HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: griffin@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Zack Thompson)
Subject: Re: how to imprison a psionicist ?
Keywords: ectoplasmic form
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 20:35:25 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.140432.5090@cs.ruu.nl> mdrijsma@cs.ruu.nl (Michael Rijsman) writes:

[Stuff deleted about exercise in futility]

>So how do you(as DM) imprison your psionicists ?
>(sorry but I'm Duch, so my english might not be that great)
>(and Mike(psionicist player), relax, you won't be imprisoned right away)
>
>Michael,
>


Howdy-

ZT here.

Basically, I think that unless you only imprison the party by very
  highly powered people, then you're out of luck.  I played a psion
  (PsychoMetabolist) with ALL the physical exscape skills (no 
  psychoportation or telepathy) last year, and our DM managed to
  imprison me once.  And that was when he REALLY didn't want me to
  be wandering around, so he knocked me out AND put me in a handy
  psionically-dampened room.  After seeing that that sort of thing
  was really unrealistic in his world (not dark sun, things like that
  would probably be a lot more likely there) he just decided to not
  try and keep me anywhere I didn't want to be.  I was SOMETIMES a
  good sport about it and played along with being help captive, for 
  short amounts of time (when the paladin made me), but there's really
  not a whole lot you can do.

Just for the Record.

                        The Crystal Griffin
From: wayne@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (Wayne Fuller)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Question on why people play AD&D and all
Keywords: OH NO!!!   not WAYNE!!!
Date: 11 Dec 92 19:20:04 GMT
Organization: Cybernet BBS, Boca Raton, Florida

tel002@dunix.drake.edu (Tim "Spock" Larson) writes:

> Leave this guy alone.  He started up the same "I'm gonna slam the D&D game
> system" thread on ADND-L.  He doesn't get the picture that his problem
> is with the DM's that have screwed him over and not the game system
> itself.
> Give it up, Wayne.  Go home.  I've read too many of your posts already.
> 
> Tim
>  
 i have a question that has nothing to do with this string other
 than the fact that it was mentioned in the above msg.

 What is ADND-L and how does one go about getting it?
 I have seen reference to other things with the -L and just wondered if 
 someone would tell me about it.

 either post or e-mail me at
 wayne@cybernet.cse.fau.edu

 thanks 
 wayne (gnome on most other boards)
From: smash@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Scott Mash)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: RPG Fanzine X-Mas Issue Ready!
Date: 17 Dec 92 18:23:05 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Smasher Land RPG BBS (614)593-8359


The DOUBLE X-MAS ISSUE of "Silver, Swords & Slaughter" is ready!

"Silver, Swords & Slaughter" is an amateur rpg zine that covers
nearly every rpg past and present.  All articles have been submitted
by readers, friends and net-folks.  The only charge for this small
zine is $1 which will cover the cost of the paper and stamp and will
only be distributed in the USA. (this is to keep the costs down).

Several changes have been made since issue 3.  The typeface and layout 
have both changed which has made SS&S 100% easier to read.  There is
also more artwork and a greater variety of articles.  In this months
issue there is a survey, which if filled out and returned, makes you
eligable to win a prize donated by a loyal reader.

This issue of SS&S has articles written by Peter Adkinson (creator of
The Primal Order, currently working with Wizards of the Coast), 
Nick Parenti (recently published in Dragon), Brandon Cope and many
others.....

There are articles on Amber, Fantasy Hero, Talislanta, AD&D, Gurps,
Creating your own RPG, and many many other articles....

I am making no money from this magazine all the money goes back into
the next issue of this zine.  "Silver, Swords & Slaughter" is done in
black and white on standard 8 1/2 paper.

If you have any questions feel free to email me at
sss@smashland.nelsonville.oh.us

Submissions are needed for the fifth issue.  The authors of the
articles that have been used will receive a free copy of SS&S.
Submissions can be emailed to the address above.

