (does this
>mean towards the character?).  Inherently evil creatures, such as evil
>undead, will always show up as evil.  I am interested in learning how
>other gaming groups deal with this spell/ability.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Bernie
>
   When I played a paladin in my most recent campaign, our DM ran detect
evil as if it detected *both* inherently evil creatures and evil intent
(this evil intent was not necessarily directed against the paladin or any
member of his party).  This ability, BTW, became a lot of fun once the
paladin arrived in Ravenloft...
 
Wolf the Paladin:  I detect evil.
DM:  OK.  The trees are evil.  The grass is evil.  The stones and the dirt
     beneath your feet are evil.  *You* are evil.
Wolf proceeds to have a major identity crisis.
 
- Corwin
 
--
***********************************************************
* "Nietzsche thought he was the Antichrist or Dionysus,   *
*  but that was after the syphilis crossd the blood-brain *
*  barrier"          - Dr. Stroup, RELI 451               *
***********************************************************
From: z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Critical Hits
Date: 7 Oct 92 09:55:28 CST
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

In article <1992Oct6.211155.29474@u.washington.edu>, scythe@byron.u.washington.edu (The Grim Reaper) writes:
> Actually, I always assumed that happened to be an arrow of Dragon Slaying
> that Bard was using.  But on damage-face it, AD&D damage is not realistic.
> In real life, people get killed by dagger thrusts.  In AD&D, people
> have a good chance of survival. People also get killed if they fall
> off high buildings.  Level 20 fighters can jump into deeeep pits and
> walk into battle the next second.  Face it, damage is not realistic.


	But in AD&D, a normal person *can* be killed by a dagger, or falling
off a building! A normal person only has about 1-6 hps.

	There is nothing (majorly) wrong with weapon damage in AD&D. The
problem is inflated hps at higher levels; *that's* what makes things
unrealistic.

Brandon Cope
From: mgates@entiat.boeing.com (Michael Gates)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: A question about dual class characters
Date: 15 Oct 92 23:41:04 GMT
	<MGATES.92Oct13144543@entiat.boeing.com>
	<1992Oct14.135658.7644@iscsvax.uni.edu>
Organization: Boeing Computer Services, Bellevue, WA
In-reply-to: boelter3945@iscsvax.uni.edu's message of 14 Oct 92 08:56:57 GMT


>>>>> "b" == boelter3945  <boelter3945@iscsvax.uni.edu> writes:

b>    Why is this unfair?  The PC was hit by an undead that drains two levels
b> of experience.  For a DC, it's easy, take two levels off the currently
b> working class, thus losing two levels.  For a MC, take one hitdie off of
b> each.  They have still lost two levels, just one from each class.  True, if
b> you figure it mathematically, they have only lost one 'HitDie' work of hit
b> points, but since a MC is using average HD for hit points anyway, this is
b> bad enough for them.

> 	There are still problems if you really analyze it all heavily, but
> there is no cure except to completely abandon the TSR class / advancement/
> experience point system.

b>    Heh. Right. Sure.  I'll just throw away something that has worked for me
b> for the past 10 years.. Thanks for the suggestion, but no thanks.  It still
b> works well enough for me.  Besides, what do you suggest I use if I throw
b> this out?

	Eliminate dual-class, let humans be multi-class, stop averaging
multi-class hit points, use a flat experience point curve rather than a
quasi-exponential-flattening-at-high-levels curve. Of course you can't give
creature encounter XP ammounts as given in the rules... 

	I didn't say you *should* do all this, I said that it is the only way
to make it fair and logical. That doesn't necessarily mean that it doesn't
work. That depends on what you want out of it.

	Example: Under the standard system, up to level 10 or so, a 2-way
multi-class character with the same XP as a single class will be just one
level behind in both classes. A 3-way multi-class will usually be only two
levels behind, sometimes only one. In other words the multi-class totally
kicks the single class's butt. 

	With flat experience, it goes like this:

Single         2-way            3-way
--------------------------------------
1		1/1             1/1/1		                 
2               2/1             2/1/1
3               2/2             2/2/1
4               3/2             2/2/2
5               3/3             3/2/2
6               4/3             3/3/2
7               4/4             3/3/3
.
.
.

	However, as long as the hit dice are not averaged (except at 1st
level), the characters have an equal number of hit dice at each XP level.
That way the 7th level single and the 4/4 2-way have comparable hit points for
survival, but their abilities are more balanced.

	I can explain further if you are interested.
--
et tu mgates?
Organization: Junior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
From: dclayton@bnr.ca (Don Clayton)
Subject: Re: Intelligent opponents
Reply-To: dclayton@bnr.ca (Don Clayton)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 13:27:26 GMT

In article <1992Oct7.015837.43652@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>, blythe@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes:
|> I believe dragons are greatly underplayed by some DMs.  I've been in
|> and DMed parties where slaying the beast was just too easy;
|> especially when encountered in their lairs.

