From: l2wang@napier.uwaterloo.ca (  Lei Wang  )
Subject: Re: The Bastard DM from Hell!
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 11:24:54 GMT

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
  [...]
> and would not work.  Why shouldn't it cling to people as well as to rocks etc. 

  Normally Web would require strong supports to attach itself, but it should
cling to supports as well as it clings to creatures.
  Creatures used as supports thus would be pulled together from the elasticity
of the web.  They should perhaps be given Open Doors check to see if they
cling to a nearby solid to avoid tumbling, or a Dex check to stay on their
feet or dislodge the web.

> EXPERIENCE:
> 
> Should a mage earn experience for the party if he kills things at range?? This
> is a very general case and I would appreciate points of view, my DM ruling that
> as a mage I only get exp's if I go into MELEE combat!!!!

  Melee combat is not the sole source of experience.  Experience is learning,
and there are many ways of learning other than the hack-slash-fireball
techniques.
  A priest of the God of Peace and Harmony(no weapon practice) would definitely
not want to go into combat, but healing the wounded would be his greatest 
perogative, and of the judging of all things.
  As stated in the DMG, for group experience, "The idea is that simply being
part of a group that accomplishes something teaches the player character
something useful."  Group experience is divided equally among all members.

  "The characters must be victorious over their foe, which is not necessarily
synonymous with killing it.  Victory can take many forms:  Slaying the enemy
is obviously victory; accepting surrender is victory; routing the enemy
is victory; pressuring the enemy to leave a particular neck of the woods
because things are getting too hot is a kind of victory....  If the 
player characters ingeniously persuade the dragon to leave the village alone,
this is as much(if not more) a victory as going in and chopping the beast
to pieces."

  Then there are individual experience.  These are figured differently among
the party members, and takes a rough measure of their contribution.

  As a mage, you could have been standing outside of combat, avoiding the
enemy only because you possess power that will save the rest of the party
if they fail(a last fireball against desperate odds).  The possibility of
such a situation should grant you experience.

  On the other hand, if you were just standing there, watching without a
care in the world as your party's fighter clean up the dungeon, and keep 
at this, then the DM would definitely have a right to diminish your EXP
intake.

-- 
l2wang@napier.UWaterloo.ca
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