HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: laurence@cco.caltech.edu (Dustin Lee Laurence)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: CHAMP: 1/2d6 vs d6-1
Date: 10 Apr 92 23:53:13 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena

ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat) writes:

>>>>>> On 10 Apr 92 19:58:49 GMT, dicksion@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Matthew W. Dicksion) said:

[...]

>dicksion> This equality falls apart in heroic campaigns that use critical
>dicksion> hits.  Since a crit does Automatic Max Damage, it is much more
>dicksion> effective to do a max of 11 than to do a max of 9, which is why
>dicksion> we always use the half-die option in out Fantasy Hero games.

>Now wait a minute here. HERO has no such thing as a max damage on a
>``critical hit'' (I assume you mean when you roll a 3 on a to hit roll). If
>it does, I'd appreciate it being pointed out somewhere, as I've yet to see
>it anywhere in any HERO book.

It is in FH, at least, under optional rules.  Might also be in Ninja
Hero.  I think that the rule is that if your roll is less than half
what you need, they you do a maximum damage hit.

>This sounds more like a house rule that we used to use. We don't anymore,
>because it is really wildly unbalancing against high DCV/low DEF
>characters, who you may already need a 3 to hit them (3 always hits). It
>really sucks big-time when your DCV 18 (dodging) Martial Artist gets tagged
>by Sir Brick with a 3 that he needed anyway, for maximum damage on 15 dice
>(STR 75 [that's 30 BODY, 90 STUN, and around 23 inches of knockback, just
>so you know]), and one reason why I will never play characters in at least
>two GM's games again.

The rule is _less_ than half, if I recall correctly, so that if you
need a 7 to hit, you need a 3 to critical.  Six or less to hit means
that a crit is impossible (of course, you can still hit normally and
roll the maximum).

-- 
Dustin Laurence            "Someone please stop me, before I net again."

laurence@alice.wonderland.caltech.edu
From: nsecomb@metz.une.oz.au ( Nige.)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Inspired character names
Summary: Diddums McNugget
Date: 15 Apr 92 23:20:53 GMT

In article <15Apr92065528@miracle.com>, sue%miracle@merk.com (The Dragon Queen) writes:
> 
> Here's a question:  What's the silliest or most unusual name you've
> ever given a character?

  How's this for giving a character name due to ulterior motives, my girlfriend
always responds to any grumbling by myself with " there there you poor diddums",
(my name is not diddums by the way). So during a campaign my primary character
was being held captive in a castle to be besieged by the rest of the group, so I
roled up a secondry character to join in on the fun.

  It was a Dwarven cavalier who's mount was a boar and who's name was
"Diddums McNugget", needless to say this characters skull was as thick and as
hard as a Nugget of stone from the mountains that were his home.

  So now every time anyone around the group say's anything to the effect of
" you poor diddums", the instantaneous response is " I'm not a dwarf ".

  Oh, and this Dwarf had only one fear, and that was his mother "Didette" and
her what she called a 'rolling pin' for her cooking, most other races would
call it an undersized granite club, and yes she did know how to use it, and
yes she does use it and with the equivalence in skill to being double 
specialised in granite rolling pin, just ask either Diddums or his dad, Doodums.

                                            Nige.

P.S. Half the fun in playing a character is bringing in it's background, you can
  see from the above why our group, not only me, enjoyed having Diddums around.
P.P.S. Diddums found out that mum had lied when she said Dragons were only in
  fairy tales, especially when a red dragon demonstrated how it's breath has the
really abnoxious quality of tarnishing one's plate mail and singeing one's boar.
From: laird@django.think.com (Laird Popkin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: GURPS combat time.
Date: 15 Apr 92 16:07:20
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: django.think.com
In-reply-to: robert@isgtec.com's message of 13 Apr 92 20:02:03 GMT

In article <2353@isgtec.isgtec.com> robert@isgtec.com (Robert Osborne) writes:
Path: think.com!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!utgpu!utzoo!censor!isgtec!robert
   From: robert@isgtec.com (Robert Osborne)
   Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
   Date: 13 Apr 92 20:02:03 GMT
   References: <1992Apr10.180658.18872@cs.cmu.edu>
   Sender: root@isgtec.com
   Lines: 26

   cms@mse.cmu.edu (Curtis M Scott) writes:
   > However, I think the 1 blow/second rate for weapons (SCA or otherwise) is
   > probably realistic. I don't think any SCA fighter could land 3-4 blows/second.
   > The fastest fighter I ever knew or heard of was Sir Francois of the Kingdom
   > of Meridies, and high-speed film showed him striking 3 times in 2 seconds
   > (that's total blows with two swords). I think Francois is the reason that
   > SJ put the one blow/second rule in based on that experience.
   > 
   > Recognize that 4 blows a second is one blow every 250 millisecond---basically
   > reflex speed for the human body. Aimed blows for damage---I don't think so.

   Fencers, kendo players, boxers, and most other martial artists practice
   combinations of attacks.  In kendo, two favourites are the kote-men
   (wrist-head) and kote-men-do (wrist-head-waist) combinations; a serious
   kendo student can perform either of these combinations in under a
   second.

   After years of practice (a lot of the Japanese students start at 4 or 5
   years old) these combinations ARE reflexes;  my kendo instructor (60+
   and playing since 3) and his senior student (40+ and playing since 5)
   could maintain a constant clatter of hits and blocks that sounded like
   a heavy-metal drummer.

GURPS Martial Arts allows you to create multi-part combinations which are
learned as a single skill.  For example, you might learn a
parry-punch-kick, so when someone attacks you, you can parry the attack and
throw a punch and a kick as a single "action", in reaction to the attack.
I have added this ability to other combat methods (e.g. fencing) which are
based on intensive studying of very light weapons.  I suppose that *Conan*
could work out a combination using a two-handed sword...

   Rob.

- Laird

--
- Laird Popkin, Thinking Machines

Connection Machine: Massively parallel supercomputer.  Also a cool black
cube with more blinking lights than you can shake a stick at.
From: alberti@mudhoney.micro.umn.edu (Albatross)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: TOME & M.A.R. Barker release _Adventures in Tekumel, Volume 1_
Summary: new tekumel gamebook released
Keywords: new tekumel gamebook released
Date: 10 Apr 92 15:41:21 GMT
Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis: CIS

Theatre of the Mind Games (TOME) has released volume 1 of the new
Tekumel sourcebook set, "Adventures in Tekumel".  Under a white cover with
gold lettering, and illustrated by Kathy Marschall, this sourcebook takes the
adventurer through the process of developing a character for play in the
Empire of the Petal Throne RPG.

The book contains copyable character reference sheets in its center (which
can be removed by opening and reclosing the staples), and narrative portions
giving new players insight into the workings of Tekumel.

Included in the narrative portions of the sourcebook is information regarding
the death of the previous emperor and the elevation to the Petal Throne of
the Worm Prince, Dhichune, now the emperor Eternal Splendour.

Characters developed with this sourcebook will be used with the following
two booklets of solo "practice" adventures in Tekumel.  These adventures
can be used to develop a new charater to any age or level of experience,
while familiarizing new players with the intricacies of Tekumel politics
and behaviors.  These sourcebooks are complete save for illustration and
final layout and should be released shortly.

Future releases planned include the Tekumel Bestiary (complete, save for final
editing, with at least three dozen illustrations by Giovanna) and the new
Tekumel gamebooks (in progress).

Theatre of the Mind has also re-issued the popular _Book of Ebon Bindings_
and has announced plans to re-issue the _Deeds of the Ever-Glorious_,
an updated compendium of the military legions of Tsolyanu.

The _Book of Ebon Bindings_ is currently carried by four distributors, and
if it is unavailable in your area, ask your local game store to contact one
of the following distributors:  Chessex, Aladdin (of Burnsville, Minnesota),
Berkeley, and Zocci.

If you have questions or comments to address to the publishers, you may write
to:

TOME, Inc.
PO Box 60668
King of Prussia, Penn  19406

Finally, M.A.R. Barker's third novel, tenatively titled "The Lords of Tsamra"
is still in progress, work on it having been slowed somewhat by work on the
gamebooks.
--
Bob Alberti: Computer & Information Services U of MN   |aka: Albatross| Unitar-
Internet   : alberti@boombox.micro.umn.edu             |Metropolis BBS| ian/
Disclaimer : My employer does not mean what I say.     |(612) 721-1870| Univer-
Ingredients: 30% header, 30% quote, 10% comment, 30% cutesy signature.| salist!
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: erich@lighthouse.caltech.edu (Erich Schneider)
Subject: Jorune articles in White Wolf
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Distribution: rec
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 23:42:24 GMT

Many moons ago I read a posting that White Wolf magazine used to
publish articles about "SkyRealms of Jorune".

I was wondering if some kind soul out there who has been reading
White Wolf for some time could send me/post a list of the issue
numbers containing Jorune articles and a brief description of their
contents? (So that I can look for back issues.)

Thanks a bunch, in advance.

