HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: The Bastard DM from Hell!
Date: 31 Jul 92 03:39:49 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@pmax1.cis.pitt.edu

In article <1992Jul30.130357.1@economics.adelaide.edu.au> ecrjbruce@economics.adelaide.edu.au writes:
>A couple of points I would like opinions on:
>WEB spells.
>
>If this is cast on an area that contains several humanoids, monsters or
>whatever do these creatures act as pillars, supports or whatever neccesary to
>prevent the webs collapsing on themselves and becoming useless.

	Yes. The Web is like a net, or Spiderman's web-shooters. I'd even 
allow you to cast it at ONE person and stick him to the ground. that 
"opposing points" business is bull.

>EXPERIENCE:
>
>Should a mage earn experience for the party if he kills things at range?? This

	HELL YES! A mage should have NO motivation except saving his own
SKIN to enter melee! The whole POINT of being a mage is to relieve yourself
of that tedious business of doing things with your bare hands! Getting
experience for roasting two dozen orcs with a fireball is one of the perks
you get for being a mage. The fact that you eventually RUN OUT of fireballs
long before the fighter runs out of swords is a DISADVANTAGE.
	Of course, I'd DECREASE the amount of experience you'd get for
multiple kills after a while, just as I stop giving a fighter much XP
for killing The Same Old Thing all the time.


                                 Sea Wasp                                 
                                   /^\
                                   ;;;
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: bdianton@cs.ulowell.edu (Brian Diantonio)
Subject: Re: Tackling, subduing NPC/PCs
Originator: bdianton@cs.ulowell.edu
Organization: University of Massachusetts at Lowell Computer Science
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 15:55:46 GMT


I like Joe's idea better than the previous one.  I second it.

Mark DiAntonio
bdianton@cs.ulowell.edu
From: reddrgon@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Red Dragon)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Best possible AC
Date: 29 Jul 1992 10:25:59 -0500
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu

bc122@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Naveed Ihsanullah) writes:


>In a previous article, dcarroll@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Dana Carroll) says:

>>Here's a little puzzle to enrich your day:
>>
>>What is the best possible AC for the four basic character classes (Fighter,
>>MU, Thief, Cleric) in the two editions of AD&D?
>>
>>The answers should use only natural dexterity (for any race), armor allowed
>>for that class, spells that specifically apply to AC (i.e., no wish spells),
>>items usable by that class that specifically apply to AC (again, no rings
>>of wishes).  Basically, no "trick" answers.
>>
>>Then again, maybe trick answers should be allowed in a separate category.
>>
>>Also, what is the maximum AC you have personally seen in a real gaming session?
>>I personally have run across an AC of -22, but that wasn't in a player 
>>character.  (It was a Thri-kreen with some specialized items.)
>>
>>--Darrend the Saint, Town-Saver, Bringer of Justice
>>

>	OK, I'll have a go at this one, though my solution may fall more in
>the realm of tricks then you wish.  First off, imagine a cleric wearing +5
>enchanted great wyrm gold dragon armor.  The armour class for this is 1
>greater than Monster Manual stat for great wyrm gold dragon armor (read
>section on dragon armor under dragons).  I can't recal exactly what that AC
>is so 'm guessing +5 armor is about AC -15.  With a maximum +4 bonus from
>dexterity (18 or 19) that would place his/her AC at -19.  Boots of Speed
>and a dusty rose ion stone give +3 total for -22.  If your DM allows
>protective rings to work with magic armour like mine, a +6 ring of
>protection would give you -28.
>	Now for the trick part.  AC in regards to a particular enemy.  If
>the enemy is an evil/good outer planar or summoned creature the player's
>would be 7 better if they cast Dispel Evil/Good but don't use it.  Also protection
>from evil/good will give +2 more, for an AC of -37.  And if they have
>improved invisibility cast on them, they can fight with an AC of -41.  If
>the enemy can see invisible, dust of dissapearance give the same bonus and
>cannot be detected by an means but dust of appearance.  So -41 for a
>cleric.  If it is a gnome/dwarf being attacked by a giant sized creature, -45.
>BTW if your DM doesn't allow rings with magic armor, is -39 so
>bad?

>	How 'bout a wizard?  Bracers AC 2, Ring +6, Cloak +5, Dex +4, Staff
>of Power +2, dusty rose ion stone +1 and boots of speed +2 for an AC of
>-18, -22 if invisible, -24 if protection from good/evil applicable, -28 if
>gnome or dwarf and attacked by giant sized creature.

     Of course in the second edition, an armor class of -10 is the absolute
best you can ever have.  As said on page 89, 1st column, last paragraph.


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: aevans@nmt.edu (Alex Evans)
Subject: Re: How many dice?
Keywords: dice
Organization: New Mexico Tech
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1992 20:48:17 GMT

perseant@milton.u.washington.edu (Dis Pater) writes:

>Actually, you only need ONE COIN to generate any random number in any
>range you feel like (well, OK, rationals only please).  If anyone
>wants to know how and can't figure it out, I'll post, but I assume
>that you can if you think about it (and care).

While it is very true that it is possible to generate the effects of
any integer sided die with a coin, this has the problem that it may take
an arbitrarily long time (for example if you count two heads as a four,
and you continuously get heads, you will never be able to get a number
between one and three)


-- 
Theodore (Alex) Evans aka Alexei Vnebrachnei Ivanovitch
MOL College of St. Golias
From: ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Best possible AC
Date: 29 Jul 92 16:13:52 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <156da7INN1ro@matt.ksu.ksu.edu> reddrgon@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Red Dragon) writes:

>     Of course in the second edition, an armor class of -10 is the absolute
>best you can ever have.  As said on page 89, 1st column, last paragraph.

Which *book*?

:-)


-- 
Jorge Diaz                       | "You're outmanned, you're outgunned, you're
Georgia Institute of Technology  |      outequipped what else have you got?"
Office of Information Technology | "Guile."
ccoprdj@prism.gatech.edu         |      -- Riker and Worf   "Peak Performance"
From: whayden@chainsaw.ecn.purdue.edu (Bill Hayden;;;;)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Computer mapping aids (was: Re: Net Adventures?)
Date: 29 Jul 92 03:48:10 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <geRSMbu00Uh_Q73mYx@andrew.cmu.edu> jg4o+@andrew.cmu.edu 
(James T Graves) writes:
>Excerpts from netnews.rec.games.frp.dnd: 28-Jul-92 Re: Net Adventures?
>by James E. Kittock@duke.cs 
>> In article <92209.172643LPR100@psuvm.psu.edu> LPR100@psuvm.psu.edu writes:
>> >
>> >   I'm wondering why I have never seen anything about people posting

       (stuff deleted)

>Here's a related question.  Has anyone found a good system for
>generating adventure maps on the computer?  Full-fledged CADs like
>Autocad are pretty much overkill (and gawd-awful expensive), but most
>drawing programs I've seen are too basic.  I've seen a couple of
>packages in stores which claim to be "arrange your furniture" type
>programs, but I haven't wanted to plop down the bucks just to find out
>how they work for D&D maps.
>

I used maps generated from the games EMPIRE, which is played on the net.
It comes up with some interesting worlds..... it is also just right for
hex paper..... It does need some minor adjustments (ie. defining geologic
al regions like hills, mountain, rivers, but thoughs are easy.....

Acachin Pakacharta Jacgondia..... aka The Fighting Gnome Cleric
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: gupw@uniwa.uwa.edu.au (Paul Wagland)
Subject: Re: Scribing from a Spell Book
Organization: University of Western Australia
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 02:40:13 GMT

kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov writes:

>>cs106b16@umbc5.umbc.edu (cs106b16) writes:
>>I am well aware that scribing a scroll destroys it, but [...] The DM
>>said we either had to take turns studing the book or only one person
>>could scribe the spell into his book because it would be destroyed.  I
>>said it's a book, not a scroll so we all should be able to scribe it.

>You were right, and the DM was wrong.

The DM is _NEVER_ wrong. It is merely that he has a different
interpretation of the rules than the player. BTW have you never heard of
the Dungeon Masters *GUIDE*  If it was meant to be absolute then it
would of been called the DMs *RULEBOOK* Sorry to jump down your throat
but saying that the DM is wrong is clearly pre-posterous, as it his
universe and his laws.
-- 
Paul Wagland            | These opinions are mine and no-one elses
gupw@uniwa.uwa.edu.au   | I still don't like Microsoft, even after using
------------------------+  their products. :-)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: pcalvert@economics.adelaide.edu.au
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Net Adventures?
Date: 29 Jul 92 00:26:16 GMT
Organization: Economics, University of Adelaide

In article <92209.172643LPR100@psuvm.psu.edu>, LPR100@psuvm.psu.edu writes:
> 
>    I'm wondering why I have never seen anything about people posting
> adventures to the Net. There is the Net.Plot.Book, but I'm talking about
> fully fleshed out adventures. Seeing that people spend a lot of time
> posting fluff, I don't think it would be a problem to type in some of
> the shorter homemade adventures. And if enough people started doing this,
> DMs would have a great source of adventures and ideas.
>    I can see one conflict of interest...some players may read the same
> adventures that their DMs want to use. What about an adventure mailing
> list or digest then? GMAST-L doesn't really fit the bill for this.
> 
>    I'm just hoping to start a discussion here, I'm not volunteering to
> do any list managing or anything like that. I will be happy to post some
> older adventures, BUT not for a month or so, as they are at home. This
> net just seems like a great place to exchange ideas in this way and to
> help out DMs who are short of something to run for the evening...
>    Comments?

Try Alt.Pub.Dragons-Inn
The original intention was to form a group where story-telling and plot
generation could take place 'in character'.
So far most people seem to have got caught up in the plot generation idea, 
which is churning out some pretty interesting stuff, and there are still a
few that tell their stories of their past etc.
Just wander into the Inn and tell a story. If no one seems to listen then
add an appreciative crowd of NPCs :) though I doubt very much that no-one
else will comment on a story told, particularly if you ask for comments.

Much of the stuff told is colourful and flexible enough to be of use in
any number of campaigns, from low and gritty, to purist role-playing to
hack and slash to munchkinism (though munchkins are severly frowned upon
and actively discouraged in most of the plot generation threads).
I've already incorporated many ideas from the Inn into my campaign, and
the city of Generica can make an interesting place for your campaign 
characters to stumble into.

Sorry if this sounds like a net.advert, but it sounds like the sort
of thing that you are looking for.
							...sage
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
 Pete Calvert                    email: pcalvert@economics.adelaide.edu.au
 Lab Supervisor   Commerce Deptartment, University of Adelaide, South Aust.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- another page from ...sage -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: StarWatcher@uiuc.edu (StarWatcher)
Subject: Re: Weight vs Bulk on Encubrance?
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Reply-To: StarWatcher@uiuc.edu
Organization: UIUC Actuarial Science Program
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 16:16:58 GMT
Keywords: significant words from a document used as an index to content

MWORKMAN@vm.cc.purdue.edu writes:
:However, wouldn't the encubrance of something depend on
:how you carry it?  It's hard to believe a scroll case in a backpack 
:could still give an encumbrance of 50 gp.

Well, what we did in the last campaign I played in was to halve the
encumbrance figure if it was carried in a backpack, bag, etc.  It
might not have been perfectly realistic, but for the sake of having
an easily playable encumbrance rule that doesn't require too many
complex mathematical operations, it works.
  
: Are there any realistic lists of weights or bulk out there?

Use AD&D 2nd ed?  :-) :-)

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Michael Adams (aka StarWatcher) 	   |    "To spend too much time in    |
|UIUC Actuarial Science Program 	   |     studies is sloth."	      |
|+1 (217) 344-0709, +1 (217) 344-4857	   |	  	-- Sir Francis Bacon  |
|StarWatcher@uiuc.edu (NeXT mail accepted) |				      |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|          The standard disclaimer is here...it's just invisible....          |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: spzkny@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov (JAMES ZAKANY)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Too many notes! (Was Re: New uses of dices...)
Date: 24 Jul 92 15:03:00 GMT
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <92205.134844CC100PG@GITVM1.GATECH.EDU>,
 Paul Goodwin <CC100PG@GITVM1.GATECH.EDU> writes...

>Excellent question!  Please, does anyone have a better way to handle private
>communication?

What?  You didn't like MY answer?

>A second note:  In a campaign (which I'm DMing for) I have a thief who likes
>to go on private intellegence-gathering missions, etc. and this can really
>slow down the game flow.  Anyone have any ideas for how to avoid slowing
>things down too much for the group in situations like this?

Sure Paul.  I let the others do stuff, too, during that time.  I'll play 
the thief for a few minutes while the others sit, then I'll play the rest 
while the thief sits.  If it STILL bothers you (and the other players), 
simply tell the thief that it's rude to take up everyone's time like that.

                                                  James S. Zakany
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: mayla@ais.org (Doreen Devlin)
Subject: Re: CHARACTERS WANTED
Organization: Wild in the Woods.....
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 12:40:04 GMT

In article <1992Jul23.203723.26558@meaddata.com> joeg@meaddata.com (Joe Gayda) writes:
>|> send often.  It would be nice to have a larger pool of NPC's to choose
>|> from.
>
>I have a C progam that generates AD&D II characters.  I'm afraid if I
>post the program I may break some TSR copyright.  I would love to
>distribute it because I've spent 40 or 50 hours writing the program.
>Can I post this program?  Anyone from TSR have anything to say?
>
>Well the program does the following:
>
>  - Rolls abilities, best 3d6 of 4d6.
>  - Prioritizes abilities based on class.  (Fighters are strong...)
>  - Rolls HP
>  - Determines AC, THAC0
>  - Determines secondary abilities
>  - Determines Gold and equipment
>  - Has magic armor, shields, potions and a few common magic items
>    built in.
>  - Lists all class and racial statistics
>  - Checks all race and class requirements are met.
>

  [Sample character deleted]

  Yes, you can post it.  TSR doesn't care what you do with their stuff AS
LONG AS NO MONEY CHANGES HANDS.  What they also want is that you don't hand
out 'free copies' of their stuff, ei; copies of spells from PH, etc.  If you
already own a copy of the PH, you're all set, but if the people you give the
program to _don't_, that's when things get sticky.



Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: keary@apollo.HP.COM (Matt Keary)
Subject: Re: Number of Dice
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 15:11:07 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Chelmsford, MA

In article <brr5dk.9ve@wang.com>, smayo@wang.com (Scott Mayo) writes:
|> dan@thyme.jpl.nasa.gov (Dan Allard) writes:
|> >In article <1992Jul18.011357.19389@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> bz556@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Joshua E. Randall) writes:
|> >>
|> >I can never, ever get enough dice.  I find them extremely addicting
|> >and can't help but buy at least one every time I enter a game store.

|> There's hope. Many people have sucessfully overcome this foul addiction;
|> you can too. Simply send me 50 dice and $50, and I can help you, slowly,
|> to reclaim pocket space, release your compulsive need to spend money on
|> little plastic things, and find a life less filled with randomness.
|> 

Oh, Scott, please help me!

I've got dice, but I don't go looking for them, they find me!
I go to gaming sessions and return with twice as many dice as I went with!
I look thru my bag, hold up a random (as opposed to loaded :-) ) d8 - "Any
one belong to this die?"  "not mine"  "nope"  "never seen it"
Knowing that no right-minded gamer would fail to claim his/her dice, I am
forced to take in these little orphan dicies and hawk them at the next session.

I have also found dice in my collection being stolen and replaced with almost 
exact replicas.  My white d10 now has precisely the wrong shade of black for
the numerals.  Please help me to stop suffering from these afflictions!

Any one have the spell Perpetuate Dice Configuration (Alteration)?  One obtains 
exactly the correct number and types of dice, and casts the spell quick.  From 
that moment on, the dice you arrive with are the dice you leave with.  
Probably too much to ask.  Hrumph.   :-)

- Mateo
From: bsercomb@neumann.une.edu.au (You'd better believe it!,,,)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: More Stupid Player Tricks
Date: 24 Jul 92 01:58:32 GMT
Reply-To: bsercomb@neumann.une.edu.au
Originator: bsercomb@neumann.une.edu.au

From article <1992Jul22.161245.26534@honte.uleth.ca>, by tagg@hg.uleth.ca (Nathaniel Tagg):
> 
>        When the subject of stupid player tricks comes up, I can't help but
> think of a small group of first-time players going through the same list of
> mistakes we all did.

My aqbsolute favorites are:

"I get off my horse and dig for treasure" [said in a desert!]

"I am going to go and hire some gnomish mercenaries" [In a game of DragonQuest]

Gm- The rangers/elves in the party notice that the forest has gone quiet, and
that there are furtive noises coming from the bushes to the left.
Player 1, a notorious meat-axe:  "I charge."  

I think "Munchkins" Says it all.

Brad.
From: MWORKMAN@vm.cc.purdue.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Questions about liches and undead
Date: 28 Jul 92 02:11:51 GMT
Organization: Purdue University

In article <Bs2F0o.L7q@news.cso.uiuc.edu>
was28667@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (palamino) writes:
 
>
>
>If all this is covered in 2nd edition, I apologize for my ignorance...
>
>
>Do undead reconstitute in any way (do they regain hit points)?  I could see
>that animated dead (skeletons/zombies) wouldn't, but I would think that ghouls
>or ghosts or any other undead that wouldn't be considered volitionless would
>have some way of regaining hit points.
 
 
I believe that undead regain their hit points by feeding off the recently
dead (their flesh).
I've also played that undead gain hit poins by draining levels.
 
I imagine also that the undead could feed off some "life giving
source" such as a wand of resurection or elixir of life or even the soul of
an individual trapped in something.
 
  (stuff deleted)
>what does the phylactery do for the lich?
 
It's a place (in a gem or amulet) where the essence of the MU is held.
A lich could retreat there if outmatched, but if the phylactery was
found by non-friendly beings... the lich is out of luck.  If the
phylactery is destroyed the lich is also.
 
I didn't look these responses up in any AD&D manual, but they make the
most sense to me.  If anyone else can offer further assistance, I'd like
to here it also.
 
Ryan Workman at Purdue
An old DM
From: ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Questions about undead
Date: 28 Jul 92 23:47:58 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <1683112A32.MWORKMAN@vm.cc.purdue.edu> MWORKMAN@vm.cc.purdue.edu writes:

>I imagine also that the undead could feed off some "life giving
>source" such as a wand of resurection or elixir of life or even the soul of
>an individual trapped in something.

Actually, I always thought that undead would be hurt by "life giving"
sources, and helped by "death giving" sources.  For example, a Raise
Dead spell would kill (or at least severly damage) an undead, while a
Slay Living would heal it.


-- 
Jorge Diaz                       | "You're outmanned, you're outgunned, you're
Georgia Institute of Technology  |      outequipped what else have you got?"
Office of Information Technology | "Guile."
ccoprdj@prism.gatech.edu         |      -- Riker and Worf   "Peak Performance"
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Number of Dice
From: arxt@quads.uchicago.edu (Aidan Palmer)
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 23:33:36 GMT
Reply-To: arxt@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations



	I DM for my group rather often, and, as I said previously, I rarely
have more than 1d4, 3d6, 2d8, 1d12, and a "plus" d20.  Why? Well, for one
thing, my group usually only consists of three or four people, most of which
have their own dice.  In fact, there is one who has just about twenty of all of
the regular dice, plus some d30s and a d100 (although he rarely brings more
than a couple sets).  Since no one in the party is over third level (even
though we have been playing for a year and a half), I rarely have to roll
large numbers of dice.
	As for impressing my players, I think that it's not worth carrying
tons of dice around for.  I'm considering getting a "spot" d10 just for the
novelty, but that's as far as I'll go.  Also, good dice tend to be expensive.
	And just what are "good dice"? I prefer Gamescence dice, since they 
roll better than ones with rounded edges.  I also find opaque dice to be
superior to gem dice, since they hold up better.  The Official AD&D dice, from
Dragon Dice, are pretty awful, not to mention expensive.

	--The Midwesterner
-- 
	"I don't know whether I'm basically lazy or what, but I enjoy my home
and my general surroundings and living the kind of life I live."
                                                               DeForest Kelley