HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology-Office of Information Technology
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 16:01:07 EST
From: Paul Goodwin <CC100PG@GITVM1.GATECH.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Silver Piece Standard
 <Bz3wvG.Dx4@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca> <1992Dec11.193127.8662@ncsu.edu>

>What bothers me is the fact that the rulebooks (both 1st & 2nd Ed, I believe)
>insist that the average urban laborer takes home 1gp per month. Think about
>it. 1gp to feed himself, his family, buy life's essentials, and pay taxes.
>Could you live like this for 20 bucks a month?
>
>I agree with the idea that a gp or sp standard should be based around the
>equivalent buying power of $20, but as was stated earlier the incomes of
>various workers need to be reconsidered.

I disagree.  Remember that you're dealing with a vastly different economy.
The average labourer (unless he were citybound) had a small garden to feed
himself.

If you want an example of comparative economies, look at the US and the UK.
About 10 years ago, when I lived in the UK, it was about $2.49 to the Pound.
In general, one pound bought what one dollar would here - except for certain
items, like gasoline or automobiles.  The relative cost was completely
different.

In different economies, the "market value" of an item may be different relative
to other items.  In our world, that's beginning to change as the global economy
becomes more tightly wound, but it hasn't always been so.



Paul
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: silber@cs.uiuc.edu
Subject: Re: Priests and Spellcasting
Organization: Dept. of Computer Sci - University of Illinois
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 19:28:37 GMT


Another thing we've done is cut down the cost of the healing and herbalism
proficiencies. If a priest takes both of them, they have very few left for
anything else.

.
-- 
ami silberman - janitor of lunacy
	silber@cs.uiuc.edu
From: wsbusr1@rwa.urc.tue.nl (Boudewijn Wayers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: bards
Date: 16 Dec 92 13:12:52 GMT
Reply-To: wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl

griffin@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Zack Thompson) writes:

>You forgot the fighter and mage in that combo.  Trust me, I played
>  a Pmetabolic and Pkinesis(mainly) psion till about ninth or tenth
>  last year, and he was really pretty powerful.

You got a character to tenth level in only a year? Do you play each day
or so? We play weekly, and getting a character to 7th would seem the
most you'd get in a year.

-- 
Boudewijn Wayers, wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl.
Keeper of the Great Net Spellbook and Prayerbook.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Thanatos)
Subject: Re: AL-QADIM vs. Forgotten Realms
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 19:27:31 GMT

After possessing both, I had no problem rectifying the two systems and
backgrounds.  The way I look at it is this.  The Land of Fate is supposed
to emulate the actual history of the Arabian people, but only in a fantasy
setting.  While Western Euroopeans were squabbling in fiefdoms, the people
of that region managed to develop a culture through their religion that 
truly accepted all people (it was only until the Western Europeans wanted 
their shrines back that the Muslims grew violent and intolerant of the 
infidel).  This it does VERY well.
	What of the rich history of dwarves and elves so caarelessly 
forgotten?  GOOD!  Maybe there is a place in Faerun where members of a 
feuding people who so happen to fall in love can go.  Maybe there is an
island of calm in the racial hotbed of the Forgotten Realms, an area that 
would not allow their Elves and Dwarves to sacrifice one another in a pointless
battle.  Al-Quadim is a new kind of roleplaying from TSR.  Races exist, 
but not to divide a society, but rather to complement it.  It's very 
refreshing, and fuding around to make it fit, as I have, makes the world
all the more satisfying.  Oh, I forgot...you can fudge with Greyhawk, but not 
the Forgotten Realms.  Sorry...
-- 
I don't mind being the smartest	    / Thanatos, DeathUrge, Master of Unknown
man in the world...I just wish it   \ Time and Space tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu 
wasn't this one...	       	    / It's a Zen thing... 
	-Ozymandias 		    \	 you wouldn't understand...  
Organization: Junior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 13:33:09 -0500 
From: "Joseph E. Beck" <jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: how to imprison a psionicist ?
	<606@blue.cis.pitt.edu>