Silver, Swords & Slaughter
c/o Scott Mash
11685 SR 691
Nelsonville, Ohio  45764

-- 
| smash@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu         |  Scott A. Mash               |
| smash@bigbird.cs.ohiou.edu         |  Smasher Land RPG BBS        |
| system@smashland.nelsonville.oh.us |  (614) 593-8359, 2400 Baud   |
|                                    |  RPG Textfiles And Utilities |
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: JBOSTERS@KUBVX1.KUB.NL (Jeroen Bosters)
Subject: Question about Detect Magic
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 92 11:48:03 GMT
Organization: Tilburg University, The Netherlands
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.24


Howdy Players,

recently I wondered about the following. When a cleric casts a detect magic 
spell he has a chance of learning the sphere of magic. But in that case a 
problem arises, how do you handle the situation that a cleric uses detects 
magic on wizard magic. Can he in that case determine the sphere or would you 
rule this impossible because it's not priest magic so he couldn't know?

Folllowing this, if you rule he couldn't know would it be possible to learn?
(for example, if in a party a mage and a priest decide to teach eachother by 
showing the magic. I mean: the mage cast a spell and tells the priest the sphere
afterwhich the priest uses detect magic to learn how the magic "looks"?)
Would this be reasonable, I'd say yes.

Thanx in advance,

Masanov Aquilar do Notor, the risen.




*******************************************************************************
* Jeroen Bosters            * Student of Information Management & Technology  *
* Schoolstraat 363          * at Tilburg University, the Netherlands          *
* 5038 RL  Tilburg          ***************************************************
* The Netherland            * " Dies nox et omnia, mihi sunt contraria,       * 
* JBOSTERS@KUB.NL           *   virginum colloquia, me fay planszer,          *
* jbosters@nyx.cs.du.edu    *   oy suvenz suspirer, plu me fay temer    "     *
* jeroen@kubil1.kub.nl      *            Dies, nox et omnia - Carmina Burana  *
*******************************************************************************
From: ccoprdj@prism.gatech.EDU (Jorge Diaz)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: bards
Keywords: bards killers
Date: 13 Dec 92 04:38:38 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <1992Dec12.000104.5430@CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU> cdb@CS.Stanford.EDU (Craig Davis Becker) writes:

>IMHO, these books are probably best as idea sources and aids for developing
>character personalities, and not so good as rulebooks. Of course, I don't 
>own any of them, so my opinion is probably worthless, but that never stops
>me. :)

This is exactly what I use them for.  I play a half-elven cleric of mystra/mage
and I bought the CPH and the CWH, and when the CBE comes out I'll buy that
too (for the half-elven part - I assume that this book will also include
half-elves).

I don't use any of the "rules" in those books.  I bought them solely for
role-playing purposes.  They help give me ideas for what I want my characters
to be, as well as new spells that might be worth researching.  But I've never
asked my DM to follow a "rule" from these books, because I don't think they
make good rulebooks, or even guidebooks.  They're way too unbalancing.


-- 
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."
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: brunborg@alkymi.unit.no (]dne Brunborg)
Subject: Re: Paladins, Clerics, and Horus
Keywords: abracadabra shanana ripsnorter
Organization: Norwegian Institute of Technology
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 92 14:28:08 GMT

In article <lii05uINNjrs@latexo.cs.utexas.edu>, dant@cs.utexas.edu (Dan Alexander Thompson) writes:
> All this talk about priests and paladins has me wondering:  In TOM, in the
> section on Horus (Egyptian mythos), it says that priests of Horus are actually
> paladins with some special abilities--most notably that they cast spells like
> priests instead of paladins.
> 
> My question is, should I treat such characters as priests, paladins, or dual-
> classed priest/paladins?  I'm willing to waive the non-human dual-class 
> restriction for this one god (there is precedent in the Egyptian mythos for
> that--see Isis), but is that the right thing to do?
> 
> I'm talking in terms of XP, THAC0, saves, etc.--most of the special abilities
> are spelled out in TOM.
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> 
> 

I haven't read the TOM, but the Legends&Lore2ed book says the same thing. So, I'd 
rule it this way:

A spec. priest of Horus is qualified for exeptional strenght and warrior's
constitution bonus (if he have that kind of stats). He uses the THAC0 advancement
and hit die of a paladin, _all_ of the paladin's special abilities, including the
+2 save bonus (but he uses a warrior's saving throw table). Of course, he's not
restricted to LG alignment, and not only LG hirelings. (Only CG?). Otherwise, he's
subject to all paladin restrictions (max 10 magical items, must tithe etc...) as
stated in PH2ed.
Furthermore, he casts spells as a priest, and is qualified for bonus spells for
high wisdom. He uses the XP progression of a paladin, but must have stats of 16+
in Charisma, Strenght _and_ Wisdom in order to get 10% bonus. 