Not in my campaign, ask a few of my players about a Green Dragon and one dead
player.  It's still chasing them across the realms!

|> Here are a few nefarious ideas to make a Red dragon a lot tougher:
|> 	
|> 	The dragon, by nature, uses a lot of flame in combat.  Those
|> 	previous melees must have a lot of ash in their lairs.  If a
|> 	dragon were to cause a large gust of wind by flapping their
|> 	wings, all this ash would fly up in the air making the party
|> 	blind and would not affect the dragon's sight any since of
|> 	their ability to detect invisible or hidden creatures.

Interesting...

|> 	A large roar could deafen some spellcasters.  Deaf
|> 	spellcasters do have penalties when using verbal components;
|> 	not to mention hampering party communication.

True.

|> 	Of course there's the setting of traps over the years, magical
|> 	and non-magical, and using the magical items in the treasure
|> 	(so roll up the items before the battle all of you adlibbers). 

Definitely, and usually some close by allies, like the Grey Dwarves with
my Green Dragon.

|> 	The layout of the lair could be made strategically important.
|> 	Many times it's all just a big open cavern and this simply
|> 	isn't so.  Dragons could spend decades moving around till they
|> 	found the right home.

Cliffs to hide on - I love cliffs to hide on!

|> 	The dragon's natural resistance to flame should be used to
|> 	it's fullest.  The heat should be unbearable for armor wearers.

This might be a bit much.

|> 	The more powerful dragons have a lot of treasure.  An extra
|> 	guardian of the treausure like a beholder would be nice.
|> 	Especially if the party was unaware of the beholder.  Any
|> 	smart character would have some type of magical protection
|> 	from fire in effect.  When the party enters the lair, the
|> 	beholder would be watching the entrance, nullifying any magic,
|> 	and the dragon could breath on them with full effect.  A
|> 	little harsh on the party, but fantasy is not always jovial.

See above.

Dragons are almost the stongest creatures in the game and should never
be an easy kill.  They never are in my campaign!

Don Clayton
a.k.a. Rear-Adm. Maverick, DM of the Drow
My brain, my thoughts, my words.
If I had a million dollars, I'd buy you a K-car (a nice reliant automobile),
From: dmatiske@nd.edu (david Matiskella)
Subject: Re: Intelligent opponents (was Re: Lich & Demi-Lich...)
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.dnd
Organization: University of Notre Dame
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 04:28:39 GMT

In article <geooAAi00iV2851ohI@andrew.cmu.edu>, jw67+@andrew.cmu.edu
(Jordan M. Wolbrum) wrote:
> 
> I remember seeing a spell called Mask of Death, that makes a dead body
> look like any live body.  I don't remember the specs.
> \begindata{text,17029828}
> \textdsversion{12}
> \template{default}
> \majorheading{Jordan M. Wolbrum
> 
> }\center{\smaller{at jw67@andrew.cmu.edu
> 
> }}\enddata{text,17029828}
	Of course the Lich is still going to have a nasty touch. :)
Intelligent monster would generally slaguhter a party. In the "real" world
numbers quite often mean a lot more than individual skill ( assuming that
the individual doesn't have a machine gun and the oppenent knifes.) How
often has your party met several equal or higher level NPC and lived?
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: brunborg@solan.unit.no (]dne Brunborg)
Subject: STICK TO THE POINT!!
Organization: Norwegian Institute of Technology
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 92 12:06:52 GMT

In article <7117@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP>, seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
 > In article <1992Oct8.202541.18016@sol.UVic.CA> caughey@engr.UVic.CA writes:
 > >In article 7065@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP, seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
 > >>	Level is virtually irrelevant. The Paladin should get one ONLY
 > >>if he's done something so staggeringly Paladinish that the Gods will
 > >>notice and say, "For heroism and truth,justice,and the American Way
 > >		                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 > 
 > >But isn't this a contradiction?...              :-)
 > >"Ten million lemmings can't be wrong"   Victoria, B.C., CANADA 
 > 							 ^^^^^^^
 > 
 > 	Laugh while you can, monkey boy. When we annex Canada, you'll
 > change your tune. Ha! Ve haff vays of dealink mit your kind...
 > 
 >                                  Sea Wasp
 >                                    /^\
 >                                    ;;;

PLEASE, this isn't the right place for this!!
From: mlee@ocf.berkeley.edu (Michael Lee)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: My PBeM
Date: 12 Oct 1992 02:21:11 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbang.berkeley.edu


	HELLO!
	Regarding my post on my PBeM tournament, I already have enough
players and far too many applications for the game.  I think it's time we
started, so I do not wish to receive any more applications at this time.
Keep an eye out, because if players drop, then I'll post a message for
application into the game.  Thanks.

					mlee

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd