HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cinnes@gucis.cit.gu.edu.au (Christopher Innes)
Subject: Re: Cube of Force usage question
Organization: Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 92 00:42:55 GMT

jackson@ess43.Berkeley.EDU (Jeff Jackson) writes:



>    In our adventure last weekend, our priest took out his Cube of Force
>    and invoked it to keep out "all non-living matter".  We then had a
>    discussion about whether or not people inside the cube:

>        1) would eventually run out of air and suffocate;

>        2) could be touched by anyone outside the cube.


>    Our DM of the day ruled that:

>        1) air wasn't affected by the cube and so they could keep breathing;

>        2) You couldn't poke people inside the cube with a polearm, but you
>           could enter the cube area, draw your sword, and then hack.


>    I disagree.  I think that:

>        1) If air could pass through, then so could a cloudkill, which
>           sort of defeats the purpose of that function of the cube:

>        2) You'd have to be naked to get into the cube.


>    What do y'all think?

I think you are making the mistake of presuming that magic works entirely 
logically, like science.  Well, magic is MAGIC, not science.  It is
magical, and does not have to obey the normal laws of nature and science.
From: schrey@oak.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Timothy M. Schreyer)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Non-weapon proficiencies, compiling, and needing help
Keywords: NWPs, Linguistics, Kits, etc.
Date: 9 Sep 92 18:30:37 GMT
Reply-To: schrey@prc.unisys.com
Organization: Paramax Systems

In article <1992Sep9.173529.16395@m.cs.uiuc.edu>, silber@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Ami A. Silberman) writes:
|> How about "Omen Reading", a one slot profficiency available to priests.
|> It would be rather like "Astrology" but only usable for reading omens that
|> occured without the priest's intervention, thus it could be used only when
|> the GM wanted it to be used.

   You mean like "Augury"?

-- 
 Timothy M. Schreyer                         schrey@prc.unisys.com
 Center for Advanced Information Technology  (215) 648-2475 
 Paramax Systems Corporation                 FAX: (215) 648-2288
 PO Box 517, Paoli, PA 19301
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Hypercard Mac DM --Where is it?
From: alvalent@husc9.harvard.edu (Alvin Valentine)
Date: 5 Sep 92 08:35:51 EDT
Organization: Harvard University Science Center


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: scythe@byron.u.washington.edu (The Grim Reaper)
Subject: Re: What are Cantrips...?
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 23:16:42 GMT

In article <92259.131654JLM@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU> JLM@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU writes:
>
> I'll just add to what have been said by others, that
>cantrips were introduced in DRAGON as zero-level spells
>learned by spell caster while they were apprentices.
>
> The magazine has two lists of cantrips: one for magic-users
>and one for clerics.
>
>-- Jose L. Martinez --

Clerical cantrips?  Seems like an interesting idea.  Could post or email me
them?


--------------------+-------------------------+
HIC IACET ARTVRVS   + The Grim Reaper         + 
IN INSVLA AVALONIA  + SCYTHE@U.WASHINGTON.EDU +
REX QVONDAM REXQVE  + ----------------------- +
FVTVRVS             +                         +
--------------------+-------------------------+

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: shafto@aristotle.ils.nwu.edu (Eric Shafto)
Subject: Looking for game, N. Chicago
Organization: The Institute for the Learning Sciences
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1992 16:53:54 GMT

Well, Evanston, actually, around Northwestern University.  There are
three or four of us, experienced gamers, in or close to our thirties.
We're in grad school, so none of us have time to DM.

Any offers or pointers will be appreciated.

--
*Eric Shafto             * The excursion is the same when you go looking  *
*Institute for the       * for your sorrow as when you go looking for     *
*    Learning Sciences   * your joy.                                      *
*Northwestern University *                Eudora Welty, The Wide Net      *
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: rjg@doe.carleton.ca (Richard Griffith)
Subject: Spell casting, was Re: A word on Mages
Organization: Dept. of Electronics, Carleton University
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 18:21:40 GMT

In <BuBMpC.7At@newcastle.ac.uk> Mark.OLeary@newcastle.ac.uk (M.D. O'Leary) writes:
>>>The time to memorize a spell in the first edition was 1 hour
>>>per spell level but in the 2nd ed I was told it was 10 mins per spell
>>>level! This means that a low level party in a ruins can effectively cast
>>>many spells in a day. 
>>>
[Remomorization stuff]
>This gives a low level mage the option of casting several spells in a day, if
>the party is prepared to be heavily slowed down, and also puts some limit on
>the abilities of really high level MUs...