seawasp@vm2.cis.pitt.edu (Sea Wasp) writes:
> In article <kf_xhXK00awSM1Q5RU@andrew.cmu.edu> jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu (Joseph E.\
>  Beck) writes:
> >I don't understand.  You state that he's been captured but you can't
> >hold him (?).  Exactly how does this occur?  If you can't hold him,
> >how the hell did you capture him?  If he's conscious (and he has to be
> >to read the sigil) he should just teleport away.  
> 
>         Why try the incredibly clumsy "make him read it" ploy? Just 
> SHOOT him with it. (Range may be pretty short (1/2" or slightly over 
> 7 feet) but if you've managed to catch him, you must be holding him
> anyway.) 
Ok, I'll try again.  HOW DO YOU CAPTURE HIM AND HOLD HIM?  Please
answer this.  Here is a character who (at low level) can teleport
without chance of being interrupted, yet you casually capture him.
Neat trick.  

The description states that when read the sigil create a force that
will imprison the nearest person (except the mage).  So you have to
put your mage at point and have him cast the spell (if not prepared
already, but it should be), then read the text (instead of casting a
spell that round).  So your mage is at point.  Gotcha.



>         Psionicists are no more powerful than any other class, as long as
> you keep your wits about you and play out ALL the ramifications of the
> class...
You are mad.  That's all I'm going to say at this time (I'm over modem
and my housemates are getting that look of blood in their eyes...).
Usually, when a whole bunch of people believe one thing (almost
everyone who's posted abuot psionicists being too powerful) and I
believe something else, I reevaluate my logic (like a good Bayesian).
Perhaps you should consider...

	joe

	p.s.  I told you we wouldn't agree about anything :-)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: wsbusr1@rwa.urc.tue.nl (Boudewijn Wayers)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Question about Detect Magic
Date: 17 Dec 92 13:08:36 GMT
Reply-To: wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl

Sorry, my previous reply was meant to be e-mailed, but accidentally got
posted. Please excuse me.
-- 
Boudewijn Wayers, wsbusr1@urc.tue.nl.
Keeper of the Great Net Spellbook and Prayerbook.
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: gip207@sci.kun.nl (gip2 course)
Subject: Re: how to imprison a psionicist ?
Organization: University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 19:15:47 GMT

In <1992Dec13.221033.22732@sfu.ca> akostur@fraser.sfu.ca (Andre John Kostur) writes:

> Here's a way to imprison a psionicist.....put a normal helmet on his head.
> (PsiHB page 16 "...But if the psionicist is wearing a normal helmet of any
> sort, he cannot use his powers...")

I'd rule this only work for mind-affecting powers (i.e. most telepathy and
mabye clairsentient powers) but woudn't affect things like psychometabolism
or teleportation.

		-Smooth
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: baltzebw@newton.ccs.tuns.ca (Bruce W. Baltzer)
Subject: Re: how to imprison a psionicist ?
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 08:20:15 GMT
Organization: tuns.ca

"Joseph E. Beck" <jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:


>jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.) writes:
>> In <1992Dec11.222022.2965@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov wri\
>> tes:
>> 
>> >In article <1992Dec11.140432.5090@cs.ruu.nl> mdrijsma@cs.ruu.nl (Michael Rijs\
>> man) writes:
>> >>[...]  So how do you(as DM) imprison your psionicists ?
>> 
>> The Spell Sepia Snake Sigil is great for keeping prisoners.
>> 
>> Force them to read something with the spell cast on it.  Tell them if they
>> don't submit to the spell then they will be killed. 
>My psionicist would think you were very funny.  You simply can't
>threaten to kill a 6th level psionicist.  If the situation looks
>unpleasant (poof!), he's gone.  It's not a spell so you can't
>interrupt it.  Also, the sigil now has a limited duration in 2nd

correct me if i'm wrong (wouldn't be the first time), but can't you
disrupt a psionicist's power usage that round by beating his/her initiative?
i seem to recall something like that.  the psi doean't lose any psps, but can't
use any power that round.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|   Bruce W. Baltzer  ......  Amiga owner and proud of it, man!              |
|   internet address : baltzebw@newton.ccs.tuns.ca                           |
|   ... soon to be an electrical engineer (4 down, 2 to go (*sigh*))         |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: dks@acpub.duke.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Fighter/Priest of God of War | was:Re: Clerics vs. Specialty Priests?
Date: 13 Dec 92 03:05:02 GMT
Reply-To: dks@acpub.duke.edu


brehob@plantain.cps.msu.edu (Mark W Brehob) writes:
|> My 'main' AD&D character is a fighter/priest of the god of War.
|> We have ruled that because both sides of the multi class can specialize,  
|> it only makes since that the F/C should be able to.
|> 
|> The fact that my character is a fighter/priest was something of a mistake.   
|> Why not just be a priest of the god of war?  They are just about as good  
|> as fighters, and, well climb ranks a lot faster.
|> (esp at high levels)