--
erich@lighthouse.caltech.edu

"The Hierophant is Disguised and Confused."
From: dlc@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Dennis Clark)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: GURPS/GURPS/GURPS
Date: 14 Apr 92 22:54:49 GMT
Article-I.D.: hpfcso.122920011
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA

jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (John H Kim) writes:

> In article <1992Apr10.025624.13017@ringer.cs.utsa.edu> mcdougal@lonestar.utsa.edu (Jon . McDougal) writes:
[...]
> >
> >    Supers: What is so wrong with bullets bouncing off of players, I
> >thought that was part of the game plan of being a Super.
> 
> The trouble is high DR's and low HP's (because DR is cheap and HP is 
> expensive). This means that with all the high dice attacks being thrown 
> around - a character tends to be either unhurtable or dead. 

  So be creative.  Open pits under them.  Entangle, Poison gas, Ego attacks,
Illusion, mind control, deseases, drowning, psychoses, insanity, annoyance,
misdirection, humiliation, incarcaration...  The list is endless, you don't
need to win through combat.  Make 'em use their heads, make your NPCs use 
their heads.  Give 'em a-a-a-a GOAL!

DLC
 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> John Kim                    | Alice: "But if I wasn't real, I shouldn't be
> jhk6@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu | able to cry."  Tweedledee: "I hope you don't 
> Columbia University         | imagine those are *real* tears."
>
From: billk@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Bill Karwin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Inspired character names
Date: 16 Apr 92 09:44:57 GMT



These names everybody has been posting have me rolling.  Good stuff!

In a Gurps Fantasy campaign I was running, the PC's met a loner
dwarf prospecter, who could literally _taste_ if there was gold
or precious gems the surrounding rock.  He smacked the rock with
his pick, tossed it up in the air, caught it and licked the blade.
His name was Yukon Cornelius.  A fairly obscure reference, but
it was a great "in" joke for the campaign.

Another NPC from the same campaign was a little girl who was found
as the sole survivor of a town that had been overrun by evil monsters.
Her name was Sally.  Sally from salamander, similar to Newt.
Hey, I had to come up with a name on the spot.  :-)

A character I ran recently in a friend's game he based on the
japanese animated series GUNDAM, I had a female character who
was named Ana Mei.  The surprising thing is that after the
novelty wore off (about two minutes), we took the character
as seriously as the others.  It was a fairly 'serious' campaign.


-- 
Bill Karwin					billk@ucscb.ucsc.edu
When does it STOP being "that awkward age"?!?
From: dragon@camelot.bradley.edu (Matthew Korth)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Valheru stats
Date: 10 Apr 92 05:15:36 GMT
Organization: Bradley University

In <rwallace.702837002@unix1.tcd.ie> rwallace@unix1.tcd.ie (russell wallace) writes:
>Interesting, though not quite the same as the Valheru from the books
>(they could lay waste to entire *planets*; a far cry from 1d8+25 hit
>points of damage).

Actually, it was the Dragon Host--the collective mind and might of the
Valheru--which could do that.  As I recall, plunder and destruction on
a planetary scale was, in fact, the only thing besides mating that could
overcome the mutual hatred of one Valheru for another.
--
*** Matt Korth *** dragon@camelot.bradley.edu *** dragon@buhub.bradley.edu ***
You are confused.  Black does not represent evil.  Black represents
anxiety.  Sen. Jesse Helms represents evil.

			--the Omniscient Usenet Oracle
From: JLM@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: 100-DICE
Date: 14 Apr 92 02:58:13 GMT
 <54462@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

In article <54462@hydra.gatech.EDU>, tmiller@prism.gatech.EDU (Thomas Miller)
says:
>
>In article <13APR199213441030@rigel.tamu.edu>, afj9838@rigel.tamu.edu
>(JOHNSON,
>AARON FLEMING) writes:
>> In article <bibaert.702899074@eursus>, bibaert@eursus (Hans Baert) writes...
>> >Hello Everybody,
>> >Can anybody supply me with a 100 sided dice?
>> >I need it for ADD. Please reply by mail if you know where i can buy them.
>> >Greetings,
>> >                                    Hans.
>>
>>       Well, my fine tyro, there are two, count them two, simple suggestions.
>
>
>  This is definitely an inane question, but what is a "tyro" ?
>
>  Just wondering...  :)


 A tyro is a beginner, a novice (from the Latin "tiro", young soldier),
not one of the most commonly used words in the English language. :-)

Jose L. Martinez
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: acd@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (andrew.c.durston)
Subject: Re: Rolemaster/GAME SYSTEMS
Organization: AT&T
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 17:14:19 GMT

In article <1992Apr13.204220.17834@athena.cs.uga.edu>, peiper@athena.cs.uga.edu (Garfield) writes:
> I have a few Questions of How you would/do deal with certain situations.:
> 
> 1) For most spell casters they get a level Bonus to Base Spell Casting. What
> Does this apply to, I have been applying it to ESF rolls for There Base lists
> only in place of The +1 per level for Pure and Hyvrid users in the book. Any 
> other Suggestions??
	I only use it for Base Spell rolls. However, I have combined the Base
	and ESF spell rolls. I figure it this way, if the spell works ( d100
	> ESF chance ) then it works WELL ( high BAR roll results ) otherwise
	it fails...
> 
> 2) The Spells on the Doom's Law spell list in RMC II say nothing about Saving
> Throws, and they aren't elemental. Yet they can deliver E crits at will at the
> Higher levels, This seems Mighty Powerful.... Am I missing something in the
> rules for this, or are they just this nasty of a class??(the Warlock) 
	I treat them as Force (F) spells and the target gets an RR ( based on
	the Warlock's BAR roll ).
> 
> 3) One of my players has been harking on me about the level bonuses. He seems
> to be under the impression that since he has done 3 ranks of development at
> first level that he should get the level bonus each time.... And that since
> the spell casters have had three level's worth of spell casting development
> that they should cast as if they were third level, even though they have the
> XP, and level # of a first level character... What is the rules on this, and
> What do I tell them so they won't bitch so much??
	I presume you mean two ranks of development ( Adolesence and Apprentice-
	ship ). If so, then just say he is 1st level with two chances to buy
	skills. Pretty simple. Ignore all the other commentary. Or, only
	give them one set of skill buys and call them 1st level ( they'll never
	complain after that ).

	ACDurston
	..!att!hotld!acd
From: dwt@po.CWRU.Edu (Donald W. Treadway)
Subject: Michicon
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 92 16:35:59 GMT


Could someone please e-mail the phone number to get a schedule and
registration form for MichiCon in Detroit.  
Thanx in Advance
-- 
Don Treadway--metallurgical engineer-in-training-->ManOfAluminum
"Women and cats do as they dammed well please.       | dwt@po.cwru.edu
     Men and dogs had best learn to live with it..." | 1626 E 115 Street
"I'm at the corner of Walk and Don't Walk...."       | Cleveland, OH 44106
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: aw0991@thor.albany.edu (Airborne)
Subject: I-Con
Originator: aw0991@thor.albany.edu
Organization: State University of New York at Albany
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 92 18:11:20 GMT

Just got back from the I-CON convention in Stoney Brook NY.

The first one I ever went to and it was pretty kool.

Also got to play Gary Gygax's new game system. 
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: cleggp@aix.rpi.edu (Paul Jason Clegg)
Subject: Re: CHAMPIONS: Variable Advantage
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 05:02:06 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.211049.25445@cco.caltech.edu> laurence@cco.caltech.edu (Dustin Lee Laurence) writes:
>jason@pawnee.ugrad.ee.ufl.edu (Jason Griggs) writes:
>
>>   I've been known to do it, and it's very effective.  Just buy +1/2 in variable
>>advantages as a +1 advantage.  Then at any moment your EB could be AP, Penetrating
>>Autofire, no range mods, variable special effects, etc.  Makes a great hi-tech
>>mega-assault rifle.
>
>Actually, as I recall it, +1/2 variable advantage requires a +1 1/2
>advantage.  The rule for variable disadvantage is to double the disad,
>which you might be thinking of.

Actually, I believe you're both wrong.  The limitation for Variable Limitation
is to make the limitation value 1/2 less than normal.  So for a variable
limitation worth -1 on the power, the limitation is only worth -1/2.  A var-
iable limitation worth -1 1/2 on the power is really only worth -1.  For
a variable Advantage, it's +1 more than the maximum advantage the player may
place on the power.  To get a variable advantage worth +1/2 would actually
require the player to buy the power with a +1 1/2 advantage.

...Paul

|FQT 1.10| How do I set my laser printer for "stun"?
From: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri/Stainless Steel Rat)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: champs: immortal
Date: 17 Apr 92 14:33:15 GMT
Reply-To: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
In-reply-to: TKUSTER@auvm.american.edu's message of 16 Apr 92 22:56:07 GMT
X-Signature-Virus-Protection: Version 1.51
X-Quote: This space intentionally left blank.
X-Posting-Software: GNUS 3.14.1 [ NNTP-based News Reader for GNU Emacs ]

>>>>> On 16 Apr 92 22:56:07 GMT, TKUSTER@auvm.american.edu said:

TKUSTER> I'm trying to make an immortal champs but can't come up with an
TKUSTER> effective means of doing this.  When I say immortal I mean he
TKUSTER> doesn't die.  He can go down apear to be dead etc.  but eventually
TKUSTER> he'll be back.  Life support is half of it but doesn't cover when
TKUSTER> he's beaten to a pulp.  Any ideas?

There are a few possibilities, like buying lots of BODY and Regeneration.
Another possibility is to use a Summon effect, 0 END, Trigger: when the
character reaches ``death point'' (ie, when he dies, a new ``him'' takes
its place). This is about the only way to make a character who just won't
stay dead.

A nice way is to do something like this: once you've set up the
characteristics, buy an extra 10 BODY (let's also assume that he's got 15
BODY to begin with). When he reaches -15 BODY, he appears to die --
everything stops (get the Simulate Death talent for this). You now have
several options:

1) He gets back up almost immediately (aka, the Phoenix effect): Buy
Healing (STUN and BODY), maybe with the Gradual Effect limitation, Trigger:
pseudo-death point.

2) He doesn't get back up, but has to heal the damage normally: Buy
AID: BODY, Limited: Only heals BODY up to pseudo-death point. You probably
want 0 END and Trigger: when BODY drops below pseudo-death point.

This form of ``immortality'' makes it *extremely* difficult to kill the
person without totally obliterating them.

--Rat
--
||||| | | | |  |  |  |   |   |    |    |    |   |   |  |  |  |  | | | | | |||||
                                                   __        ___ 
Richard Pieri, Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat/   | /| / /   | The Worlds
Internet: ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu /__  |/ |/ / /| | Welfare Works
    UUCP: ...!northeastern.edu!splinter!ratinox/   | /| / / / | | Association:
  BITNET: UA_RLP@NUHUB{.BITNET}               /__  |/ |/ / /  | | I will solve
  USNail: 14 Westdale RD  Holbrook, MA 02343 /   | /| / / /___| | any problem
 ICBMnet: 42 deg 1 min N, 71 deg 0 min W    /    |/ |/ /_//_____| for you.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp,rec.games.rpg
From: grs02500@runt.appstate.edu
Subject: Re: Killer: Live RPG
Organization: Appalachian State University
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 13:47:20 GMT

In article <1992Apr08.085943.23041@crash.cts.com>, jca@crash.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) writes:
> Does anyone know where I can get the Killer rules?  Either online or the
> actual book?  Thanks.
> --
 
>      // JCA
> 
>  /*
>  ** ARPA    : jadpc!thewall!jca@nosc.mil | "If it's SCO, it's CRAP!"
>  ** INTERNET: jca@thewall.cts.com        | 
>  **           jca@thewall.uucp           |     - jca@thewall.cts.com
>  ** UUCP    : nosc!jadpc!thewall!jca     |        (i.e. me)
>  */

Killer can be obtained through Steve Jackson Games, who are located in Texas,
San Antonio I believe.

                   SCREAMING BANSHEE
From: ins769v@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au (Veltyen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: SR:Alternative Initiative
Date: 8 Apr 92 04:24:15 GMT
Organization: Monash University



   <<<< Monash is the best University in the world apart from 
        some others which may or may not be better 
                          Veltyen (the poster of this article)    
                                (ps. Still no good at anything)>>>>

      Alternative Initiative : House Rules
     
    IMHO the vanilla initiative system gives out in one inportant
  respect ... How do the players get caught with their testis up a 
  tree in the middle of combat. I mean why don't people get _no_ 
  actions occasionally; say because they couldn't decide who to shoot
  at, or were distracted for other reasons. 

      ZERO INITIATIVE RULES

  Roll all ones on your initiative die and you get no action.

  If damaged and you roll within certain limits you still get no action
    ie writhing in pain on the floor ; or standing stunned.

  Therefore the initiative multiplier is put to each die and if all the 
    die come out at one or less then you get no action.

   Example Kidon the samurai takes one serious wound and mod fatigue
      making -5 to his dice so on his four initiative dice he has to roll
      a seven or greater to get any action at all, with a -5 to his total
      initiative score as well.
         example extension :- 
         Kidon rolls a 2 4 7 5 as such he gets an action because of the 
         seven if he rolled a 5 he would have no action. His total 
         initiative is still about 24.


   Any suggestions can be mailed to me at ins769v@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au
           Veltyen (I'm no good at anything!!)

         Shoot first shoot fast shoot straight and the day will be yours.

           Snail address :- <<<deleted for space reasons>>>