I have been thinking about allowing MUs to cast spells from the spell book
without memorization ( wait a second, keep reading hopefully this will not
be as bad as you are thinking). The casting time of a spell from the spell
book is (spell level)^2 * 10 minutes plus the usual casting time. 
A first level spell takes at least 10 minutes (plus the 1 segment)
to cast. A second level spell takes 40 minutes to cast. A third level
spell takes 90 minutes to cast. A ninth level spell takes 13 and 1/2 hours.
This time must be totally spent spell casting, no interruptions,
or the spell fails. Due to the length of time required there is a 10% 
probability of spell failure per level of the spell attempted. A mage is only
able to cast spells that he could memorize. All spell components are required 
as normal.

The mage then has access to read magics and other utility spells but does
not become a combat monster. If the mage is using too many spells shift the
multiplier on each casting, i.e. a first level spell is 10 minutes the first
time then 40 minutes then 90 minutes. This increases until the mage gets a
good rest. Another reasonable limit is letting the mage cast a single spell
from the book as many times as he can normally cast spells from that level.
After that his mind is too fuzzy to concentrate on the spell again, it all
seems familiar so he skips a bit and blows it. Or a (100%-10*number of pervious
attempts) probability of blowing the casting. (Add in the base probability
of failure so only one roll is required).


To avoid situations where a 'dungeon dive'
expedition waits for a _detect_ spell at every turn I suggest the DM
makes the spell casting a real time wait. How long are the fighters, and
others going to wait for that mage to roll of his spell just so they can open 
the next door? Anyways the mage is reading/casting in a loud voice that is
going to attract monsters.( No one really needs this suggestion, do they? )

Comments??!

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: srstarin@eos.ncsu.edu (SCOTT ROBIN STARIN)
Subject: Re: A word on Mages
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 21:31:56 GMT

In article <1992Sep4.162630.1@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au>, edb892rsft@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au writes:
|> 
|> And now a few words on mages........
|> 
|> In previous campaigns of mine I have been extremely reluctant to let
|> players have magic-users for characters. Especially at low levels they
|> tend to cast one spell for the entire adventure, then cringe behind the
|> fighters and clerics and siphon off xp. With the advent of specialists
|> this has changed slightly with the offending mages getting two spells.
|> Even with good role playing and various dirty tricks (ie throwing dust
|> into monsters faces, throwing flaming oil etc) the contribution of the
|> mage a low levels still tends to be very little. Has any one found ways
|> of getting low level mages to have a greater role in low level
|> adventures?
  
    As far as DMing mage characters, I don't have a lot of experience.  But those
mages I have DMed at low levels were fairly successful characters.  I don't attribute
this to any great skill on my part as much as to a willingness of the player to 
actually play a mage.  The same role-playing ideas apply to mages as to other classes
but for mages, it's immediately important to form identifiable traits for the 
character.  Otherwise, the player will fall into the mode that you described, of 
casting one spell and standing out of the way.  As a DM include more encounters in 
which the knowledge-seeking traits of the mage class, along with the personal traits
of that particular character, can be emphasized.  That's fairly general; if you want more specific ideas , I suggest looking at the module by TSR, Wizard's Challenge.
Even if you don't like modules, it's got some neat ideas on how different NPC's see
wizards.  This provides good NPC/PC interaction with the wizard you are DMing:-)
    
|> And now a few more complaints about mages..........
|> 
|> Currently i am running an adventure in a ruined city, but this next
|> comment is also relevant to out door adventures as well. I have found
|> that the PC mage in my party has a habit of casting his spell then
|> telling the party to wait while he gets another. This problem is easliy
|> counter acted in the dungeon with random monsters every turn or so but
|> in the wilderness or ruins adventure random monsters tend to be
|> sparse... The time to memorize a spell in the first edition was 1 hour
|> per spell level but in the 2nd ed I was told it was 10 mins per spell
|> level! This means that a low level party in a ruins can effectively cast
|> many spells in a day. 
|> 
|>            Any thoughts on the matter....

	I think the problem here may be that before any spellcaster can replace a
spell that he has cast, he must rest normally (the PH says eight hours, I think)

	If anyone wants to discuss the matter of wizards any further (they're my 
favorite dnd subject) feel free to email me......
From: brian_vickers@isd.jpl.nasa.gov (Brian Vickers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Missiles into Melee Combat
Date: 8 Sep 92 18:57:52 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.dnd
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

In article <1992Sep7.140245.12612@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>,
jddavenport@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu wrote:
> A question regarding missile fire into melee combat:

Here's an alternate way to do it: 

Take the number and size of the melee individuals and subtract the target
size to arrive at the target's AC modifier. Example: I'm trying to shoot a
troll that is being beat up on by 4 Dwarves and a human. 4 dwarves + 1
human (.5 + .5 + .5 + .5 + 1) - 1 troll (- 2) = 1. The trolls effective
armor class for missile fire has improved by 1.

Roll to hit. If you hit, the troll takes damage, if not, take the
difference between the needed to hit number and the rolled number. This is
the chance that you have hit one of the other melee opponents. Example: I
need a 17 to hit the troll (with his adjusted AC) but my to hit roll (with
bonuses, etc.) is only 13. There is a 20% chance that I have hit one of the
dwarves or the human.

Roll percentile dice. If it is less than the previously calculated figure,
then calculate as per DMG2 to see who got hit, omitting the original
target. Example: I roll percentile dice, 11%. Oops. Roll a d6. One of the
dwarves gets hit on a 1-4 and the human gets it on a 5 or 6.

Here's a repeat of the DMG2 just in case you missed it the first time:
> 	"When missiles are fired into a melee, the DM counts the number of
> figures in the immediate area of the intended target.  Each Medium figure
> counts as 1.  Small figures count as .5, Large as 2, Huge as 4, and Gargantuan
> as 6.  The total value is compared to the value of each character or creature
> in the target melee.  Using this ratio, the DM rolls a die to determine who
> (or what) will be the target of the shot" (p. 99)

Just my ideas. 

-- Brian
brian_vickers@isd.jpl.nasa.gov
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: Devon_Sheppard@mindlink.bc.ca (Devon Sheppard)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Archive Sites
Date: 15 Sep 92 17:32:28 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada

Well, since you can tell by the previous posting (a blown email) that I'm
rather new to the net, can someone send me some mail desribing how to log into
the archive sites that are being talked about so much... I'd love to get my
hands on the net.books and such.

  Thanks in advance.

  D

--
devon_sheppard@mindlink.bc.ca
From: weeks@astroatc.uucp (Pat Weeks)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Familiars and their offspring...
Date: 9 Sep 92 13:47:18 GMT
Organization: Astronautics Technology Cntr, Madison, WI


	Just an interesting question a few of us were tossing around...

	What if your familiar had an offspring?  Would they be more intelligent,
would they have any link to the mage, what if you had a male and female cat
familiar and they bred together.  Any interesting effects??  Are familiars
sterile and/or impotent due to their status? 

	Just some odd questions to spark thought?? ;-)


							Ghostwheel
From: ainsi@wpi.WPI.EDU (Michael Robert Bristol)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: DARK SUN
Date: 11 Sep 1992 19:48:28 GMT
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
NNTP-Posting-Host: wpi.wpi.edu

	I havn't seen ANY discussion about DARK SUN since I rejoined the
networld after summer break.  I also missed the discussion after the set
came out the first time.  I tend to like the setting and it (despite the
excessive power of many of the characters) lends well to all sorts of
neat stuff.  Sure, munchkins love it and I can also infuse a lot of mystery
into each campaign.
	So, what are your thoughts?  And, if it has already been discussed,
what did the net decide.  Thumbs up or thumbs down? 