	I haven't read the Comp Priest HB (looked thru, yes, but didn't
deem it worth buying) -- am I getting this right? Specialty priests of
War Gods may specialize?
	Let's see:  specialty priest gets formerly-only-fighter bonus,
can use the same armor, gets spells too.  [Minor] Drawbacks:  THACO lags
behind by 1/3 lvls, and the priest gets fewer WP's.  Yet the priest
advances faster.
	BTW, how many spheres does the CPHB say the priest gets?  I myself
would say about three -- in order to keep all of the world's fighters from
signing on with the church!
						-Abdiel
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: lazarus@ug.cs.dal.ca (Chuck Turner)
Subject: Items From the Vault Revisited
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 17:38:11 GMT


Okay, okay!

Looks like I'll be posting upcoming lists to the newsgroup as I've had
17 requests in less than two days.  But don't expect anything until after
the 17th of December, as I'm swamped with exams until then.  If people
miss them because they are away for the Christmas break, I'll either mail
individual lists or will post again in January.

Merry [insert holiday here]! 

					- 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: rsm58307@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Ron)
Subject: Re: Druid Shapechange
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 04:39:38 GMT

>1)  why would people buy powerful snake venom?  To make medicine?  Perhaps, 
>    but more likely to kill people.  So furthering the cause of (probably)
>    assassination can be considered evil, and neutral druids probably should
>    not do it.

Actually, according to the "Gygax" alignment system, a Druid might
sell it to an assassin if the world was seeming a bit on the Lawful Good
side lately.  Not that I'm suggesting you should follow the alignments
to the letter, but I'd be quick to argue it if I were playing a druid.
Then again, I'm your basic rules lawyer (although I only bring the rule
up once).

>2)  make it so that there is druidic regulation about abusing the powers of
>    nature.  Snake venom is for the snake's self defense and capture of 
>    prey, not to make a buck.

What if the buck was spent on conservation or something? <grin>

>3)  make it that people dont want to buy snake venom, maybe because they are
>    more difficult to store and goes gunky faster then synthetic poisons.
>    - but I still like the idea!
>    - Droso Springfire, slayer of a haughty priest of Lanthder through
>      snake venom.

Hey Jen, maybe I should add this to the list of powers of the GREEN KNIGHT.

	- Ron
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: griffin@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Zack Thompson)
Subject: Re: bards
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 10:25:11 GMT

In article <4f_gguC00YUo135YY2@andrew.cmu.edu> "Joseph E. Beck" <jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>
>With the complete psionicists handbook things got absurd:  do you want
>your party to be telepathic and be able to mess with opponents minds
>over the long term (psychic surgery), or do you want a psionicist who
>is a priest, thief, and generic cool guy to have around?    Of course
>the solution is to have 1 of each to balance out all the bards :-)

Howdy-

ZT here.

You forgot the fighter and mage in that combo.  Trust me, I played
  a Pmetabolic and Pkinesis(mainly) psion till about ninth or tenth
  last year, and he was really pretty powerful.  He could do nearly
  anything any of the other classes could do (of course within
  limits).  But that was alright in that situation, because the rest
  of the party was fighter types.  He HAD to be able to do everything 
  else.  Therefore, even though I loved playing him, I too will have
  to vote on the side of unbalanced.

And if you want a REAL kit for the bard, look in the Thief's HB at
  the Swashbuckler.  That's a nice fitting combo.  Albeit a bit
  munchkin, still.

>In general, TSR has used the "if you wanna be tougher, buy our new
>books" method of selling.  Unfortunately it works (note, *I* didn't
>buy any of the above books, I use my housemate's for reference :-).
>
>	joe
>
>


Ya know, I've managed to pick up all the Character Class HB's over
  time, and I use them.  But what I mainly use them for is the
  weapons list in the Fighters, the equipment list in the Thief's,
  ideas for spells to research from the Mage's, and, well, hell I
  guess I don't use the Bard's or Priest's for shit.  

Just for the Record.

                        The Crystal Griffin
Organization: Junior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 19:52:52 -0500 
From: "Joseph E. Beck" <jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: how to imprison a psionicist ?
	<Bz7qKL.Jw5@news.cso.uiuc.edu>



>A stronger psionicist. Maybe he could edit their memory so that they forget
>their own powers, or something like that.
Yeah, this should work.  But he has to work fast, and by a "mind
master" type.  Otherwise the psion will teleport/probability
travel/etc. away.


>If its a world of psionicists, couldn't they have some sort of drug that
>inhibits psionics? 
Good idea.  

>wizard's eye and a friendly earth elemental, then made a small chamber,
>then sealed it all back up).  If magic doesn't affect psionics and psionics
>doesn't affect magic, seal the entire thing in a force bubble (like wall
>of force, or force cage, but spherical).  If the psionicist tries getting
>out with a dimension door spell they'll step into solid rock.

>Or put it deep under water.  Or on an elemental plane.
But what do you do if the psionic has probability travel?  This takes
his body to the astral planet for 7-12 hours (if nothing goes wrong)
he then arrives at his destination.  So your "prisoner" disappears.
And you know at some point in the future he will reappear somewhere.
Ick.  

> Come on, they're not gods,
True, they don't have a body of worshippers (well, the low level ones
don't anyway).  

> as long as the bad guys have a working intelligence service.
If the bad guys have a working intelligence service they'd probably
never try to pull this off in the first place unless *vast* rewards
were involved.  Just think, you're thinking of creating prisons on
other planes and in the center of the earth, and a 6th level
psionicist is involved.  A 4th level psionicist takes about the same
amount of work to capture...  Imagine if one survives until 12th...

	joe

 
Organization: Junior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 20:48:18 -0500 
From: "Joseph E. Beck" <jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Class' power (was Re: how to imprison a psionicist)
	<17DEC199221124064@udel.edu>



>        Not. It's all in how they're used. Here's how a mage can take somebody
>out... (assume a 6th level mage):
(long, boring list of methods deleted)


Do you really want me to list the number of ways a psionicist could
counter this?  If the psionicist thinks he'll lose teleport/prob
travel out.  If he's a mindmaster type, he can spend 3 rounds taking
you over (while you levitate up and cast your spells).  Etc.  

Sorry, the psionicist just rocks.  I think someone summed it up well
when they said that there group only had 2 or 3 people, and needed
someone else.  This person had to fight, be able to sneak around like
a thief, heal people, and be good outside of combat.  I don't see any
single class option other than psionicist that comes close...
	
	joe
From: jdelisle@udel.edu (J. G. Delisle)
Subject: Re: Class' power (was Re: how to imprison a psionicist)
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Boyz from the Dwarf
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 02:08:00 GMT

In article <0#r2r4p@rpi.edu>, jelliw@rpi.edu writes...
>discussing, and disregard everything i have said. For the rest of you,
>who do things besides fight in your campaigns, what do you think the
>strongest NON-COMBAT psi powers are?
>....Just an idea for a new thread.
> 
>no sig, just Bill.

	The best ones would probably be the telepathics, since they allow for
enhanced role-playing and avoiding combat. Daydream allows the Psi to actually
"duplicate" (almost) certain thief abilities. False Sensory Input is one of
my favorites; it allows the Psi to do just about _anything_ to the victim's 
sensory inputs, and has a low cost, compared to some other powers. (By the
way, did T$R ever state whether or not FSI only affects one sense per usage?)
And last but not least, Sight/Sound/Taste Link allow the Psi to maintain 
contact for less than 1 PSP per round, _and_ gives some information on what the
victim is doing.

	Joe Delisle

+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| From the terminal of Joe Delisle      |                                    |
| jdelisle@loyola.edu  (preferred)      |    "Home is where the hell is."    |
| jdelisle@cs.loyola.edu                |                                    |
|              "I was up above it, but now I'm down in it"                   |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: kdelgado@loligo.cc.fsu.edu (Kevin Delgado)
Subject: Re: Sports
Organization: Florida State University Computing Center
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 18:33:23 GMT

In article <1094@dgaust.dg.oz> young@spinifex.dg.oz (Philip Young) writes:
>Human + elf -> elf/2.  Human + depravity + orc -> orc/2.
>Does this imply the possibility of bestial elf + orc -> elf-orc hybrid?

Elves and Orcs specifically cannot bread, its part of the racial hatred 
thing. I suggest you read some background material about Grumsh (sp?) and
Correlan Larethian (again sp?). There was a repost of these articles from
dragon on one of the "best of" issues though I cant remember which one.

>Dwarves, halflings and gnomes, being lower life forms 8^}, presumably
>can't interbreed with humans, elves and orcs, but I don't see why a
>creative mage, or maybe standing on a milk crate, couldn't fix this.
>What about low-life combinations (gnarves? dwomes?).

Generally, it is considered that the breeding of a dwarf etc, with a human
would not lead to any significant variations...basically short,burly, slightly
longer lived humans. At least that id TSR's handy little excuse. Again, I 
suggest you look at some old Dragon issues or best of's, Gygax wrote a good
article on just this subject (this is where the 1/2 Ogre comes from btw).
Take a look at some of these articles and decide for yourself.

> 
>Such offspring could have intriguing characteristics.  Has anybody
>ever experimented along these lines? 
> 
>-- 
>Philip R. Young                   | Ham it up all you want, but it's
>Data General Australia Pty. Ltd.  | Sir Lloyne who'll bring home the bacon

Kevin
From: bugs006@bugs.mty.itesm.mx (Maurice S. Villareal)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: >>>>How many gp's = 1 pound?
Date: 19 Dec 92 19:13:13 GMT

Hi,

	In the DM's guide page 134, says " Coins (regardless of metal)
normally weigh in at 50 to the pound " then 50 Coins is a pound.

Grettings.

Hal 9000
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: help:  I'm thinking of running a PBEM
From: geoffrey@yvax.byu.edu
Date: 19 Dec 92 13:04:03 -0700
Reply-To: geoffrey@yvax.byu.edu
Distribution: world
Organization: BYU

Howdy,
	I'm thinking of running a 1st edition AD&D campaign by e-mail.  I've never
done it before.  I guess I'm looking for suggestions and basic tips.  Also, if
anyone is interested in playing, tell me about it.
	As far as suggestions go, I'm really interested in combat.  How do you do it
by e-mail?

	Anyway, thanks in advance.

	geoffrey@yvax.byu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: ortl@quads.uchicago.edu (james andrew ortlieb)
Subject: Re: More Wishes!
Reply-To: ortl@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 18:13:00 GMT

	Just a question... Are you surprised that you got screwed on the wish?
It sounded like the DM wanted to screw you from the start with an impossible
fight, anyway....

	Not to be depressing or anything.  But, it doesn't sound like this guy
wanted you to succeed from the start. :-(

jimbo
ortl@quads.uchicago.edu

-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- Jim Ortlieb          -- "Today you will win big,
ortl@midway.uchicago.edu --      pick a fight with a four year old ..."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: akostur@fraser.sfu.ca (Andre John Kostur)
Subject: Re: Class' power (was Re: how to imprison a psionicist)
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 01:51:33 GMT

In article <1gr21hINNgqd@master.cs.rose-hulman.edu> operbwt@nextwork.rose-hulman.edu writes:
>I prefer Dark Sun Gladiators with about 10 psionic powers anyway (with about  
>500 PSP's to boot)!  (I don't prefer them to play, I just think that they are  
>all powerful.)

 Where did you get a gladiator with 10 powers and 500 psi points?
 I am assuming a wild-talent here....

 Getting 10 powers by random roll really isn't all that likely.

 About the 500 points, the way I calculate a wild psi's power level is to
 calculate it based upon the power he rolled, and _not_ any of the prereq's.
 I figured this out after 1st level wild psi's were coming out with 200 PSPs.

      ^ 
     ' ` 
  **'   `**         Andre Kostur
 ***  _  ***
  *''***``*         akostur@sfu.ca 
   `     ' 
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.archives