HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: LRPR@UNB.CA (LRPR)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: RE: Cursed Items - Why?
Date: 8 Jan 93 15:24:45 GMT
Organization: The University of New Brunswick

In article <1993Jan8.005616.9419@lclark.edu> ross@lclark.edu (Anthony Ross) writes:
> Here's my question, and I'm pretty damn sure the FAQ doesn't
>answer it:
>
> OK, given the amount of time, effort, money, etc... needed
>to contruct a magical item, why would a mage be making a cursed one?

    I always assumed it would be the result of a failure during
the enchantment process - since a saving throw must be rolled for the
enchantment to take hold, perhaps a natural "1" on the die results in
a cursed item - e.g. a warrior's spirit trapped in an intelligent
sword by a mage has been accidentally granted enough freedom to
screw up the user, whom he figures (in his addled state, without
sensory input) must be a buddy of the guy who put him there...
   JubbaBones.
From: alongley@cape.UWaterloo.ca (Allan Longley)
Subject: List of Additions to Net.Spellbooks
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 22:10:32 GMT

Is there a separate file containing the new additions to the 5th edition
spellbook.  I have the old net.spellbook in a custom format and would like
to add the new spells instead of starting over.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allan Longley, University of Waterloo, Department of Chemical Engineering
e-mail: alongley@cape.uwaterloo.ca
voice: (519) 885-1211			350 new spells ... cool!
home: (519) 746-1498
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           "Ph-nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn"              
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters)
Subject: Re: RPGs & Suicide (was Re: D&D and Christianity)
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 14:19:05 GMT

In article <justinf-090192160741@macintosh19.cco.caltech.edu> justinf@cco.caltech.edu (Justin Fang) writes:

>because of D&D, these figures give us a suicide rate of 5 per 100,000 per
>year. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the
>national suicide rate was 12.2 per 100,000 in 1989.
>
>The conclusion is obvious! D&D prevents suicide! Everyone should play D&D!
>:)
>

I'll have to dig up the information I have filed away.  I've seen the same
statistics and the conclusion is the same.  However unstable gamers might be 
B^), as a group we are less likely than average to kill ourselves.

But, pity the poor people who listen to Country music, since they have a higher
suicide rate than the national average.  I wonder of a Country-Music-listening
gamer hits the national average?  B^& (eating pretzels)

-Coyt

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: jhereg@iastate.edu (Baron Alexandreivich Von Goepel-heimer)
Subject: Looking for Fighter (assasin subclass)
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 16:14:55 GMT

This also appeared more recently in Dragon Magazine.  Does anyone know anything
about it?
				Alex
					jhereg@iastate.edu
From: tmiller@prism.gatech.EDU (Thomas Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: No Healers
Date: 8 Jan 93 18:47:57 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology


  Just a note...in Bob Salvatore's first trilogy (the Crystal Shard,
Halfling's Gem, and another one), the basic group consists of a drow
ranger, a human barbarian, a halfling thief, and a dwarven fighter.
It's interesting to read about how they get along with neither a mage
nor a priest...
  Also he's a good author   :)



Thomas
From: f012@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: D&D and Christianity
Date: 5 Jan 93 23:16:41 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

>I'm really amazed that there are people who (still) believe this kind of nonsen
se!
>I really couldn't stop laughing while reading why he thinks AD&D and FRP in
>general is evil.
>
>Using phrases as "REAL spells", "REAL demons", "REAL pagan gods", this man has
>just proven himself to have lost any feeling with reality whatsoever. He's
>probably one of those guys that says Darwin was wrong and Genesis actually
>happened 7000 years ago.
>


I agree 100%

>
>Phil Dutre (being a Roman Catholic, and thus a Christian myself)

Oops....big mistake.  I also am a Roman Catholic, and the raving born-again
fundamentalists that support that kind of thing hate us more than they could
ever hate AD&D...heh.  We're the most pagan of all religions, for some reason,
to them.  Never bothered to figure out why, of course, since I ignore all that
crap anyway...but still...once they heard the word 'Catholic' from you, they
will discount anything yuo say as utter heresy anyway.  :)

JD


-- 

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 | I don't know about the rest of you, but signature files REALLY annoy me. |
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: jacobus@symphony.cc.purdue.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Subject: Net FR book.
Organization: Purdue University
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 05:16:57 GMT



What's the status on the net-Forgotten Realms volume?
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: diamong@gov.on.ca (Gerald Diamond)
Subject: Re: Gary Gygax
Organization: Government of Ontario
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 20:11:59 GMT

In <1993Jan12.172006.3225@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> mark@pokey.jsc.nasa.gov (Mark Manning) writes:

>Well, what I had heard was that the people who were working at T$R
>became a little disgruntled with Gary, sought help, and found a lady
>who happened to have a lot of money and nothing to do with it.  She
>purchased a majority of the stock of T$R and forced Gary out.  Much
>to the rejoicing of the other people who were working at T$R at the
>time.

>This is hear-say also, but mainly from what I recollect from previous
>discussions on this subject.

I had heaard (*more hearsay ) that he had been very ill - cancer or such
and that control got away from him during this period.  When he came
back he was out of touch and didn't like the way things were going...

The rst I have no idea about.


-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Gerald Diamond             | diamong@gov.on.ca          |\
                           |                            |  \
I spoke only for myself    | There's never enough time  |    \
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: stigs@stud.cs.uit.no (Stig-Lennart Soerensen)
Subject: Unlucky mage
Organization: University of Tromsoe, Norway
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 11:45:27 GMT

I need some help in order to bypass my DM's evil plans for my poor magician.

Problem:

My 11'th level magician uses a new spell casting system (based loosely on the
rolemaster spell point system). This new system outshines the 2nd ed. AD&D spells,
BUT the gods strongly dislikes any magician using the new system. That means that
none of the gods would allow a dead magician (using the new system) to be raised
or ressurected.

Core of problem:

My character died (a Hades priest cast a kill spell of some sort, fail save etc.)
and discovers that no god is willing to raise him. Enter Hades:
'Ello mortal, overheard your heated discussion with Hecate. I got a sort of deal'
(Athelstone look up hopefully) 'yeah?'
'You have a soul, hmmm...lets see...Iam willing to return you to your friends, but
you have to do two things for me.
1.Kill all the spellcasters who uses the new magic system in the world
(thats around 15-20, all of them high level)
2.Kill the son of Ares.
(hehehehe!manic cackle)
These objectives must be reached within ten years. Otherwise I'll tear your soul
apart! (sound of hooks slashing through flesh)
AAAARGH!
Athelstone whimpers, then shakily accepts the deal (what else to do?)

The magician is returned to life, but he is not raised, he is an undead!
He must drink two pints of blood each day or be drained of life energy until body
collapses.

The situation seems hopeless. But ten years is a long time so...

Then something happens. A fellow magician discovers a geas put upon Athelstone. 
The mage offers to remove the geas. Athelstone agrees. But as the magician cast a
sleep spell on Athelstone, he discovers the truth about Athelstone. He is an
undead (the magician is Lawful Good, he recoils in shock and horror)!!

Athelstone tells him about the deal. The other magician offers to help. But
suddenly Athelstone feels his lifeforce drain away!

"No! Its him! Hades is coming for me'!"

True enough, four hours later Athelstone is dead (the definition here of dead is
somewhat blurry, but dead-dead then)

Hades:Well, three months have passed, and nothing you have done for me! Shame on
you!
Athelstone whimpers, begs, etc.
Hades: I'll give another chance! You must kill two magicians (names witheld by
request) within three months or else...Begone foul mortal!

Athelstone returns to dead from dead-dead state.

Request: 

Now how the hell do I get out of this one? Is there someway I can trick the god?
Lure him into a track? Blackmail him (one of the idead from my fellow players in
order to make Hades cringe in terror, was to go back into time when Hades in a
moment of confusion actually plucked flowers for Afrodite and yell 'Aha, gotcha!
Hades is picking flowers, Hades is picking flowers! nananana!', the example show
how desperate we were...)?

Any help appreciated: 

stigs@stud.cs.uit.no

And you can flame the DM too:

nilss@stud.cs.uit.no

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: tfpayn01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu
Subject: Re: FLAME: Re: D&D and Christianity
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 20:11:40 GMT
Organization: University of Louisville

In article <C0ECB2.5tB@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>, burdickd@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Dakin Burdick) writes:
> In article <C0D70p.JB@bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au> kinsler@physics.uq.oz.au (Paul Kinsler) writes:

	Aw com'n fellas, let's not waste our PRECIOUS time going over this
STUPID argument again!  The same issues/debates/arguments go BACK and FORTH and
all we get is limited BANDWIDTH!!!!

	PLEASE PLEASE END this discussion here.  I'm Neutral on the issue, as
I've got a thing for God BUT BUT BUT I play all kinds of RPGs, so I see both
sides, and I'm arguing for neither.  

	So can we kill this stupid issue (shame on the original poster and our
tyrannical mediator) and get on with some reality checks here? 

	Thanks to all of you.

	Your humble servant, 
		Sable Reaver, the Drow Bushi.

-- 

/  / // / / /  / /  / / // / / // / //  / /   /  // /  / / / / // // / / / // /
// // /  / // /// // / / /// /// // /// /// // // /// / ///// // /   / // // /
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// / / /      |/  / / //  // /  / / / //  /  /  / /  /  /  / /  /  / / / /// /
/  / /  /  ///  / /  /  Tom Payne *** Louisville, KY	 / //  /  /  /  / / / /
 /  //TFPAYN01@ULKYVX.LOUISVILLE.EDU   /  / INFTECR1@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU /// /
/ // / /  /   / / / /  ///  // (502) 635-2473 / / // // // / /////  / / // // / 
>>>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-<<<
>>         Picard / Riker '96                                              <<
>>         Let's take this country where none have gone before             <<
			{Borrowed}
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: clarke@atri.curtin.edu.au (Nathan Clarke)
Subject: Re: D&D and Christianity
Reply-To: clarke@atri.curtin.edu.au
Organization: Australian Telecommunication Research Institute
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 93 02:47:29 GMT

In article F10@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu, burdickd@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Dakin Burdick) writes:
> >Just imagine for a minute if what happened in an AD & D scenario really
> >came true. A world where there is no God, where people aim to kill
> >and get treasure, a world where death is commonplace and powerful
> >sorcerers intimidate weak peasants.
> 
> Welcome to the real world.  Just replace sorcerors with scientists,
> and you've got the idea.                                ^^^^^^^^^^

??. Try politicians, lawyers and doctors. The real world is still a
long way from being socially balanced.

Nathan.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: kdelgado@loligo.cc.fsu.edu (Kevin Delgado)
Subject: Re: druids underground
Organization: Florida State University Department of Know-it-alls
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 93 23:28:35 GMT

In article <1isl8fINNbtq@master.cs.rose-hulman.edu> williaid@HYDRA.ROSE-HULMAN.EDU writes:
>   In the campaign that is currently being run I am playing an treant druid
> 4th level but the setting is going underground,  The DM didn't allow me acces
> to the elemental sphere so my combat spells are limited.  What I would like
         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Why the hell not? There is no good reason for this (that I can see). If a 
Druid does not have access to the most basic of all the nature related 
spheres, guess what...he ain't a Druid.

>is creative ways to role play this situtation other than being the party
>ambulance.  The only one that come to mind is using a rope with an entangle
>on it.  thanks in advance

Carry multiple animal summoning types of spells (you DO have the animal
sphere don't you) and annoy everyone with your multitudes of pets until you
are granted the elemental sphere. If you are in 1st ed. (which since you
mentioned spheres I assume you are not) then you have a large selection of
spells up to third level. If you are in second ed., then you only have 2nd
level spells to burn. You could use locate animals to find yourself a nest of
rats (not too hard to do really...start in any city sewer or restaurant). 
Then, using you handy dandy animal freindships spell, proceed (over a short
time of course) to collect a small army of rodents (oh, if you can find
pack rats...you can REALLY have soem fun). Take these critters with you 
everywhere. Stuff 'em in pockets, sacks, bacpacks, whatever. Let them do their
natural thing and in no time you will have the elemental sphere.

But seriously. There are plenty of other spells that you can have fun with
underground (assuming you are granted the rest of the normal spheres). My
favs are faerie fire (especially if you are in an all demi-human party),
sticks to snakes (sorry, can't remember what level it is...I don't have my
books with me), and obscurement (if you need to retreat). I wish I had my
books with me, then I could be of more help...but I really do suggest that 
you lobby for the elemental sphere...it only makes sense for a druid to 
have it.

Kevin

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: gjschmid@cantor.math.uwaterloo.ca (Greg Schmidt)
Subject: Attention Rob McNeur!
Keywords: email problems
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 15:02:12 GMT

Apologies to everyone who is not Rob McNeur.

I have been trying to contact you, but email does not seem to be going
through.  Is rob@ccc.govt.nz still a valid address?  I have tried about
half a dozen times, with no luck.
From: tmiller@prism.gatech.EDU (Thomas Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: D&D and Christianity
Date: 5 Jan 93 14:03:22 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology




  It sounds to me like over there on soc.religion.christian, the 
idea seems to be the repression of free, uncontrolled thinking.
Like that found in role-playing games.  Too bad that the modern
world is controlled by science and free thinkers, isn't it folks?

  Another thing to consider is that the original poster of the
copied article (onto this group) may not necessarily have been
a supporter of the article's contents.  There have been some
pretty misdirected flames...

  I've got enough anger on the religion topic to go over to the
soc.r.c group and follow their threads and post pro-rpg views,
even.  It's a touchy subject for me - I have a younger brother
who has been "saved" and is convinced that the world will be
destroyed any day now in a great holy war, enabling all true
Christians to ascend to eternal life while people like me go
to eternal torment.  Argh.



Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: wgarrett@cs.cornell.edu (William F. Garrett)
Subject: Re: Cursed Items - Why?
Keywords: magic items, cursed items, wizards
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 02:46:42 GMT

In article <1993Jan12.181808.2872@dbased.nuo.dec.com> tomj@kibo.enet.dec.com (Tom Jaskiewicz) writes:
> ]	OK, given the amount of time, effort, money, etc... needed
> ]to contruct a magical item, why would a mage be making a cursed one?
>
> Given the amount of time, effort, etc... needed to construct a computer
> program, why would a hacker make a virus?

I'm not going to answer that question directly since I'd like to keep
this public discussion focused on issues related to gaming -- not networks,
hacking, or personal ethics.  Anyone who wishes a discussion of these
latter topics may contact me via e-mail.

We've seen three reasons why an item might be cursed:

1) A mistake made during construction has ruined the item by giving
   it baneful effects.

2) An item was designed to produce contrary or dangerous results when
   used by someone other than its creator (or an "approved" person).

3) A mischeivous/malicious creator intentionally designed the item
   to do harmful/unexpected things.

I think these three explanations suffice.  Note that #1 would probably
be the most common and #3 would be the least common.  #2 would be
characteristic of powerful items.

As for computer viruses, #3 is the only explanation.  As an aside,
viruses are not as difficult to create as are magical items.  The AD&D
manuals describe the process in terms of weeks and months and talk
about arcane materials and methods.  I could write a virus with the
computers in front of me in a matter of a few hours.

				- The Wizard
-- 
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
| Bill Garrett                                       Cornell University |
| wgarrett@cs.cornell.edu                Department of Computer Science |
*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: kjenks@gothamcity.uucp (Kenneth C. Jenks [GM2] (713) 483-4368)
Subject: Re: No Healers
Keywords: solo adventures
Organization: NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 03:43:36 GMT

In article <1993Jan8.010719.9735@lclark.edu> ross@lclark.edu (Anthony Ross) writes:
>[...]
>The party I'm DMing right now has one priest (with no access to healing
>spells), no one with healing/herbalism proficiencies, and no healing
>potions. Have others been in this situation before? If so, what are some
>of your expreinces, the advantages and disadvantages of lacking any
>healer, etc.. Thanks!

I've run across this situation many times.  Sometimes it's thieves in
a city, recuperating from a run-in with the town guard.  Sometimes it's
solo adventurers, recovering from the many dangers that entails.
But only once have I had an entire party attempt an adventure without
bringing a cleric (PC or NPC) along.

After they did the predictable cycle of adventure, run away, rest for a
couple of weeks, adventure again, they finally wised up and hired an
NPC cleric.  The NPC turned out to be a spy in a local LG vs. CG war
that was brewing, and he was assigned to find out which side the PC's
would aid.  Much fun ensued.

The biggest problem with parties without access to healing (Paladins
work just as well) is that the time scale of their rest periods
increases dramatically between assaults on the
dungeon/fortress/wilderness area/etc.  This longer time period gives
the DM much more time to restock the area, move in new monsters, or
have the monsters track down the PC's.  In game terms, this may cause
long pauses in the action while the DM works out what happens next.  If
the PC's try "We wait for 12 days, then go back in," the DM will need
to do 12 days worth of thinking and shuffling for the monsters and
NPC's.  This time scale is usually shortened to more manageble levels
by the presence of healing in the party.

Although this is the worst problem in terms of playing the game, lack
of a cleric does make some encounters more deadly, especially undead,
poison and disease.  With some thought on the part of the PC's, some
friendly (and even not-so-friendly) NPC's, and a few well-placed magic
items from the DM, these can actually be more fun without a cleric.

Personally, I LIKE playing clerics.  After 5th level, a patient cleric
can defeat most anything the party encounters.  And the religious
aspects are always fun to play with.  But I've met parties where it's,
"Oh, no, I don't want to play the cleric.  I did that last year.  It's
YOUR turn!"  "No, it's not!  I was stuck with the cleric in that
tournament.  It's Mikey's turn."  "Yeah, Mikey will play the cleric.
He'll play anything."

-- Ken Jenks, NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
      kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov  (713) 483-4368

     Player of many mighty clerics, including Beatrice, Bilgar,
     Bloodletter, Bonita, Boregard, Bubbla Glum, Baryon Soultaker,
     Bloviate, Butterball, and Bill the Bard.  (Notice a pattern here?)
From: maillet@tls-cs.cert.fr (Luc Maillet)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Walking Bandages
Date: 6 Jan 93 07:54:20 GMT
Organization: CERT, CS Dpt. Toulouse, France

In article <1993Jan5.220717.21737@Princeton.EDU>, dagolden@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Alexandre Golden) writes:
|> One helpful idea is to make the "healing" proficiency (2 ed) a general 
|> proficiency (and maybe even make it cost just one slot).  This way there
|> can be several people who can "medic".  Note that another reasonable 
|> adjustment is to allow healing prof. up to X minutes (5 or 10) after the
|> wound is inflicted.  (Realistic anyway.)  This creates a nice emphasis on
|> fight, then bind up wounds and tend to the hurt, and THEN go around searching
|> for loot.  To really skew things a bit, healing prof. could heal more
|> damage (1-6 or 1-8).  I know this seems to make CLW kind of useless, but
|> healing prof works once, and CLW can work several times.  (I mean, if you
|> cut yourself slightly, put a bandaid on... you really don't need stitches,
|> i.e. magic, for smaller wounds).  And allows healing prof then CLW rather
|> than CLW twice.  Also, let healing prof. give back more points during rest.

  IMHO, this makes the healing proficiency both too useful and too common.
I mean, why bother with CLWs anymore ( at low levels ) ? And this distinction of
"smaller wounds" is just the one that give the Cure LIGHT wounds its name... Not
to mention the fact that, if powerful ( for everyday people ) is common, then the
world becomes very different ( Middle Ages people were famous for their fear of
injury. Curing 1-8 or 1-8 hp means bringing a 0-level peasant from 1 hp back to
full health if you're lucky ( 1/6 or 1/8 chances ).

  I'd rather let the PCs learn caution in their dealings with their foes. If
fight becomes more dangerous and healing is infrequent, then life increases in
value...

								Redwing
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: cwatters@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Coyt D Watters)
Subject: Re: D&D and Christianity
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.advocacy
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 14:50:43 GMT

In article <1ik1e2INN698@meaddata.meaddata.com> timk@meaddata.com (Tim Klein) writes:
>In article <1993Jan7.125306.9876@camaro.uucp>, tfoley@camaro.uucp (Tim Foley) writes:

>The anti-RPG group was called B.A.D.D. (Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons).
>I'm pretty sure M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) existed first.
>
>(And then there's D.A.M.M. (Drunks Against Mad Mothers), founded by 
>columnist Joe Bob Briggs.)
>
>===========================================================================
>Timothy Klein                 "Mellow yellow" is slang for "really groovy".
>timk@meaddata.com                                         -- Jimi Hendrix

The last I heard B.A.D.D. had suspended operations.

-Coyt, charter member of P.O.N.I.I.
	(people opposing Nintendo induced Idiocy)


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd