HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bret@technix.mn.org (Bret Indrelee)
Subject: Re: Cleric Worships a Mortal
Keywords: cleric
Organization: Private System - Saint Paul, MN
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 19:12:50 GMT


Relating to the question of maximum spell levels, it would depend on who
the mortal worshipped.

Assuming the mortal worshipped someone who was already a god, that god
may look favorably on the worshippers of it's follower.  Any find of
his is a friend of mine.

Basically, if the mortal (was the name Arduin the Just?) were to ascend,
the god would have a new servant/saint allied with him.  Since it requires
that mortals worship this person before the person can become a saint, if
a worshipper were to get to high enough level the god might kick in a
LITTLE bit of his own power.  By supporting the saint-to-be, the god
would potentially get more power -- kind of like pyramid sales schemes.


I would probably halve spell casting abilities above the second level
of spells, rounding down.  The worshippers, needing to boost the power
of their saint and themselves, would become more interested in gathering
items of power to support them.  The allied god (assuming there really
was one) could not give out as much as his own worshippers get, wouldn't
be fair.

This would give your character a playable (though not as powerful)
character, capable of defending himself and casting some pretty good
spells.

---

To balance things a bit more, I would also tend to work with the
player developing some alternate (non-magical) abilities gained.
Giving out a few extra Non-weapon proficiencies might be one way,
would depend on the mortal being worshipped.

The main point of worshipping the mortal is to be somewhat different.
As long as your having fun, and the party is able to survive, the
character is a success.  So what if he isn't as powerfull as an
equal-level cleric of The Mighty Quinn, maybe he just doesn't need
to be that powerfull.

-Bret
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bret Indrelee               |   Pretend there is something profound
email: bret@technix.mn.org  |   written here.
From: alongley@cape.UWaterloo.ca (Allan Longley)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Lich
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 16:24:29 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Waterloo

In article <1992Sep30.134229.19463@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> abistak@nyx.cs.du.edu (Andrew Bistak) writes:
>
>Our party consists of a Paladin(lev 9)/Bard(lev 10)/Fighter-Mage ( lev 7 7)
>and a thief unfortunately. Heres the problem, does anyone know how to
>defeat a damn Lich? Some stats/weaknesses would be nice.

Isn't this a bit against the idea of the game!?!  If you want to just figure
out its stats and ROLL-play it to death then just look in the monster
manual.  BUT!, this is the kind of thing you should be discussing with your
party IN CHARACTER using the knowledge that YOUR CHARACTER KNOWS.

Man, I long for the day when I didn't know 3/4 of the game stats.  Now its
an effort to not think about the stats behind the scenes (10 years of DM'ing
will adversly effect your thrill of the unknow).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allan Longley, University of Waterloo, Department of Chemical Engineering
e-mail: alongley@cape.uwaterloo.ca
voice: (519) 885-1211 x3816		Ah, to be 16 again .........
home: (519) 746-5747
------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: mrmarcel@eos.ncsu.edu (MICHAEL RONN MARCELAIS)
Subject: Re: Critical Hits
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 15:40:23 GMT

In article <1992Oct3.203012.43557@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>, blythe@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes:
|> I was wondering about the implemented ways of afflicting critical
|> damage with weapons.  I mean like when a PC or for that matter a NPC
|> rolls a natural 20 to hit.  Do any of you DM's out there give bonus
|> damage?  If so, in what ways do you penalize the character if they
|> roll extremely bad to even it all out?
|> My curiosity arose when I examined the wild mage class and questioned
|> if a spell's power can be altered by a die roll, then why not allow
|> the other classes to have similar special cases.
|> -- 

Most DMs that use 'critical hits' use the following system:
  20> Double damage on the hit
   1> Roll another d20 that determins if you hit yourself, another party
member, or throw your weapon away.  Small chance for double damage against
friendly or yourself.  (NOTE:  Cannot hit yourself with a missile weapon.)