	-Later

	PS: If you have any nifty ideas about DARK SUN, feel free to mail me
them at ainsi@wpi.wpi.edu    Maybe we can bounce some stuff of one another.

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: silber@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Ami A. Silberman)
Subject: Re: Clerics: Deities Granting Spells
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 17:33:34 GMT

One problem is that some of the spells are either in the wrong sphere or
should be in several spheres. Druids no longer get "Commune with Nature",
which was the v1. equivelent (for them) of the "Commune" spell.
-- 
ami silberman - janitor of lunacy
	silber@cs.uiuc.edu
From: janderso@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (Justin Anderson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: DARK SUN
Date: 11 Sep 92 21:15:12 GMT
Organization: Virginia Tech Computer Science Dept, Blacksburg, VA

In article <18qt6cINNo92@bigboote.WPI.EDU> ainsi@wpi.WPI.EDU (Michael Robert Bristol) writes:
>
>	I havn't seen ANY discussion about DARK SUN since I rejoined the
>networld after summer break.  I also missed the discussion after the set
>came out the first time.  I tend to like the setting and it (despite the
>excessive power of many of the characters) lends well to all sorts of
>neat stuff.  Sure, munchkins love it and I can also infuse a lot of mystery
>into each campaign.
>	So, what are your thoughts?  And, if it has already been discussed,
>what did the net decide.  Thumbs up or thumbs down? 
>
>	-Later
>
>	PS: If you have any nifty ideas about DARK SUN, feel free to mail me
>them at ainsi@wpi.wpi.edu    Maybe we can bounce some stuff of one another.

	I haven't played D&D in a long time (mostly I play GURPS nowadays) but
I picked up the Dark Sun set a few weeks ago and I was hooked.  Although it's
still D&D (love that justification for the 1 minute combat round in the 2nd
edition...) I heartily approve of the world.  A very nice change of pace from 
the standard fantasy world (elves hugging trees in the forest, dwarves being
gruff in the mountains, etc....)  I like the dark overtones to the world in
particular.  From a practical standpoint, starting at 3rd level is *such* a
boon to mages....  To bad they didn't spend a little more time editing the 
thing....  According to one place in the rule book, druids get major access to
the Sphere of Cosmos (clerics get minor), but at another it says that druids
get minor as well....  Clerical magic seems pretty limited under these terms.
Clerics don't get a whole lot of spells above 3rd level.  I'm considering 
giving clerics (but not druids) major access to Cosmos.  

	All in all, I'm a fan.  Must admit I'd rather have GURPS:  Dark Sun,
but it'll do.

Justin Anderson
janderso@vtssi.vt.edu
From: cyoung@ctron.com (Chris Young)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Cube of Force usage question
Date: 11 Sep 92 13:05:05 GMT
Reply-To: cyoung@cardinals.ctron.com (Chris Young)
Organization: Cabletron Systems INc.

I do not see why the party in question could not teleport out.  

The cube acts as a barrier.  Therefore after touching side six no magical effects could pass
through the cube.  However teleporting is traveling from one location to another without
traveling the space inbetween, hence the barrier was never crossed, the restriction on the cube
wasn't broken.

It also occurs to me that the generated barrier around the cube would want to remain with the 
magical item.  Therefore the field may teleport with the caster.

Also can a generated field be moved?  Or is it fixed in place?

I don't have the books in front of me so I cannot reference it at the time.
For example if a wizard was falling and he activated the cube would it stop his fall or would
the force field travel with him?

If the cube travels then what would prevent an enormous creature from hefting the field and 
shaking up the contents?

This is an interesting question...

I'll have to reference the books when I get home.

Chris
From: msh9848@hertz.njit.edu (Matthew)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Lycanthropes, shape changers , and werebeings.
Date: 15 Sep 92 16:04:03 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.

In article <1992Sep15.123236.8999@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> mowen@nyx.cs.du.edu (Guinny) writes:
>
>
>Let us know how you get on with them - might be fun to play,
>especially if you mix that with Vampire and Werewolf/Lycanthropes

Most people suggested the oriental adventures book. A few suggested 
some ways to develop the class. I am going to look at everything. When I am
done I will post it to the net. 

Matt
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Missiles into Melee Combat
From: jddavenport@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu
Date: 7 Sep 92 14:02:45 -0500
Organization: Miami University Academic Computer Service"

A question regarding missile fire into melee combat:

In our gaming session this past week, I had occasion to throw a spear into 
a melee between two bugbears and my fellow Cleric (yes, I play 2nd edition
rules, but they'll always be clerics to me :)  The DM ruled that each of the
three combatants would be given an equal chance to be the target, then a to-hit
would be rolled (1-2 on a d6 means my compatriot would be the target, etc.).
The party felt this was an unfair ruling, because it in effect means that
a 20-th level fighter would hit his fellow adventurer more often than a 1st
level mage, because the chance of aiming incorrectly was equal for both, while
the fighter would have a vastly better chance of hitting *something*.

After a heated discussion, someone decided to check the 2ndEd.PH.  What do you
know, it agreed with the DM's ruling, stating that:

	"When missiles are fired into a melee, the DM counts the number of
figures in the immediate area of the intended target.  Each Medium figure
counts as 1.  Small figures count as .5, Large as 2, Huge as 4, and Gargantuan
as 6.  The total value is compared to the value of each character or creature
in the target melee.  Using this ratio, the DM rolls a die to determine who
(or what) will be the target of the shot" (p. 99)

Doesn't it make sense, tho, that someone with a THAC0 of 5 should be able to
differentiate betwen friend and foe when he is firing once in a time frame of
a minute?

BTW, before someone flames me, the BM was treating the bugbears as Medium-sized
creatures, not Large.

Any ideas, pro or con, would be appreciated.

--
John Davenport, a.k.a. the buffalo
Keeper of Flash the Wonder Turtle
jddavenport@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu
From: boelter3945@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Cube of Force usage question
Date: 10 Sep 92 12:06:51 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <1992Sep8.215417.15358@aa.cad.slb.com>, jackson@ess43.Berkeley.EDU
   (Jeff Jackson) writes:
>     In our adventure last weekend, our priest took out his Cube of Force
>     and invoked it to keep out "all non-living matter".  We then had a
>     discussion about whether or not people inside the cube:
>         1) would eventually run out of air and suffocate;
>         2) could be touched by anyone outside the cube.
>     Our DM of the day ruled that:
>         1) air wasn't affected by the cube and so they could keep breathing;
>         2) You couldn't poke people inside the cube with a polearm, but you
>            could enter the cube area, draw your sword, and then hack.
>     I disagree.  I think that:
>         1) If air could pass through, then so could a cloudkill, which
>            sort of defeats the purpose of that function of the cube:
>         2) You'd have to be naked to get into the cube.

   How long did you plan to keep that field up?  My ruling is that magic items,
at least the non-cursed ones (*gryn*) have failsafes built in to allow the user
to breathe normally.  There are exceptions, of course, and these are usually
stated in the item descriptions.  If you don't rule this way, then say there is
enough air to last for any combat, but I don't think you can keep it up long
enough to worry (it has a maintenance cost, doesn't it?)

   As for entering, you are correct, you would have to be naked to enter the
cube, as the sword, sheathe, and even your clothes are all non-living matter. 
(Reminds me of a teleport trap in a module.. all living matter got teleported
to one room, while all non-living matter got teleported to another room..)

   A cloudkill could pass through, yes, because that is a magical spell effect,
and I believe there is a function to keep out magic (don't have book with me). 
Now, normal noxious fumes, say from a swamp, probably couldn't go through, I'd
have to check that.

   That's my opinion.  Have fun!

                                        John "Nightwind" Boelter

--
*******************************************************************************
* John Boelter        a.k.a. Nightwind            boelter3945@iscsvax.uni.edu *
* Organizational Manager and contact person for everything and then some.     *
*******************************************************************************
* The individual who said we only use 10%  * The first 90% of a task takes    *
* of our brain's mental capacity, was      * 90% of the time, and the last    *
* probably 90% incorrect.                  * 10% takes the other 90%.         *
*            -Unknown comic on A&E-        *   -99 rule of Project Schedules- *
*******************************************************************************