HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: scythe@byron.u.washington.edu (The Grim Reaper)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Xanth Talents
Date: 8 Nov 92 23:28:15 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Nov8.232815.28680
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <1992Nov8.224141.10685@news.ysu.edu> ag757@yfn.ysu.edu (Ian Clysdale) writes:
>
>In a previous article, st923058@pip.cc.brandeis.edu (Rosaleen Dhu) says:
>
>>
>>	I noticed that someone wants to start a Xanth game. How would you deal
>>with the basic Xanth premise that everyone has a magical Talent, when 
>>psionic rules are so fucked-up (and rarely used) in the AD&D game? And do
>>you have a list of magical Talents? If not, I have some that a friend and
>>I collected for a frp set in Valdemar, and this might be a kind of
>>interesting new thread for those of us who are more interested in 
>>role-playing than rule-picking (and again, that's not a flame; to each his
>>own. Maybe I should make a macron that says that...). Anyone interested?
>>
>
>   Well, I don't think that it's really too hard a premise to deal with.  It's
>a lot like wild talents in psionics, except marginally more powerful.  And
>don't forget, what you give to the players, you give to their enemies.  Also,
>I wouldn't allow  players to run any strong talents (ie. Magician, Sorcerer,
>Enchanter) without a lot of serious consideration.  But anyways.  Maybe
>we could make a net xanth handbook.  :)
>
>-- 
>			Ian Clysdale
>		 Student and Official Nobody
>	        Internet:   ag757@yfn.ysu.edu
>	      Fidonet:   Ian Clysdale, 1:163/241

[Does this sound like the arguement about Psi in Dark Sun, or is it just me?]
*shrug*.  I wouldn't mind having a player run a powerful talent.  It might
depend on the power.  Besides, those really great talents are going to
be extra hard to get.  And anyone that's magician-power would be known
to *everyone* in Xanth, and probably all tied up in politics, also.

--------------------+-------------------------+---------------+
HIC IACET ARTVRVS   + The Grim Reaper         +YipYipYipYipYip+ 
IN INSVLA AVALONIA  + SCYTHE@U.WASHINGTON.EDU +YipYipYipYipYip+
REX QVONDAM REXQVE  + ----------------------- +YipYipYipYipYip+
FVTVRVS             +                         +YipYipYi..SPLAT+
--------------------+-------------------------+---------------+
From: mrw9e@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Michael Robert Williams)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Most powerful PC ever
Date: 5 Nov 92 05:54:45 GMT
Article-I.D.: murdoch.1992Nov5.055445.28328
Organization: University of Virginia

I'm going to be sick...

But before I do, I would like to share with you the be-all, end-all
ultimate "Most powerful PC ever." Many years ago in a Dragon magazine,
there was a short story by Roger E. Moore (I think) about a female
adventurer in an inn or tavern, and she was being heckled/challenged
by all of the male adventurers in the place. Eventually she silenced
all of them by uttering the phrase "My husband is the dungeon master."

In Real Life:Mike Williams     | Perpetual Grad Student
e-mail      :mrw9e@virginia.edu|   - It's not just a job, it's an indenture
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The value of a program is proportional to the weight of its output
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: tao@tomato.princeton.edu (Terry Tao)
Subject: Re: New D&D Alignment ...
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 18:22:14 GMT

Well, in the words of Terry Pratchett, "Gods had a habit of going up to athiests houses and smashing their windows".

So amoral people, having no gods looking out for them, probably are going to have bad luck.  I mean, good people will be protected in a general way by the gods of good, but cancelled out by the gods of evil and neutrality, but amoral people have no god saving them (unless you don't believe in "luck" as part of D&D).

Priests of any sort probably can't be amoral.  Amoral people probably have their soul dissolving on death (as in "On a pale horse" by P. Anthony) or something, i.e. no spiritual reward (or torment).  And no magic sword will like you.

Well, if you push things to extremes, you might reason that everybody is amoral, that people do good only because it pleases them to do good for others,ditto for evil, but pure amoral is with the alignment of a dumb animal.. obeying the leader, perhaps, and banding to gether for protection, but not much more emotion or anything apart from that.  Not much of an interesting alignment, IMO, but sure, include it at least to stop the ridiculousness of animals "keeping the balance".

Terry
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: vputz@nyx.cs.du.edu (Victor Putz)
Subject: Whatever happened to Gary Gygax?
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 92 21:25:19 GMT


..I'm sure sall the "real" gamers out there that have been following D&D
for years know this, but I've just come back to playing after oh...12
years or soo (last game was in 7th grade!)... what happened to good old
Gygax?  None of the "new" stuff seems to be by him at all!


-->Vputz

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: goldman@orac.cray.com (Matthew D. Goldman)
Subject: Re: I have xxx A WHOLE BUNCH of words to say about munchkins.....
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Distribution: rec.games.frp.dnd
Date: 6 Nov 92 14:51:48 CST

In article <jjonsson.234@alexandria.lib.utah.edu> jjonsson@alexandria.lib.utah.edu writes:
}In article <1992Nov4.205001.7639@spock.UUCP> bane@spock.uucp (Cameron Huang) writes:
}}In article <6163@sersun1.essex.ac.uk> sandman%sx.ac.uk@essex.ac.uk (sandman) writes:
}}} Power word: stun.
}} Meteor Swarm!!
} Delayed Blast Fireball.!!

Nuke them from orbit, it is the only way to be sure!

-- 
Matthew Goldman              E-mail: goldman@orac.cray.com
Fax: (612) 683-3099                   Work: (612) 683-3061

"Would you like fries with that sir?"
From: v124jw4y@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Benjamin R Pierce)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Most powerful PC ever
Date: 9 Nov 92 21:39:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <52553@licre.dn.mu.oz.au>, DAVIS@licre.dn.mu.oz.au writes...
>In article <Bx7DLE.GL@acsu.buffalo.edu>, v124jw4y@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu 
>(Benjamin R Pierce) writes:
> 
>[lots and lots of attributions and quoted text deleted]
> 
>> Scary...I had almost this _exact same_ kind of argument all the time with my
>> best friend back when I was thirteen (I kid you not--I'm getting massive 
>> deja vu here...)
>> 
>> 
>>                                                                  --Ben
> 
>So are we....why don't you edit your followups?
> 
>Ian Davis                           DAVIS@licr.dn.mu.oz.au



Because my response wouldn't have made sense without the argument I was
responding to, and editing it would have destroyed the, "Oh, yeah, well
I win because...", "No you don't, I do, because..." quality of the exchange.


                                                         --Ben
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: raistlin@wixer.cactus.org (Eli Boaz)
Subject: Re: NO no no... (Was: Xanth Talents)
Organization: Real/Time Communications
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 17:04:03 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.014225.11740@alf.uib.no> frank@imr.no
(Frank Flesland) writes:

[a little bit deleted ...]

>Or: 
>   Make up about 20 talents of different types, you can get lots of examples
>   from the books, and then roll a d20 to assign a talent.

Not a bad idea ...

>But I think the most fun would be to combine the players from Mundania with
>Xanth magic. And let Xanth magic interfere with Mundane magic to let every
>spell become literal. Just think of a magician with fire in his balls...
                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ouch!  (A)D&D Paranoia-style, eh?   This sounds most interesting. . .

Gives a new meaning to spells like: Spider Climb, Knock, *Stoneskin*,
Magic Jar, Veil, Delayed Blast Fireball (heheheheh), Statue, and Mind Blank,
no? [big evil grin]

-- 
ttyl,     | "My friends, no matter how rough the road maybe, we can and we  |
Eli Boaz  +---------------\ will, never, never surrender to what is right." |
raistlin@wixer.cactus.org  \ -- Former VP Dan Quayle to Christian Coalition |
wixer!raistlin@cs.utexas.edu\-----------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: To Kill a Black Dragon
From: Thomas Omar Smith <ts2a+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 01:11:33 -0500 
Distribution: usa
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Excerpts from netnews.rec.games.frp.dnd: 12-Nov-92 To Kill a Black
Dragon Greg Spiegelberg@bsa1.ke (885)

> A virgin, female cleric who just so happens to be engaged (kinda) to someone 
> in my party has been supposedly kidnapped by a very large black dragon.
> (BTW, we're in Forgotten Realms)

> Anyways, half of us want to press on, the other half is suicidal and wants 
> to get the cleric back.  SO!  How should we go about killing/subduing this 
> black dragon?

> Background Group Info:
>    Group Contains- 1 Swashbuckler of Tempus (level 5 human)
> 		   1 Pirate (level 5 human)
> 		   1 Priest of Tempus (level 5 half-elf) <--- That's me!
> 		   1 Wild Mage (level 4 human)
> 		   1 Gypsy Thief (halfling)

> Honsetly, we haven't a clue how to fight this thing and we've tried 
> recruting help.  Basically, I'm just trying to find a way to save my 
> character.

> Suggestions???

> -Greg
> gspiegel@bsa1.kent.edu

> "Well, it's either one of Bigby's Hand wands or a +3 backscratcher"
> 	- 1st ed. Dungeon Masters Guide


I have one word for this situation.

NEGOTIATE!

A black dragon of any years will walk on you.  Especially a black, since
there are almost no spells to avoid acid.  You should try and negotiate
with the dragon for the girl's release.  Odds are there is something the
dragon wants that you can get.  The other option is to try and rescue
the girl while the dragon is away.  But I'd say head on, barring extreme
luck or a very stupid GM, your dead.  If your group does decide to try
to take out the dragon, have the spellcasters use save or die type
spells instead of damage spells.  Its unlikely your spells can do enough
damage to kill the dragon, but on a luck shot you might incapacitate it
with some sort of paralysis or blinding that will give you a chance.

					Tom the non hacker
					Kemp in 96!
					"If patriotism is the last refuge
					of scoundrels,  Then environmentalism
					is the current refuge of totalitarians."
					Bob Jackson
From: fannicm@wkuvx1.bitnet
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: New D&D Alignment ...
Date: 10 Nov 92 18:24:02 GMT
Organization: Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY

In article <1992Nov10.105827.6268@gw.wmich.edu>, 31babik@gw.wmich.edu writes:
> In article <raa.056x@guild.socal.com>, raa@guild.socal.com (Raa Lopez) writes:
>> One of My friends created an alignment for D&D ... and I think I should share it with everyone.
>> 
>> It's called "Ammoral".
>> 
> 
> 
> In our group we had an alignment called "Neutral Bitchy," which was used 
> to describe our resident Druidess and her Bardic friend........a very apt 
> description I might add...

   We had an alignment akin to chaotic neutral that we called chaotic
Stupid, it was meant more for the player than the character tho.
-----
Master Hawk
Last Lord of Aracnis

   The deed is done, and all that shall be left to oppose its authors have
been swallowed by the darkness of thier own souls.
From: meierdalepau@bvc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: RE:  Whatever happened to Gary Gygax?
Date: 6 Nov 92 07:29:53 CDT
Organization: Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, IA

	Gygax left TSR to form New Infinities, the game company which 
blessed the RPG/wargame market with some game about cyborg marines fighting 
a war on earth against giant spiders from another planet.  Since then he's 
been writing fantasy novels and that's about all I know.  Anyone else know 
more about this?

Dale Meier
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: cary@carina.unm.edu (Ithlial the Archer)
Subject: Villians can't use wishes!?!? (was Re: wish spell results)
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 15:29:28 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <1992Nov10.224246.24698@u.washington.edu> scythe@byron.u.washington.edu (The Grim Reaper) writes:
>In article <Nov.10.14.34.48.1992.9582@gandalf.rutgers.edu> ghuber@gandalf.rutgers.edu (George Huber) writes:
>
>IMHO, villians should not use wishes.  They are simply to
>difficult for DMs to use fairly by the bad guys.  

This is such a cop out!! This seems to me to be a way to tip a high level
adventure in the favor of the Players.  I suppose you don't let the bad
guys specialize in a weapon either?  As far as I'm concerned what goes for
the PC's goes for NPC's and 'monsters'.

>Besides...
>9th level spells are bad enough as it is (time stop!).
>PS-If you still want to use that wish, how about a literal
>interpretation of throw?  Only spells that are actually
>thrown will have that effect... =)
>
Time stop is not that bad just don't bunch up the duration is a few rounds
and in any combat where the people are of high enough level to cast it 
the combat is going to last a while.  So as long as your buddies can last
a couple o' rounds (this is the tricky part! :) ) you'll be ok.