So, it's kind of munckinish (as some of the other egyptian spec. priests, like
Isis!)

(Why won't my DM allow this class?!? 8-)


 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 +                            +                                               +
 + ++brunborg@alkymi.unit.no+ +  "Yeah, alright! I've got something to say:   +
 +                            +   It's better to burn out, than fade away!"   +
 + ++brunborg@solan.unit.no++ +                                               +
 +                            + (Def Leppard: "Rock of Ages", Pyromania 1983) +
 +     - Aadne Brunborg -     +                                               +
 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: blhuber@major  (Brett L. Huber)
Subject: Re: Forging a Glass Sword
Organization: Michigan Technological University
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 01:19:41 GMT

> ...  If I were a high level mage wanting to do this, I
> [several spells resulting in physical transformation sand -> sword]

Normal sword + glassteel + permanancy.

Oh, come on, it's just CON.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov
Subject: Re: 2ed class questions
Originator: kjenks@gothamcity
Keywords: formidible
Organization: NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 17:06:33 GMT

Sorry for the long quote -- it was necessary to prove the point....

In article <1992Dec15.194837.7746@pts1.pts.mot.com> erm001@email.mot.com (Richard Meeks) writes:
> [...]  EXAMPLE: A Warrior (2nd edition) named Borg, has justfinished
> training for 7th Level. With his weapon specialization in Long
> Sword,and 'Broad Group Blades', he can now use ANY weapon without
> penalty.  But,being the smart brute that he is ( and being rather
> 'quick handed'with his 17 Dexterity), he decides that he will quit the
> Warrior guild, and become a Thief......WHY??? First...he starts off
> with his hit points at around 77! Now, that's impossible for a first
> level thief, but AVERAGE for a 7th level warrior(7d10 +4/lvl) And,if he
> had a Constitution bonus of less than 4 pts/level, he shouldn't have
> been a warrior!) So, with his Strength of 18/00... he makes a
> formidable foe! (Except the % roll no longer counts!)
> 
> Now, Borg is no fool either! After gaining a mear 5 levels in Thief
> (not quite enough to get his Fighter skills back) he NOW changes to
> Priest! HOW??? WHY???  Because his Wisdom is also 17. This now makes
> him a poor,lowly 1st level priest...with 77 HIT POINTS! Upon reaching
> 6th level, he now regains his Thief skills, and upon reaching 8th
> level... he gains ALL OF HIS WARRIOR SKILLS. Imagine, going agains a
> Human... with the capabilities of a Priest/Thief/Warrior of 8/5/7...
> Multiple weapon types, weapon specialization, capable of wearing ANY
> armor, casting spells, AND a TRIPLE BACKSTAB with +4 FROM BEHIND!!
> 
> If you question ANY of this, look it up in the 2nd Edition Players
> Handbook.

Formidible, indeed.

  STR: 18/00
  INT: ?
  WIS: 17
  DEX: 17
  CON: 18
  CHA: ?

PHB2 says "There is no limit to the number of classes a character can
acquire, as long as he has the ability scores to make the change."
This guy certainly has the stats!  It's a good thing this character
isn't playing AD&D1 rules.  He'd make a heck of a monk-switched-to-
cleric.

IMAO, the most powerful class combination ever was an AD&D1 monk who
switched to magic-user.  But I don't want to start a long string
about the most powerful character class/combos.  We've been over
that before.

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

     "Is there not an abode in Hell for the arrogant?"
        -- Koran, SURA XXIX -- The Troops, v. 63
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov
Subject: Re: City-State of the Invincible Overlord
Originator: kjenks@gothamcity
Keywords: memories
Organization: NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 06:33:43 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.164407.1@ulys.unil.ch> pgyger@ulys.unil.ch writes:
>Does anyone here knows something about the campaign called "The City State
>of the Invincible Overlord"? 