|> ________________________________________________________________________________
|> 
|> 2ftokneel@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu		Garrett Arch Blythe
[...superfulous sig removed...]
|> ________________________________________________________________________________

-- 

+-------------------------------------+------------------------------+
|  Mike Marcelais                     | mrmarcel@eos.ncsu.edu        |
|  356 Tucker, Box 04783, NCSU        | Fourth Bryan Productions     |
|  Raleigh, NC  27607                 | #include <disclaim.h>        |
+-------------------------------------+------------------------------+
| if the above address bounces, then try the address below:          |
| mrmarcel%eos.ncsu.edu@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu                              |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Enchanted weapons to hit...
Date: 6 Oct 92 20:37:47 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <1aorbdINNe0p@charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu> pkralik@ecst.csuchico.edu (Wintermute) writes:
>Greetings!

>Exactly how do you explain to a character *why* an enchanted weapon is needed
>to hit certain more powerful creatures.  Now, I realize that this is one of 
>the things that perhaps makes the creature more powerful, but I want a more
>logical explanation to give players than this...

I would say that it is the enchantment on a weapon that is required to
hit the monster, because the monster is itself enchanted (kinda like a
silver bullet for a werewolf).

This is the reason that spells will also work on most of these monsters
(they're enchantment, by definition).

>Also, if a creature with this defense is struck by a non-magical weapon, what
>exactly are the effects?  Does the weapon simply bounce off of it?  Is there
>any knock-back if a boulder were thrown?  Would the weapon simply miss(i.e. the
>creature dodged it)?  Or would it pass harmlessly through the creature.

Well, this depends...  If the creature has no physical body, then the weapon
would indeed pass through it (for example, a ghost).  If it does, the weapon
could 'hit' but not do damage (wounds close the instant the weapon is removed).
You can basically make up anything you want.

-- 
Jorge Diaz                       | "I want you to remember, Clark... in all
Georgia Institute of Technology  |  the years to come, in your most private
Office of Information Technology |  moments...my hand at your throat.  I want
ccoprdj@prism.gatech.edu         |  you to remember the one man who beat you."
From: raa@guild.socal.com (Raa Lopez)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Dark Sun
Date: 5 Oct 92 06:46:10 PST
Organization: TheGuild[FTS]

Yes. I have the Psionicist Hand Book. From that book, I created another class as well ... hmmm ... maybe I should enlighten everyone on this new class ;^}

--- Via UCI v1.11 (C-Net Amiga)

     __ ___ ____________ __ __ __ __ __ __
     \//___\\__  ______//_//_//_//_//_//_/ ... UUCP: raa@guild.socal.com
 _____//__//  / / DigiT.W.I.T. Ink. UnLtd. '92!
/_________/o (_/o Pffffttt!!!...Pop!!!...Bang!!!.....Etc.!!!?
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: edb892rsft@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au
Subject: familiars and homonculi
Organization: Computer Centre, Monash University, Australia
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 07:07:07 GMT



A player in my campaign wants to get both a familiar and a homonculous
Is it possible to have both at the same time? I know that a homonculous
is an alchemic creation cf Montrous Compendium but they seem similar to
each other......


Any opinions on the matter would be apreciated.

Hugh Jenkinson
Monash University
Australia

edb892rsft@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: LRPR000 <LRPR@UNB.CA>
Subject: Re: Critical hits
Organization: The University of New Brunswick
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 14:55:36 GMT

   Just a quick note - critical hits in my campaign are NOT
something I dreamed up to make PC's lives miserable - my players
WANTED a critical hit system.  I don't agree with critical hits
doing other damage than extra hit points - but I do occasionally
have some long lasting effect on characters from going to negative
hit points - usually when the PC should have been killed and I took
pity on them, or decided to reward them somewhat for excellent play.


                                        JubbaBones

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: rsm58307@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Ron)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Continuation of Drow Offspring and Rangers
Date: 1 Oct 92 22:03:27 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BvGqLt.HK1
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

>>[Stuff about Rangers and Their Failings]
>>I like giving them a set of proficiencies all their own that relate to their
>>indepth knowledge of a prey's habits. Coupled with the ability to do +1 dmg
>>per two levels against most creatures they know about, this gives the Ranger
>>a degree of wisdom/competance that makes their high experience gain balance
>>out. They become very powerful in forests, good in dungeons, and ok in towns.

>	Actually, in 2ed, rangers only pick one enemy and get a +4 against
>that one enemy.  In 1ed, rangers were too powerful (with the 2 hd at first
>level and everything), but now, they're too weak, for a subclass of warriors.
>They pale in comparison to Paladins and even regular fighters could best a
>ranger, if he took the necessary NWP and two-weapon styles as in CFH.

Uhh... that was my point. I gave them the ability to do +1 dmg per two
levels against most creatures they know about (humanoids, ...). This is
real nice when coupled with two handed style. They hit less often when
fighting than a pure fighter (but only by a little bit) ... when they
do hit, they often kill their foe.

More importantly, they get to know all sorts of nifty stuff. "The goblin
stewpot you found should be enough to feed, ... umm, 10-15 goblins at the
most."

	- Ron
From: "jeff zeitlin" <jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: set to talk about set
Date: 3 Oct 92 16:41:28 EST
Reply-To: "jeff zeitlin" <jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com>
Distribution: rec
Organization: Executive Networks Information

WAA::>But the Jews were the forerunners of the Christians, and the Exodus still
   ::>plays a large part in the Old Testament, which is a Christian text.  Since
   ::>Moses and his followers are generally referred to as good Christians, I be
   ::>both terms could be used to describe them.

   BUZZZZZ!  The Old Testament is a Jewish text that the Christians
   "kept" after splitting away fron Judaism.  Moses and his followers
   were most certainly not good Christians, as they were not
   Christians at all.  It is distinctly possible that Moses and his
   followers exhibited values and conduct that characterise "good
   Christians", but the Exodus was close on to 1,000 years before
   Yeshua of Nazareth was even born.  Most of the Old Testament was
   carried over from oral tradition, but the Torah, the five major
   books, Bereshith(Hebrew name)/Genesis, Shemoth/Exodus,
   Vayikra/Leviticus, Bemidbar/Numbers, and Debarim/Deuteronomy were
   committed to writing between the time of the Exodus and the
   settlement in Canaan, with the Nevi'im (Prophetic writings) and the
   Writings (I can't locate the Hebrew name of that collection - it
   includes books like Ruth) coming somewhat later.  But the Old
   Testament was in essentially its current form well before the birth
   of Yeshua of Nazareth.

   Even to this day, the Christian churches acknowledge that the Old
   Testament is a pre-Chritian text.

  J/
  jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com
  ==================================================================
  Anything I say in this or any communication to this or any medium
  is strictly my own non-authoritative opinion, unless otherwise
  explicitly noted.  Except for myself, or where explicitly noted
  otherwise, I do not speak for any individual or organization.
  ==================================================================

 * OLX 2.2 * I don't have a solution, but I do admire the problem.
--
Executive Network Information System  (914) 667-4567
International ILink Host
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: silber@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Ami A. Silberman)
Subject: Re: Deaths Door
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 08:45:17 GMT

edb892rsft@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au writes:


>I was just wondering what effects apply to a character to is reduced to
>a hit point total of between 0 and -9? I know that you lose 1 hp per
>round unless administed first aid or healed but how long can a person
>stay between these ranges. Also if they are healed they wake up in 1 - 6
>turns but do they suffer weakness or other ill effects?

>I just wanted to get a range of opinions on the matter as this sort of
>situation crops in my campaigns from time to time especially at low
>levels and the the standard PC reaction is to bind the wounds of the
>character at Death Doors, thus stabilising them and then wait for the
>Cleric or Healer of the party to wait, rest and get good old cure light
>wounds etc to save day thus the time the stricten character is in a coma
>is about 4 - 5 hours?

The GM in the campaign I currently play in uses the bleeding rules. If you
stop the bleeding but can't get the character up to 0HP he/she may not last
the night. There is a cumulative 25% (or so) chance of the character dying
for each point they have below zero. The way I like to play it is that
once you stabalize the person, they are OK, but they are unconcious until
they get back to 0 hp either through normal healing or magic. To heal normaly
you have to roll under your constitution. If you roll a 20 you loose 1d6
hp (so you might die while unconcious.)

I also liked the old Chivalry and Sorcery solution to magical healing.
Magical healing only lasts for a month, if you haven't spent enough time
resting during the month you take the damage again.

-- 
ami silberman - janitor of lunacy
	silber@cs.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: dagolden@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Alexandre Golden)
Subject: Re: Critical Hits
Originator: news@nimaster
Keywords: complexity
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 14:16:19 GMT

In article <1992Oct5.160921.29563@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov writes:

>I've read all of these strange, complicated systems people have come up
>with, and I have one question: Why do you WANT to add critical
>hits/fumbles to AD&D?
>
> - To "patch" the AD&D combat system "to add realism" 
> - To add danger (and one DM admitted that he was insufficiently
>    imaginative to come up with a decent challenge otherwise)
> - To add excitement -- you never know when an orc will kill a 12th level
>    fighter in one-on-one combat.  It could happen any time.
> - To add "realism" (I hope everybody laughs at that one)

I think the purpose of criticals is NOT to add realism, since the HP system
is unrealistic anyway.  The purpose of criticals is to give the characters
a CHANCE to defeat a more powerful foe quickly, or suvive a situation that
otherwise would require DMI.  (DM intervention for the uninitiated.)  The
ability to strike a truely heroic blow is the ESSENSE of fantasy.

This is not to say that critical hit/miss should be complicated.  It should be
as simple as possible, and, ideally, should favor players.  Remember that a
DM does not HAVE to give criticals to monsters, even if they DO roll a 20.
Similarly, criticals that do x2 are fine.  There is no need to auto-slay.

THe end result is that "lucky" players can occasionally really pull off an
excellent combat, saving the party much grief.  Players remember that, 
no matter how bad the situation is, maybe, just maybe, they'll roll that 20...

"Moderation in all things"
Dave G


-- 
David A. Golden '95           (dagolden@phoenix.princeton.edu)
Princeton University
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: lazarus@ug.cs.dal.ca (Chuck Turner)
Subject: Re: Trolls' regeneration
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 18:49:56 GMT

In article <1992Oct6.005640.24176@ncsu.edu> mrmarcel@eos.ncsu.edu (MICHAEL RONN MARCELAIS) writes:
>In article <Bvo9Lp.CHx@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca>, alongley@cape.UWaterloo.ca (Allan Longley) writes:
>|> Here's a few questions;
>|> 
>|> 	Is a troll alive?

 A troll is quite alive.  It is not supernatural in any respect, it just has
 an amazing ability to stay alive.  It has a niche in its ecology like any
 other beast. 

>|> 	Are they immortal (they shouldn't age thanks to regeneration)?

 Nothing that lives escapes death.  A worm may be subdivided and regrow the
 lost portion, but it still dies after its lifespan.  The lifespan of a troll
 is 100 years or more (2nd Edition MM). 

>|> 	How do they reproduce?
>|> 	Are their different genders?

 There are male and female trolls in a troll clan.  Females are much larger
 and stronger than the males, and are always the clan shaman/leader.  A
 female troll gives birth to a single child once every 5 years or so (2nd
 Edition MM).

>|> 	What/where exactly is the mind of a troll (recall; each part can
>|> 		move &  fight independantly)?

 One must assume that the brain rests not in the head, but in the torso of
 the creature, and even then, is not really necessary for combat.  I would
 think the troll would need a brain in order to have a society, and a language
 (of sorts), but its limbs fight of their own initiative for a limited time
 once separated.

	'Often trolls will rend each other limb from limb but, thanks to their
	 regenerative ability, these battles are never fatal.  Still, it is
	 the custom of trolls to toss the loser's head a great distance from
	 the fight scene, and frequently losers must sit and stew for a week
	 until their new head grows back.'

Each limb of the troll will continue to fight, or attempt to return to the
body for a period of 24 hours, after which time it withers and dies. 

>|> 	Do they have any preditors (ie., is their flesh ettable)?

 They have a great respect and fear for dragons, especially red and black. 

>|> 	Is a troll regenerated from a finger a new troll?

 If that finger is the single largest remaining piece of the troll, then yes
 it will grow into a troll.  But not a NEW troll.  It will be the same troll
 that it came from, with only a new body.

 All information given here can be found in the 2nd Edition MM (except for the
 bit of speculation on the location of its brain).

					Curan of WhiteSands 

 _______________________________________ 
|                                       | '..err..of course I suck blood.' 
| "--whether you are quiet and ALIVE or | 'I don't believe you.' 
| quiet and DEAD makes no difference to | 'I've got a straw right here PAL! 
| Cerebus."                             |  You want a demonstration?!'
|       - Cerebus the Aardvark          |                   - The Tick 
|_______________________________________| Chuck Turner -> lazarus@ug.cs.dal.ca
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: lum@cs.tu-berlin.de (Lutz Hofmann)
Subject: Re: D&D and political correctness
Organization: Technical University of Berlin, Germany
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 13:18:20 GMT

In article <1992Sep30.162635.3253@aa.cad.slb.com> jackson@ess43.Berkeley.EDU (Jeff Jackson) writes:
>|> In article <65927@cup.portal.com>, Tagi@cup.portal.com (Tagi Mordred
>|>    Nagashiva) writes:
>|>    Enscribing a scroll requires the mage to essentially memorize the spell from
>|> hir book, have material components at hand, and essentially 'cast' the spell
>|> into the scroll as sHe inscribes it, which is why the process takes (in my
>|> world) one hour/spell level, plus the required inks, parchment, and quiet area
>|> to work....
>|> 
>|> > Thyagi
>    Well, I see that even fantasy worlds are not immune to the PC effect.
>
>       - JWJ

Hey you! What is this PC crap? Can't you write straight?
The paragraph above should read:
Enscribing a scroll requires the mage to essentially memorize the
spell from HER book, have material components at hand, and essentially
'cast' the spell into the scroll as SHE inscribes it, which is why the
process takes (in my world) one hour/spell level, plus the required
inks, parchment, and quiet are a to work....

1st Alternative: Use HIS and HE.

2nd Alternative: Give this mage a distintive name and work from there
                 on with the appropiate gender!

Yours Sincerely  Lutz Hofmann
                 lum@cs.tu-berlin.de
-- 
Ob. Disc: Dies ist kein Flame.   ---   This is no flame.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu (Ken Arromdee)
Subject: Re: Enchanted weapons to hit...
Organization: Johns Hopkins University CS Dept.
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 20:48:46 GMT

In article <1as85vINNbdv@coral.bucknell.edu> skelly@coral.bucknell.edu (Kelly Sean David) writes:
>>If a fighter drops an elephant off a cliff onto a demon, will he do damage to
>it???  
>I would tend to say yes, although it depends on the size of the demon :-).

I would say that this would even apply if the fighter rolled a large enough
boulder off the cliff instead.  After all, there is an AD&D rule to allow
automatic damage from situations of inescapable death.  For that matter, one
would expect a boulder hurled from a catapult to do damage too....
--
"the bogosity in a field equals the bogosity imported from related areas, plus
the bogosity generated internally, minus the bogosity expelled or otherwise
disposed of."  -- K. Eric Drexler

Ken Arromdee (UUCP: ....!jhunix!arromdee; BITNET: arromdee@jhuvm;
     INTERNET: arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu)