HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bkoike@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Bryce Koike)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: GURPS OVERKILL
Date: 10 Apr 92 21:52:07 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <1992Apr9.203347.27442@u.washington.edu> rrn@milton.u.washington.edu (R. Dired) writes:
>GURPS Questions:
>
>Okay, as far as I can tell, unless you get hit in the vitals or the head,
>it's not actually possible to die from a single hit. Since you have to take
>2HT to start to make death checks, the limit (as I understand it) means that
>this takes two shots.

	Clarification:  You can die the minute you hit negative
health.  Every 5pts. of damage you take once negative forces you to
make a health roll or die.

>A 7.62 round does, what, 7 dice? This means an average of 24.5 points of
>damage. A normal humans would, normally, have about a 70% chance of buying the
>farm. Or does he only take 10 points, and then have the player nervously 
>look at the GM to see if he is using the bleeding rules (which would actually
>put the PC in danger). Of course the autofire rules are silly enough so that
>Joe Targetski will probably take half a dozen hits, so I guess this really
>isn't much of a problem...

	Normally, I don't use blowthrough rules when dealing with
bullets and the main torso (limbs, though are fair play).  I use the
bleeding rules (although I assign bleeding damage after combat's
over to save myself some headaches).  IF you're using the BT rules
for the torso, a character if hit will probably go to 0 HT.  Make a
health roll or fall unconscious.  Every (roughly) 5 turns after the
character will have to make a health roll or die.
	My problem with autofire is that more characters seem
capable of dodging than not (what with all the wonderful armor
advancements and high moves in the combat-oriented games I run).
I've taken to outlawing many types of weapons and armor to control
this problem and it works well.

>Is this a correct interpretation? So that a weapon that does 14d+2 damage
>can only do 2 points to a hampster, but a 15d weapon will do 52.5? You cannot
>actually kill a cockroach with a .44 Mag (unless you get a head shot)?
>
	Somewhere there's a rule known as Common Sense.  I believe
it's mentioned at the VERY least once in the GURPS Basic Set.
Basically, if you don't like the way the rule works, change it!

>GURPS vehicles won't cover starships, will it...?

	No more than it'll cover mecha.  GURPS Space does a
perfectly acceptable job for the basics.  (I shudder at the
immensity of a book that covers the specifics..."Ok, so how many
points for a lavatory?")
>
>Oh, and why is Strong Will 4 points, but Weak Will 8? Can I buy Weak Will
>-100? 

	If your GM is willing to allow a WW of -100, I guess that's
alright.  I'd probably invite you to play a different character if
you were in my game, though.  (And ye gods the fun of tormenting
your character...)
	I have no real explanation for the point costs, but I guess
that weak will is a much more destructive disadvantage than strong
will is as an advantage..
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: foxx@foxxjac.Berkeley.EDU (Andrew "AJ" Foxx)
Subject: Re: Ad&D and D&D - a question about level restrictions ...
Reply-To: foxx@foxxjac.b17a.ingr.com
Organization: Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville, AL.
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 20:22:52 GMT

In article <21054@venera.isi.edu>, tpt2@isi.edu 
(Tom Tignor) writes:
|> 	Since I posted my original article I've seen three
|> responses. For those who didn't see the original, it
|> concerned the unworkability of level restrictions for
|> demihumans and their effect on game balance. I finished by
|> proposing that humans be given some initial bonus(es) like
|> all the other races.
|> [delete]
|> 	The problems: a. it would be better if humans had
|> some compensation at level 1 like everyone else and didn't
|> have to wait, b. players with demihumans won't be happy if
|> their growth is stunted, c. the
|> compensation-at-higher-levels approach is, by nature, a
|> shaky promise. I'm still leaning in the direction of racial
|> bonuses for humans. Any other ideas?
|> 
|> 	Tom Tignor	tpt2@isi.edu
|> 

It should be remembered that there are many different bonuses
and stats throughout the game.  So racial bonuses might be
totally unrelated the the character's main stats (ST,IN,...), 
such as...

Humans, given their "drive" would receive bonuses to
proficiencies, weapon and/or non-weapon.  This would be either
more of them or a bonus to them.  Other races could get them to
even it all out, but only in specific areas, like various
smithing proficiencies for dwarves.

Looking at some of the restrictions on being clerics, maybe the 
human deities are more directly helpful than those of the other 
races.  Healing spells use d12's instead of d8's for human 
priests, but only on other humans.  Bless spells are double 
effective, but only on other humans.  Biased but plausible.

While elves are more frail and frame, dwarves are compact and 
heavy.  Perhaps human have the optimal physical build.  All 
humans now use one die better for hit points.  Mages use d6, 
rogues use d8, priests use d10, and fighters use d12.  Gamma 
World had a concept along this line for the Pure Bred Humans that
didn't have nifty mutant powers.

...and so on.  Just figure out what dice are mostly rolled for
in your game.  Now, can you give a logical bonus to humans that
would affect those rolls?

Or latch on to your interpretation of the races.  For example:  
Dwarves are dour; some would say lumps of rock have more
personality.  Elves tend to frolic; some apply the word
"vacant." Halfings are too jovial; some find them too much like
smurfs. Humans seem to live with a wider range of emotions and
personality.  Is there a bonus here?  Resistance to some types
of spells?  ???  Many things that would lie unconsidered could be
logical and probable in some game world, maybe even level 
limitations (though it's hard to imagine).  What about yours?

-- 
   ] Andrew "AJ" Foxx           ] Software Analyst - Mapping Sciences Division
   ] foxx@foxxjac.b17a.ingr.com ] Intergraph Corporation
   ] voice (205) 730-1921       ] M/S IW17A4  Huntsville AL U.S.A.  35894-0001
From: krischel@sal-sun133.usc.edu (Blackstar)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re:  Shadowrun: Looting bodies
Date: 7 Apr 1992 11:09:21 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: world
Reply-To: krischel@sal-sun133.usc.edu (Blackstar)
NNTP-Posting-Host: sal-sun133.usc.edu


In article <1992Apr06.153319.23974@orionsci>, goodwin@orionsci (Ben Goodwin) writes:
|> 
|> I forgot that the troll had two portable missiles. :(  He looks at
|> me and says, "No problem, I just fire a missile down the tunnel at the
|> 5 guys.  Then I turn the other way and fire bursts with my Ares LMG."
|> He took everyone out in about 3 actions and took one round which bounced
|> off his partial heavy armor.  One of the Sams took the dead guy's
|> AK-98s with laser sights.  Gotta be worth a few bucks.
|> 
|> Looks like I have to do some studying.  I thought the 8 guards would
|> inflict some pretty good wounds before getting geeked.

They can, ya just have to play them smart.  Give 'em APDS in sniper rifiles.
Have two of them come forward and draw the team's fire.  Have two bore sight
(aim) for as many actions as they can at the biggest gunner of the group and
make a called shot to avoid armor.  Have the guards on the other side toss
flash grenades and smoke grenades to drek up the runner's target numbers when
firing back, and then have them just cover their exit.

DON"T EVER, EVER, EVER TRAVEL THEM IN FUSTER-CLUCKS!!!  With five guys all 
being buddy buddy, right next to eachother, one well place grenade will
just ruin your whole day.  

Besides, if you set the guards up in positions, and have them hold their actions,
I don't care how fast your Street Sam is, that kid with the itchy trigger finger
watching that corner *real* carefully, is going to get the first shot off.  That
can make a big difference.

Even 20 stupid guards would get geeked.  Three smart ones would've geeked
the runners.






|> Love Shadowrun.  All the players loved it, and we come from lots of
|> backgrounds, Dark Conspiracy, AD&D, Gurps, Rifts ...
|> -- 
|> ============================================================================
|> | uunet!orionsci!goodwin        | you with your hair that's always combed,
|> | Ben Goodwin                   | your suit is always white, your car is
|> | Washington DC (703) 524-0504  | always clean.  You I hate!!! -Great Race
|> ============================================================================


Glad to hear you like the shadows....



>>>>>>[Darkwind]<<<<<<
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Paladin's abilities (was Re: ADND2: Suggestions on Warrior)
From: hzhao@eagle.wesleyan.edu
Date: 10 Apr 92 08:22:18 EDT
 <1992Apr3.214101.18171@jpl-devvax.jpl.nasa.gov> 
 <1992Apr8.144632.3672@iscsvax.uni.edu> <1992Apr9.070307.19740@beaver.cs.washington.edu>
Organization: Wesleyan University

> 
> The amazingly nasty abilities were part of the Cavalier
> Super-Duper-Class in _Unearthed Arcana_, the bane of anti-Munchkins
> everywhere.  Other benefits included being able to raise your combat
> stats (Str, Dex, Con) every level... up to 19 in all stats but
> Strength, where you were limited to 18/00 (awww...)

         Close. Str/Dex/Con could go to a max of 18, with Strength being able
to go to 18/00. 

      However, a look at some of the class' restrictions (armour/weapon
quality, enforced hospitality, berserk combat charges, etc.) do have some
interesting ideas.

> Paladins were then given the "privilege" of being shoved in as a
> subclass of Cavalier, where they got ALL the bonuses ON TOP of their
> own, PLUS the ability to gain charisma at the same rate as the other
> stats (2d10 % per level).

     Yup. Cavaliers were a Class, and Paladins fit so neatly under it as a
sub-class.  

> Munchkin city.  Stay away, for your own sanity's sake.

        Hmmm... it does need that special knack to make it behave properly. 
On the other hand, it might be the only thing to survive the
GM-who-thinks-he's-a-tacnuke's campaign.  Definitely for the advanced
role-player only, though.
From: seawasp+@pitt.edu (Ryk E Spoor)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: The Undead and level loss
Date: 17 Apr 92 00:25:20 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

In article <1992Apr16.212521.25107@spdcc.com> pentangl@spdcc.com (Scott Moir) writes:
>That also assumes you don't have a cleric capable of making scrolls in the 
>group.

	Hm. Takes a while to make a scroll. And they have to be megahigh
level to cast Resurrection and Restoration.

	Me, I do like Dave Hargrave in Arduin: give 'em a save versus life
drain. And even if they lose levels they don't lose skills.

>As far as ravenloft, no, I have not ever been there, but I never run modules.
>I always write my own stuff. You have to when you DM a group that is ALL DMs.

	Never noticed that myself. I've often run modules, and my group is
all GMs. Some who have more modules than I've ever read. It doesn't get in
the way of our fun -- heck, I've been through the ravenloft module _Feast of
Goblyns_ three times. Each time it works differently. And if you think one
of your players will cheat, just CHANGE a couple crucial things. If the
dude cheats, he dies.


                                 Sea Wasp
                                   /^\
                                   ;;;
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: bitbug@netcom.com (James Buster)
Subject: Re: CHAMPIONS: Endurance Batteries
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 92 02:57:48 GMT
Organization: Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc.

In article <1992Apr15.144922.9108@mcs.anl.gov> sasso@flounder.phy.anl.gov (John F. Sasso) writes:
>How do other people handle this?  An End btty is just too damn cheap,
>and if allowed, every hero would give every one of his powers end
>batteries.  Comments?

This is absolutely not true for 4th Ed. Endurance Reserve. Given the
cheap cost of Reduced Endurance, only morons, or people whose special
effects demand it, would use Endurance Reserve.

A simple example should suffice:

	10d6 EB, 50 active, 5 END/use
		Reduced endurance on EB, to 0 END, 25 pts

	Endurance Reserve for EB
		To use the power every phase, not counting pushing,
		you need (for 5 SPD) 25 REC (25 pts) and 25 END (2 pts),
		for a total of 27 pts. If your speed is higher, or if
		the power is larger, the cost penalty gets even worse.

		When you consider Power Limitations, the cost gap
		widens, as Limitations can be placed on powers with
		Reduced Endurance, but *not* on Endurance Reserve.
-- 
				James Buster
			     bitbug@netcom.com
From: sue%miracle@merk.com (The Dragon Queen)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: AD&D - 1st edition Bard - more info
Date: 8 Apr 92 18:27:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: miracle.08Apr92132718
Organization: Miracle Computer Consultants

Okay, it seems in my other posting, I neglected to state some rather
important info, so here goes nothing.....

Class:  Fighter/MU/Thief/Bard.

He is currently dividing his experience among ALL of these classes.

Race:  Grey Elf.

A few of you mentioned that only Humans or Half-Elves can be Bards, right?

Alignment:  Chaotic Good.

I'm not sure about house rules, but the 1st edition PH says that you MUST
be a variant of Neutral.


Str:  15
Int:  16
Wis:  16
Dex:  17
Con:  16
Cha:  15
Com:   2


These stats have already suffered through one DM lowering them.....is it
just me, or is it your opinion too that this guy has a problem reading
die rolls correctly?

He also has acquired a long sword +3 (Frost Brand), although no one can
remember exactly where he got it.  Hmmm.....

Other items the munchkin has acquired:  a young adult wolf to fight for 
him, Boots of Speed, Wand of Disintegrating, Mac-Fuirmidh Cittern, 
Bracers AC 6, Cloak of Protection +3, Wand of Illusion (91 charges), 
Ring of Earth Elemental Command, and, of course, the Foo Dog familiar.  
Oh, and he also has an unhatched Dragon's Egg - he knows it's good, but doesn't know its exact alignment.
The Dragon's Egg I gave him, but the rest is from unknown whereabouts.

BTW - he worships both Hermes and Corellon Larethian.  Although, I haven't
seen him paying the slightest bit of attention to either lately.  Don't
know if this matters at all?

One other thing - he hasn't been playing the character as a Bard.  More of
a fighter/thief/MU - he never does any of the singing stuff that Bards are
supposed to do, or anything like that.

Anyone have any comments on what to do with this Munchkin?






---
|	  _\|/_          |This posting compliments of The Dragon Queen|
|	 /     \         |                                            |
|      	| O   O |        | Any imaginative suggestions about what can |
|__ooo__|___ ___|__ooo__ | be writen in this box are welcome at:      |
|  UUU      U      UUU   |           sue%miracle@merk.com             |
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: jsanders@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (John Eric Sanders)
Subject: Funhouse traps for superheroes
Organization: Math Dept., University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 22:57:41 GMT

Was wondering if anybody had any interesting traps for superheroes.

My guys are being trapped in a funhouse to die, and I am looking
for interesting ways of killing them (or at least making them think
I am going to kill them :-)

Thanx


-- 
 The Jester (John E. Sanders)       jsanders@symcom.math.uiuc.edu       
 I have finally discovered the method to my madness.  Unfortunately,    
 there is more madness to my method than method to my madness.          
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: rlbell@hertz.waterloo.edu (Richard Bell)
Subject: Re: AD&D:  So what happens when ...
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 20:48:08 GMT

>In a previous article, alongley@cape.UWaterloo.ca (Allan Longley) says:
>
>>What happens when you:
>>	(a) Turn a Bag of Holding inside-out?
You get a very large sack that holds a pitifully small ammount of stuff, and
is very heavy to boot.  Doing this to a bag of devouring would kill it, if it
were possible. 

>>	(e) Feed people Troll pieces?
The troll is destroyed by stomach acids.  While not preferred battle rations,
a single troll will feed your entire host with enough left over to fill
seven baskets.   

>>	(f) Are an elf polymorphed into a Fire Giant and are about to have
>>	    children with your new Fire Giant wife?
Your fire giant wife gives birth to firegiant infants -- you were polymorphed.


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: jik20815@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (John Iv Kovacik)
Subject: Re: HERO New Magic System advice wanted
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 00:41:09 GMT

laurence@cco.caltech.edu (Dustin Lee Laurence) writes:

>dlc@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Dennis Clark) writes:

>>akuma@netcom.com (Steven E Barnes) writes:

>>> This is similar to a system I used.  I would have the mage buy a spell
>>> pool, but rather than use standard VPP mechanics, characters would
>>> apply limitations to their pool which would multiply the effectiveness
>>> of the pool.  Example:
>>> 
>>>     casting a spell with: gestures (1/4), incantations (1/4), 
>>>     skill roll (1/2), focus (1/2), concentration (1/2) = +2 lim.
>>>     when applied to a 20 point pool, it would allow casting 60
>>>     active point spells.

>>  Umm.  According to the rules you can't modify the VPP pool with the lims
>>or advantages, only the cost of getting the pool (what was that, 5% 10%
>>or somesuch the cost of the pool?)

>But he said that he was not using the standard rules.

If I recall correctly, I said I wasn't using the standard Fantasy Hero rules
for magic. All Hero base rules still apply. 

I, for one, would _never_ allow the previous example. However, I would let the
characters aid the powers, provided they had the metamagic knowledge skill
(which would also allow dispells and surpresses, transfers and such). 

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

>laurence@alice.wonderland.caltech.edu
From: tkelly@unix2.tcd.ie (Rincewind)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: carrying a.cannons
Summary: yup
Keywords: yup
Date: 6 Apr 92 11:09:47 GMT
Organization: Trinity College, Dublin


>Could a Troll with Body (9) and Strength (10) conceivably carry around an
>Assault Cannon as a weapon?  It just seems to me that the Assault Cannon
>would be too heavy of a weapon to carry around by just any ordinary person.

  Trolls are big guys.There is a pc in my party that asked could he
carry one of these babies around.He had the required stats to lift it,so
I said sure,why not.Remember that he's well weighed down,and won't be
running as quickly as he'd like,and only firing one shot per action
(Assault cannons are semi-automatic,according to Rigger Black book)
So why not let him.

>Also, would a Dwarf be able to carry an Assault Cannon?

  Probably not,althought,you might insist that he wear a deluxe
gyromount,if he really wanted to,but that dwarf  probably wouldn't last
too long.It don't pay to look big in the shadows,know what I mean?

>Now, I also need some Gamemaster hints.  What is done about the weapons of
>adversaries when you defeat them in combat?  Could the runners take all of
>their weapons (as much as they could carry) and sell them?
  
 Sure.After all,they are in the business of making money.

>One more bit of interest, I would like to buy a Shadowrun general rulebook
>(7101 I believe) in good condition.  

If I were you,I'd wait till Shadowrun 2nd Edition came out,chummer, and
save yourself a few nuyen.
-- 
------------****Rincewind the Wizard****-----------------
"Life is like an apple.It can be green,or red,but it's
 always a small white fleshy ball that you can cook with."
----***tkelly@unix2.tcd.ie,at your service***------------

--
------------****Rincewind the Wizard****-----------------
"Life is like an apple.It can be green,or red,but it's
 always a small white fleshy ball that you can cook with."
----***tkelly@unix2.tcd.ie,at your service***------------
From: mscs057@vax1.mankato.msus.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Ravenloft info
Date: 9 Apr 92 17:58:57 GMT
Article-I.D.: vax1.1992Apr9.115858.1691
Organization: Mankato State University

O-kay, I would like to know from all of you, who have played, DMed, or even
read Ravenloft. What is this demi-plane about? How did it come to be
made?

Could some one tell me why it is even there?

Look I have a necro. in Ravenloft. What is going to happen to him?
My DM alway smiled when I casted any necro spell. Explain, please?

Steve
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: craigr@tanus.cec.edu.au (Craig Ryhorchuk)
Subject: Re: GM's Pain
Organization: Pro-Net Australia
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 00:15:09 GMT

gt7219a@prism.gatech.EDU (Christopher Michael Lawyer) writes:
>>
>>Our GM was running a campaign about two years ago, and after a couple of
>>adventures our party found itself on the threshold of a really huge 
>>dungeon maze, full of traps and monsters, et al.  Well, to make a long
>>story short, our party went down a hall, turned left, went through the 
>>secret door, up the chimney, right, left, left, and down the stairs, and 
>>voila!  We arrived at the BIG SCENE (tm) with the BIG BAD GUY (tm).  As 
>>we found out later, we took the most direct route to the place, avoiding
>>countless creatures and pits.  The GM was counting on us being very 
>>chewed up by the time we finally got to the climax, and had deliberately
>>scaled down the BAD GUY.  Consequently, we utterly destroyed the place and
>>all that was in it.
>>----------

Yeah, we once did something like this at a gaming convention.
The rule was ... when the session ends, unless you are in a fight
which you will be allowed to finish, your gaming ends.  If you
haven't finished that session's part of the module ... instant
bad karma and lose lots of points.....
So here we were...1/2 way through the section and 5 minutes of a 2 hour
session to go.
Okay guys let's go down this corridor, ignore all the doors, hang a 
left at the crossroads, take the first door on the right, follow the
corridor to the end, hang a left, and passwall through the dead end we just
dumped into......you guessed it....we stumbled into the BIG SCENE (tm)
and got into the FINAL BATTLE (tm) with about 30 seconds to go,
and spent the next 20 minutes dealing it out to the bad guys....
Unfortunately, somebody (not us) had stolen a module, and they were
looking for the group who was cheating.  Needless to say we fell under
a lot of suspicion, and it wasn't until we got the whole party killed
by making a few bad decisions that we were in the clear.

INET: craigr@tanus.cec.edu.au
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Wednesday, 8 Apr 1992 16:39:20 EDT
From: Brian Panulla <BJP108@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Herb List Needed

The first edition AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide ha just such a listing, including
their purported medicinal and magical uses. I don't remember if it was in the
same section as gemstones, or in an appendix, and my copy is 400+ miles away.
Anybody have a copy handy?

____
Brian Panulla
bjp108@psuvm.psu.edu
die reigenkuh
From: reanor@speedy.cs.pitt.edu (Jeffrey Getzin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: Lich Killing Advice Needed
Date: 8 Apr 92 16:29:39 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Dept., University of Pittsburgh

In article <Apr.8.10.39.03.1992.18547@ruhets.rutgers.edu> zweldron@ruhets.rutgers.edu (Matthew Charlap) writes:
>Find out the cost of an Arrow of Lich slaying, and raise the money for that.
>A successful hit has a 75% chance of destroying the lich.

Personally, the FIRST thing I'd get would be one of those amulets that
prevents magic from locating you.    I don't want the lich finding ME
until I'm ready for him!!!!

			=*()*()* Jeff *()*()*=



--
					---
Jeffrey Getzin
saintdor@vms.cis.pitt.edu