I don't know anything about how to find the set, but it was a whole lot
of fun to run around in.  We had a group of PC thieves and assassins
who wandered about the place getting into as much trouble as humanly
(and elvenly and half-orcenly) possible.  We raided the rich, killed
the 14th level LG high priestess in her pajamas (and got royally Cursed
for that one), rolled drunks, got in trouble with the Thieve's Guild,
bribed the Guildmaster, saved a Paladin's life then blackmailed him,
got captured by the city guard, escaped, and generally had a whale of a
good time.  Dave Finnigan, a law student at UIUC in '86, was the DM.
We played that game in Oglesby Residence Hall from 1983 to 1984.

The City-State seemed to be very detailed, and it has a complex set of
political intrigues which can consume the attention of a Good party for
many moons.  But we Evil folk had a riot burning, looting and
pillaging, and we couldn't stop the half-orc from some raping, too.
(Butterball was his name.  He eventually divinely descended, after
actually exceeding both his racial level limits in cleric and in
thief -- the thief limit exceeded via Wish from a Deck of Many Things,
and the cleric limit exceeded because of a Quasit familiar.)

City-State was lots of fun.  But that's what it's like to be a thief in
a big city.  Just ask Grey Mouser.

If you players have never "gone thieving," I highly recommend that you
find yourselves a very flexible DM with a big city and give it a try.
It will change your view of the game.

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

      "Orcs dwell in places where sunlight is dim or non-existent,
       for they hate the light.
         -- AD&D Monster Manual 1, p. 76.
Organization: Junior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
From: david@avenger.ecn.uoknor.edu (David Bump)
Subject: Re: Specialty Priests and Paladins
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 16:50:17 GMT
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

tony@phsbbs.princeton.nj.us (Anthony Foglia) writes:

>     After reading the thread on specialty priests versus clerics and 
>beginning work on my own pantheon, I have a question.  If their are no 
>clerics in a campaign (all specialty priests) what about paladins.  Do 
>they have to choose a god?  If so, are their spells limited to the 
>relevant spheres?  Do the paladins worship all the gods?

I run paladins as "holy warriors".  They have to pick a diety,
their powers depend on what diety they pick, and they must
be the same alignment as that diety.  It allows for a lot more
freedom, and a paladin of a LG diety is pretty much like in
the books....


David Bump
david@midway.ecn.uoknor.edu
From: tmiller@prism.gatech.EDU (Thomas Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Level Limits
Keywords: AD&D, races, experience
Date: 17 Dec 92 22:17:07 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <BzBp0G.IpJ@bunyip.cc.uq.oz.au>, kinsler@physics.uq.oz.au (Paul Kinsler) writes:
> Now I know that a lot of you guys *hate* the level limits for the
> sub-human ... oops ;-) ... I mean non-human races, but I don't want 
> to hear about that. What I do want to know is if anyone has 
> "softened" the limits in some fashion (eg by doubling EXP costs to 
> rise to the next level), and how that worked out.



  Sure, I did it several times.  For my NPCs (I was the DM in that
campaign) that is.  It worked out fine - they just needed to have
certain capabilities that were precluded by the official written
limits, so I ignored the limits.  No PC I ever DM-ed got high enough
but I would have let them go over the limit, probably, since it takes
so long to advance at the higher levels...


  Just my two cents.


-- 
Thomas Miller      Georgia Tech Network Services        GT EE 1992 (?!) 
WORK: (404) 853-0254 / Rich Bldg Rm 127, 258 4th St  Atlanta, Ga. 30332
HOME: (404) 351-1017 / 1185 Collier Rd NW apt 2A     Atlanta, Ga. 30318 
Internet:  tmiller@prism.gatech.edu   or   thomas.miller@oit.gatech.edu
From: seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Class' power (was Re: how to imprison a psionicist)
Date: 19 Dec 92 04:39:24 GMT
Organization: University of Pittsburgh
Originator: seawasp@unixd3.cis.pitt.edu

In article <YfAcFSi00VoxJoxOxf@andrew.cmu.edu> jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu (Joseph E. Beck) writes:
>>         Do all psionicist HAVE Shadow Form and Dominate? Odd, mine doesn't...
>No, but *his* psionicist has these abilities and finds them
>unbalancing.  It's ludicrous to argue that X isn't too powerful
>because I don't have X.  


	Ahh, but I'm not (necessarily) arguing that HIS psionicist isn't too
powerful. I AM arguing, however, that AS A CLASS Psionicists are not.

	Giving a single example, or even several, of an overpowering psi
is not a proper method of demonstrating that a class is overpowering (any
more than showing examples of dark-haired mass murderers proves that
as a class dark haired people are mass murderers).

	Instead, you must demonstrate that all, or nearly all, examples of
psis WILL be overwhelmingly powerful.

>I thought psis could pick their powers.  Is this incorrect?  If it is
>right that a psi is guaranteed to get whatever powers he wants.  


	The times I've played, Psi powers were rolled randomly. Sometimes
you were able to choose one, but you weren't GUARANTEED to get to
pick.


                                 Sea Wasp
                                   /^\
                                   ;;;
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: alongley@cape.UWaterloo.ca (Allan Longley)
Subject: Re: Specialty Priests and Paladins
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 17:48:34 GMT

In article (Anthony Foglia) writes:
>If their are no clerics in a campaign (all specialty priests) what about 
>paladins.  Do they have to choose a god?  If so, are their spells limited 
>to the relevant spheres?  Do the paladins worship all the gods?

If you play a campaign with no clerics (as I do) then paladins should also
have to choose a specific god, or at least a pantheon (eg., Finnish, Greek).
In my campaigns priests pick a specific god, but the priest must also pay
homage to the other god(dess)s of the pantheon that their god(dess) are
allies with.  For example, a priest of Ukko would have to pay homage to
Meilikki but not Hissi.  It might be possible for a paladin to be a warrior
of the pantheon, but no all religions.:r

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allan Longley, University of Waterloo, Department of Chemical Engineering
e-mail: alongley@cape.uwaterloo.ca
voice: (519) 885-1211			A Paladin of Yug-susouth!?!?!
home: (519) 746-1498
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
           "Ph-nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn"              
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: jjas@acs.nntp-read.bu.edu (Jason Stephenson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: How many gp's = 1 pound?
Date: 19 Dec 92 00:26:59 GMT
Organization: Boston University Information Technology Boston, MA USA
In-reply-to: daly@ecs.umass.edu's message of 12 Dec 92 14:39:07 GMT

daly@ecs.umass.edu (Bryon Daly, ECE dept, UMass, Amherst)
 <19308.2b29f98b@ecs.umass.edu>

I know in the original rules, it was 10 gp's/lb.  But then in my newly
acquired 2nd ed. DM's guide, it clearly states on p. 134 that all coins
weigh 50 to the pound (a better number IMHO).  OK, fine, but then the Psionics
Handbook totally contradicts this in the Molecular Rearrangement science:

So which is it?  10gp/lb or 50gp/lb?  My question isn't so much about what's
"official", but which version is used in the books for spells, etc.  i.e.:
if a spell or psionic power states that it affects x gp's weight of 
material/level or something, which figure are they using?

-Bryon

jjas@acs.bu.edu:

Well, Bryon; first of all, I'd like to say: "Fuck the 2nd Edition."
Now that I've made my propaganda tirade I'll try to answer your
question.

In the first edition, it says that coins are set at an arbitrary value
of ten to the pound for various reasons, one of them being
convenience.  I never much liked this system, nor the one presented in
the second edition because these types of things tend to overlook one
simple fact: the specific gravities for all the various metals used
in the manufacture of coins differ so the mass and weight of each type
of coin would be different if they were all made to the same size.
Furthermore, ten gold coins that actually weighed a pound together
would have to be fairly large (larger than the standard troy ounce
ingot).  Second, the rules state that the coins have this encumbrance
effect and that this is not their actual weight; this is just to keep
the characters from running around with millions of coins in their
backpack.
To apply such a standard to something like molecular manipulation is a
bit absurd because all the metals have different specific gravities
and therefor different densities.  So, if you were going to convert x
amount of copper into x amount of gold, you really would not end up
with x amount of gold, but y amount.  (Where y=x-z, the amount of
material lost to the difference in specific gravity.)
I do not use the system found in the book, but a rationalized method
of determining monetary encumbrance and value in the campaign I ran a
few years ago.  (I don't really play ADnD much anymore.)  I don't have
it with me here in Boston, but when I go to visit my parents over
break I could dig it out, write it up and email it to you, if you
like.

However, if you don't want to be bothered with something so
complicated (believe me it is complicated), you might make a choice
between either 50/lb or 10/lb and stick with your decision as a
uniform measure even in spells and psionic operations.  It makes
things much easier.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd