HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cassie@worf.nas.nasa.gov (Cassandra L. Baldassano)
Subject: Re: Gender in D&D
Organization: Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Facility NASA
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 92 21:49:03 GMT
Reply-To: cassie@worf.nas.nasa.gov (Cassandra L. Baldassano)

In article <1992Aug21.145725.13318@walter.cray.com>, goldman@orac.CRAY.COM (Matthew D. Goldman) writes:
|> In article <1992Aug21.183320.11919@nas.nasa.gov> cassie@worf.nas.nasa.gov (Cassandra L. Baldassano) writes:
|> >In the group I game with we have almost 50/50 male to female players.
|> >Our DM likes us to have us play our own gender. It gets quite interesting
|> >when our female players use the female sexuality to get information
|> >out of the NPC's. We have had a couple characters come up pregnant :)
|> >
|> >Cassandra Baldassano
|> 
|> Am I the only person to think of using the 2nd edition proficiancy
|> "Herbalism" to prevent/abort unwanted pregnancies?  I was the first
|> person to pass the referee a note, and our characters were not even
|> rolled up yet!
|> 
|> M
|> 
|> -- 
|> Matthew Goldman          E-mail: goldman@ferris.cray.com
|> Fax: (612) 683-3099                 Work: (612) 683-3061
|> "There is nothing wrong with the software that rm won't cure.~
|> 		-Arnie Romo

Well I thought a pregnancy could be interesting, just imagine the
player being kidnapped by a evil force wanting the child for
some strange sacrifice, or, little baby gets lost in the woods, or
losts of interesting possibilities.

Cassandra
From: canders@isr.harvard.edu (Carl E. Anderson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Optional Specialization Ruling
Date: 12 Aug 92 18:07:09 GMT
Organization: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

In article <1992Aug11.210436.5878@honte.uleth.ca> proct_hately@hg.uleth.ca writes:
>In article <1992Aug11.170833.274@csc.canterbury.ac.nz>, 
>engf002@csc.canterbury.ac.nz writes:
>>>What about the 2nd ed Fighter Manual(??).  I've never really looked
>>>through it, but I've heard there are lots of options...
>>>Two weapons, Weapon w/ Shield, etc....
>>>What does everyone think of these?
>>
>>Two weapon style combined with specialization gets way too silly.
>>
>>Start with a Swashbuckler kit (Myrmidons will work just as well, 
>>though). Specialize in Longsword (or even rapier if you want to) 
>>and then specialize in Two Weapon fighting style. While you're at
>>it, take Ambidexterity too. All this only costs you four weapon
>>proficiency slots. 
>>    What you end up with is an obscene fighter able to do on
>>average three attacks a round (3/2 with right hand and 3/2 with
>>left) with +1 to hit and +2 damage each (the Ambidexterity 
>>practically nullifies the off-hand penalty). Then combine this with
>>an 18-something strength (not unheard of) and you have a killing
>>machine of gargantuan proportions. All at first level too!
>
> Hey I have a character like this (well kindof) and my DM got smart and will
>only allow one attact per round with the off hand *ever* - this stops me fr om
>having mega attacks (and of course theres a top end limit too at level
>something)

	I believe it says in the rules somewhere that an off hand weapon
will only ever give one extra attack per round.  Thus a 7th level fighter
specialized to 2/1 gets 3/1 including his offhand weapon.  A 1st level fighter
specialized to 3/2 gets (including the offhand weapon) 2 attacks the first
round and 3 attacks the second round.
	I have a Ranger character who wields a bastard sword in either hand
(being a horrible Celt, they are claymores), has 2-weapon style, and 18/81
Strength. But he cannot weapon specialize because he isn't a pure Fighter,
he's a Ranger.  So he's not _that_ outrageous.

Carl

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Edlund Anderson	            	"Hefi ek ok aldri sva reitt vapn
canders@isr.harvard.edu			at manni at eigi hafi vidh kommit."
OR
anderso2@husc.harvard.edu			- Skarphedhinn Njalsson 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: a_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: The illogic of draining levels
Date: 19 Aug 92 17:32:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: ccsvax.1992Aug19.113218.626
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

In article <1992Aug18.181129.12171@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>, jwwalden@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (P'relan) writes:
> Has anyone else ever thought that the ability of undead (and certain other
> creatures) to drain experience levels just didn't make any sense?  I could see
> perhaps some creature with the special ability to drain your memory and skills,
> but I don't see undead as doing that, especially when the ability is called
> energy draining.  So I modified the rules that energy draining attacks drained
> 1-8 hit points, 1 strength point, and 1 constitution point per level of
> draining.  These hit points could only be regained by magical healing and then
> only at 1/4th normal effectiveness with ability points being regained once the
> damage taken with them had be regained.  Characters whose ability scores were
> drained to zero were dead and could come back as undead if care were not taken
> to prevent that from happening.
> 

	I have long since dropped the level draining ability of undead and
other creatures. Like you, I saw this draining as a *physical* attack, not a
mental one. However, by taking away levels, the characters lose experience,
something which is mental. Thus, once again, T$R made a snafu.
	The way I run things is that for each 'level' drained, the character
loses one point from Str, Dex, and Con. If the character survives the
encounter, he will regain one point per day, so it takes 3 days to recover from
a single drained 'level'. Some undead still have special attacks (for example,
three bites from a vampire (the victim must be charmed or helpless, and only
one bite may occur per day) will turn *any* character into a vampire,
regardless of their level (godlike beings excepted...)). There is a 3rd level
clerical spell I made that can help restore some of the lost stat points (its
called Minor Restoration). The 7th level Resoration will restore any and all
loses.
	The system that T$R has presented for level draining simply does not
work if you are running a campaign where characters gain about 2-3 levels per
*year* (of real time). A single creature of less HD than the party can destroy
a couple years of years of work in just a few rounds.

Brandon Cope
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: caughey@engr.UVic.CA (Dave  Caughey)
Subject: Chromosonally-Challenged Characters
Reply-To: caughey@engr.UVic.CA
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 92 19:09:11 GMT

In article scythe@byron.u.washington.edu (The Grim Reaper) writes:
>
> [...stuff about elven gimpyness deleted]
>
>For the same reason that elves get bonuses to secret door location,
>a bonus to hit with swords and bows, and all their other special
>racial abilities.  TSR is *strongly* biased towards elves.

True.  I've always viewed elves as a munchkin-for-beginners race.  Easy
to min-max, and with all sorts of outrageous and unjustifiable
abilities (such as detecting concealed passageways, just by walking
within 10'? -- for a sylvan elf?  C'mon!)

CONTEST:  In my opinion, the worst *low-level* combo is elven ranger,
with just about any warrior kit, and the appropriate min-max
proficiencies.  What other abused combos can people come up with?
(rules:  stick to "standard" books, no world-specific races or
classes).

___________________________________________________________________________
Dave Caughey				Dept. of Elec. & Comp. Engineering
caughey@sirius.uvic.ca			P.O. Box 3055
                      			University of Victoria		  
"Ten million lemmings can't be wrong"   Victoria, B.C., CANADA V8W 3P6
From: kakimppa@sara.cc.utu.fi
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: From where to FTP AD&D 2ed. stuff?
Date: 16 Aug 92 17:57:19 GMT
Organization: University of Turku, Finland

Anybody who knows of a good place to FTP some AD&D 2ed. stuff, please send a
list to me, rahter somewhere in europe, and rather still in skandinavia
(Although in english, not in swedish or norwegian or such language). Lists
appreciated by:


--Kaitsu

Email: kakimppa@sara.utu.fi
 
"But God really exists!", said the old man, and alas, my faith was restored
for I knew that Santa Claus would never lie.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: marrou@cs.ucf.edu (Lance R. Marrou)
Subject: Re: Tarresque - Anyone killed one?
Organization: University of Central Florida
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 20:10:08 GMT

u894793@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au (Timothy D Little) writes:


>I'm interested in knowing if anyone has ever actually killed a Tarresque in a
>non-Monty Haul campaign.  Any stories?

*chuckle* 
*chuckle*   ;>                 :-)

*grin* ....

*laugh*
:)
*chuckle* 

No.  Stories?  Do you want to hear the story of a group of 5-7
characters, levels 8-13, who died *miserably* at the hands, teeth
(God, those terrible TEETH!), tail, feet, scales, bite, fear, stench,
and mere LOOK of a Terrasque (by the way, you spelled it wrong)?
You do? Okay, I will keep it short:  We all died, and I, personally,
had the pleasure of watching my 12th level magic-user magic missile
himself, then get his head bit off.  Other than that, it was fun!
We never been so easily mutilated!  Quickly rerolling new characters,
we continued adventuring down easier lanes..... ;> ;>

--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Lance R. Marrou
   Work   - Marrou@IST.UCF.edu
   School - Marrou@Eola.cs.UCF.edu
From: perez@mgr.hjf.org (Charles Perez)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Bastard DM From Hell Pt 2
Date: 18 Aug 92 19:01:48 GMT
Organization: HJF AIDS Research Project, Washington DC

In article <phil.714031568@adam.adelaide.edu.au> phil@adam.adelaide.edu.au (Phil Kernick) writes:
[...]
>
>Consider.  If a ranger wears armour when he needs to fight (gaining full xp)
>and takes it off at other times (so he get's special abilities) why would
>*anyone* become a straight fighter?

I don't know about 2nd Edition, but under 1st Edition rules, some of the
limitations of Ranger class are:
   Minimum Ability Restrictions (I don't remember them precisely - PH is
   at home)

   8-siders (!!!) for hit points and only +2/level above name level,
   mitigated by 2 hit dice to start

   Must be of good alignment - don't stray or you are a fighter forevermore,
   with a ranger's less advantageuos hit dice

   Can only own what you can carry on your person or your mount

   No more than three rangers can operate together

[...]


-- 
==========================================================================
That which is necessary is never evil. If an evil seems necessary, look
to your context; that's where its root lies.  - Charles Perez
==========================================================================
From: wright@latcs1.lat.oz.au (Michael G. Wright)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Solution to problems with solution to Psionics problem (!!)
Keywords: Psionics, Wizards
Date: 18 Aug 92 06:42:31 GMT
Organization: Comp Sci, La Trobe Uni, Australia
Originator: wright@latcs2.lat.oz.au

Whew, what a subject line! Now someone wrote back to me describing a problem
that they had with my solution to psionics using metal helmets (I'm sorry,
but I don't have the relevant article to post the appropriate section.

To sum up :
	I said that metal helmets on characters can stop psionicists from 
	 using mind control powers on them.

	He said that the solution can't work because it doesn't work for
	 wizards and because there are some spells that use metal or affect
	 metal.

Well, the solution still works for psionicists, which is exactly what it was
designed for! Psionic powers work differently to magic, so it is obvious that
this method of protection would only affect psionicists. Of course wizards can
still attack characters that are clad in metal!
	Psioicists can also mentally attack characters that are clad in metal
but are not wearing a metal helmet (there is no metal between the psionicists
mind and the victims mind).
	As for the problem with powers that affect metal, well the powers 
AFFECT the metal, but do not go THROUGH the metal. The solution still works!
(BTW this brings up another way that the psionicist can get around that metal
helmet, use telekenisis).

Summary :
	You can't discredit this method by using wizards as an example, they're
totally different. Use a psionics example if you've got a problem. I can't 
find or think of any situation which stuffs this solution up. Therefore, 
to bring down the power of mind control to a controllable level, use your head,
wear a metal helmet.

P.S. I'd be interested to hear from those of you who think that this is a good
(or bad) solution. Please mail to me with your responses.
-- 
Michael Wright            _-_|\     Peg- "Al, can I have a thousand bucks?" 
LaTrobe University,      /     \     Al- "Why sure honey, have you got change
Melbourne, Australia.    \_.-_*/          for a million?"
wright@latcs1.lat.oz.au       v                Married with children. :-)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: gregs@meaddata.com (Greg Smith)
Subject: Re: A really neat character!
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 14:25:14 GMT

I agree that phobias, loves, hates, etc are helpful in rounding
out a character.  Thinking up the answers to those "what would
you do in this situation" question ahead of time can also give you
a good sense of the character's morals.  (Something on the order of
the game scruples).  Seemingly contradictory things can be fun.

Example: A fighter that hates to kill.  He might "pull his punch"
in certain situations.  Delay his action.  Take time to bind the
wounds of fallen opponents, etc.  One might want to limit this to
hating to kill (creature type(s)).  The fewer the creatures the 
more stringent you might make the penalties.  For instance one might
not kill women under any circumstances (possibly refusing to even strike
a woman).  Or one might just not kill humans, dwarves, gnomes, elves, half
elves, halflings, (other campaign specific character type races).  With this
greater variety the penalties probably should be less.  (I.e. Always
accept surrender, initiative delay for almost dead opponents, or something
like that.)

I am currently playing a cleric with an extreme fear of undead.  He really
freaks if his "turn" fails.

-- 
Greg Smith

DISCLAIMER:  My ideas are entirely my own unless MDC decides to patent them.
I am not empowered to speak for Mead Data Central or Mead Corporation.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Berserkers and hit points
From: jwwalden@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (P'relan)
Date: 18 Aug 92 17:46:14 -0500
Organization: Dept. of Physics

In article <1992Aug17.152527.17082@meaddata.com>, gregs@meaddata.com (Greg Smith) writes:
> Now about this fighting past 0 and living past -10:
> I (personally) might consider letting the players stay consious until -5, or as
> someone else suggested, use a die roll (say 1d4 or 1d6).  I certainly would still 
> rule that -10 is death.  

While I never let characters stay conscious past 0 hit points, I modified the
rule that -10 hit points was death to -Constitution hit points to be death
which I felt made more sense by taking Con into account - people do vary on the
amount of damage they can take.  Also gives beginning characters just a few
more hit points usually which can be very useful, while it doesn't matter as
much to higher level characters.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 P'relan (and Birith)      	   ``Time stand still -
 jwwalden@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu      I'm not looking back -
  or jwwalden@miavx1.bitnet	     But I want to look around me now.'' - RUSH
From: ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: illusion of armour
Date: 16 Aug 92 12:23:45 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <marios.713732290@knosos.cc.uch.gr> marios@cc.uch.gr (Marios Chrysopoulos) writes:
>>>What would happen if a mage used a somewhat permanent illusion of armour on
>>>himself?  Would he effectively gain ac2 (for plate) if his opponents failed to
>>>disbelieve?  Would he gain a halfway bonus due to the fact that his opponents
>>>attack him in a different fashion then if he appeared to be wearing no armour?

>>>just a thought....


>Does an illusionary bridge support any weight?

Ooh.  This could be very nasty.  The poor guy thinks he's walking across
a bridge when he's actually plummetting to his death....

All his buddies see him fall, and they can't figure out why his feet are
still moving like he's walking forward and he doesn't have a care in the
world. :-)

-- 
Jorge Diaz                       | Sign in a restaurant:
Georgia Institute of Technology  | 
Office of Information Technology |   "We reserve the right to serve refuse to
ccoprdj@prism.gatech.edu         |        anyone."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Optional Specialization Ruling
From: engf002@csc.canterbury.ac.nz
Date: 13 Aug 92 09:04:49 +1200
Organization: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

In article <1992Aug12.194527.4610@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>, cb317@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Stephanie J. Kessler) writes:
> 
> I cannot remember which book this is from, but somewhere it says
> that you cannot use a weapon in your off-hand that is the same
> size or larger than the main hand weapon without a special
> proficiency (can't remember what it is... ambedexterity???).
> Otherwise, it must be smaller, like a dagger or short sword...

Actually, in the Fighters' Handbook under Two Weapon Style it
specifically states  that you can use two same-sized weapons. They give
an example of two longswords.

Andrew Earl
--- TECO Madness. A moment of convenience, a lifetime of regret. ---
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Paladins
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Date: 23 Aug 92 04:03:12 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@pmax1.cis.pitt.edu

In article <66603@hydra.gatech.EDU> ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz) writes:
>Killing a thief without even giving him the right to defend himself
>is not good.

	Why not? If, as I already pointed out, the god itself has said that
theivery is a heinous crime and must be punished extremely? He GAVE UP
the right to defend himself, or even to posess his life, by the example
I gave. He HAS no rights.

>paladin.  Who did he steal from?  If it was the ranger, then the paladin
>has no business in the matter.  If it was the paladin, then that's a more
>grey area, but I still don't believe that any good deity would condone
>cold-blooded murder.

	First: if it is a god's decree that stealing is a heinous evil,
then from a PALADIN perspective it does not MATTER WHO YOU STOLE FROM.
He is by his duty BOUND to act in the matter no matter who was involved.

	Second: Murder only applies to people. By the example I gave before,
the theif gives up his rights, from both the Paladin and his god's perspective,
by stealing at all, period. Therefore, the theif is NOT A PERSON by the 
standards of the god or the Paladin, but is a pest.

	Now, you'll say, "Well, that's not a GOOD god, then." But that
presumes that what YOU think is GOOD is what the GOD (who, after all,
determines what his/her/its paladins can and can't do) thinks is good.
If the God believes that the only true EVIL is to sing, then the
Paladins of that god must stop singing at all costs, even if it means
wholesale slaughter of church choirs.

	From the point of view of the GOD, "Good" is usually what the
GOD believes in. 

	"But YOU said the Doctor was EVIL!"
	"FOOLISH BOY! I AM THE *BLACK* GUARDIAN! THE DOCTOR'S GOOD IS
MY *EVIL*!"

		-- Turlough and the Black Guardian, _Doctor Who_

                                 Sea Wasp
                                   /^\
                                   ;;;
From: spenceb@ucunix.san.uc.edu (Brad A. Spencer)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Tarresque - Anyone killed one?
Date: 21 Aug 92 00:14:44 GMT
Organization: University of Cincinnati

In article <BtAxB0.CyD@acsu.buffalo.edu> cri@acsu.buffalo.edu (Whoopee Buttlord) writes:
>seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
>
>>>  Ahh...if I could just bring Godzilla and some of his buddies into
>>>the AD&D world...I guess this would be more appropriate for some
>>	You mean you HAVEN'T?
>>	Monster Island is set somewhere in my world. Fortunately no one
>>but my ancient munchkin group ever found it...
>
>	actually, there si actually a published 1st edition moduale in which
>you run into (for all intents and purposes) King Kong and  (I think) Godzilla.
>	It's a stoopid-high level Gygax moduale, the name of which eluds me at 
>the moment.
>	criss
>
>cri@acsu.buffalo.edu
>
>"Shoot me again! I love the smell of burnt feathers, and gunpowder,
>and cordite! Look! I'm a moose! Shoot me! It's Moose Season! Now
>I'm a fiddler crab! Why don't you shoot me? It's Fiddler Crab Season!"
>
>"I think you're pretty tough, don't I?"
>                                         -Daffy

Well, there was a module called 'Isle of the Ape'.  Basically it was
designed for 20th level 1st edition type players.  The isle itself was
really the personal pocket dimension of Zagyg, the crazy demi-god
helper and servant of Boccob, a major diety in the Greyhawk world.
The ape was indeed, for all intent and purpose, King Kong with 50%
magic resistance (and maybe some other things I have forgotten).  Our
group made some all time stupid mistakes and we never completed the
entire module.  It did make for an interesting change, but I wouldn't
want to live there.


---YMG: You've all done very wellll.------All: Thaaank you Mr. Grace.---AYBS--
= Brad A. Spencer  A follower   Internet: spenceb@ucunix.san.uc.edu          =
= >------------->  of the King  Home phone: 5134815306  Prime Material Plane =
= A FRPing type person.  Dr. ?  ++++  Oh Death, where is your sting??        =
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: rparker@wpi.WPI.EDU (Richard E Parker)
Subject: Re: Tarresque - Anyone killed one?
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 17:45:50 GMT


	You know something interesting concerning this whole Tarasque thread?
I have the Practical Planetology book for the Spell-Jammer campaign set and
there is a whole WORLD out there with almost nothing BUT Tarasques.  I mean
big Tarasques, little ones.  They say that these MIGHT be subtly different,
but might not (DM's needs, I guess).  Scary thought, huh?  A world of the
buggers!

							A. Paladin
From: swann@acsu.buffalo.edu (Stephen Swann)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Roleplaying personal stuff (Re: Experience ...)
Date: 16 Aug 92 22:58:46 GMT
Organization: UB

In article <1992Aug16.105943.3395@eng.cam.ac.uk> yt1@eng.cam.ac.uk (Y. Tremblay) writes:
>---
>Inexperimented GM seeking advice from some "silver" GM
>
>PS: BTW How does one roleplay reading a book ?
>---

One describes the (physical nature of the) book, and then the contents
in general to the player, then allows the player to query as to
particular details that he is curious about.  In other words, a book
is -almost- a way of getting to "ask the DM" direct questions about
things in his world, as limited by the topic of the book, of course.  :-)

>warning:
> sarcasm/irony included between the two "---"

I'd never have guessed.  "Silver GM"?  :-)

-- 
Steve Swann                 |    Speak to me in many voices; make
swann@acsu.buffalo.edu      |      them all sound like one...  -BOC