>--------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------------
>HIC IACET ARTVRVS   +The Grim Reaper        +Though I respect that a lot,     
>IN INSVLA AVALONIA  +SCYTHE@U.WASHINGTON.EDU+I'd be fired if that was my job  
>REX QVONDAM REXQVE  +-----------------------+For killing Jason off            
>FVTVRVS             +                       +and countless screaming Argonauts
>--------------------+-----------------------+---+-------------------------+---

Ithlial


               The only good Troll is a dead Troll
			
  			    Collary:

          Trolls regenerate - There are no dead Trolls
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: LRPR000 <LRPR@UNB.CA>
Subject: RE: Contingency (was Re: Most powerful PC ever)
Organization: The University of New Brunswick
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 16:31:10 GMT

>My idea of contingency is it goes off when it can.  It wouldn't go off in
>anti-magic (shell or otherwise), but once the character leaves anti-magic, if
>the conditions of the contingency still apply, the contingency would work.
>
>So, anti-magic would stop upon the characters death, and then the contingency
>would go off.
   I play contingency that if the condition is satisfied, the spell is
cast from the wizard's mind. Thus, if the wizard is dead or knocked out,
his spells are gone and contingency doesn't work. Note it still allows
for 2 spells in a round (1 cast and 1 from the contingency) and for
a spell to be cast if the wizard is otherwise incapacitated - held,
silenced, etc. This seems plenty powerful for a 6th level spell.
>ie.  I don't think contingency is negated by anti-magic, just delayed.
>
    JubbaBones

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: stevenn@nadine.cs.mun.ca (Steven G. Newhook)
Subject: Re: ADND v2 Samurai
Organization: CS Dept., Memorial University of Newfoundland
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 16:21:02 GMT

In article <1992Nov4.045052.2293@galileo.physics.arizona.edu> krueger@galileo.physics.arizona.edu (Ted Krueger) writes:
>Does anyone have a work-up for a 2nd ed adnd Saumrai?  Is there 
>a half-way decent one in the fighters handbook?
>
>Ted
>-- 
>krueger@galileo.physics.arizona.edu

There is a decent saumrai in the fighter's handbook, I had one and I liked it.

I know the Wu-jen is in the Wizard's handbook.  Has anyone made up any 2ed
kits for classes like the kensai, etc...  If so mail them to me or post them
for everone to see

-= no sig required =-   stevenn@irma.cs.mun.ca  (Steven Newhook)

Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: mmidura@ccs.northeastern.edu (Marc Midura)
Subject: Re: Hurled Weapons To hit/damage
Organization: College of CS, Northeastern U
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 15:59:02 GMT

In article <2403@cix.cict.fr> dutech@reseau.Berkeley.EDU (Groupe ELEVES) writes:
>  IMHO, if the bow was designed to match your strength, you get the DEX bonus
>to hit (only) and the STR bonus to damage. There's no way you can get the STR
>bonus to hit. If it wasn't you don't get any damage bonus.

Sorry, I can't agree with you here.  Provided you are strong enough to be
able to provide the required stability, a bow with a stronger pull will
tend to be more accurate than a bow with a weaker pull.

Strong pull = more energy

Considering this additional energy, the archer has an easier estimate as to 
which angle to release the arrow to hit the target.  (Flight path is more
direct.)

I don't know if this is significant enough to have a game effect for it
in AD&D.  I would suggest using only 1/2 the strength bonus to hit, max.

I would put money on the person with a higher manual dexterity than the 
person with the higher strength if they were using bows matched to their
strengths.  (To a certain extent, after a certain point the bow with the
stronger pull might as well be a rifle.)

.marc
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: arromdee@jyusenkyou.cs.jhu.edu (Ken Arromdee)
Subject: Re: wish spell results
Organization: Johns Hopkins University CS Dept.
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 03:43:48 GMT

In article <Nov.10.14.34.48.1992.9582@gandalf.rutgers.edu> ghuber@gandalf.rutgers.edu (George Huber) writes:
>1) "wish that that the next attack spell that I throw will do maximum damage
>   to its targets"
>2) "wish that all the targets of the next attack spell that I throw fail to 
>   resist it's effects"
>Anyone see any loopholes in these wish's that might pervert them into something
>else (or other ways of intrepretating these)?

First, if the villain uses more than one wish, the second wish might very well
be considered an "attack spell".

Second, you have to decide if you let players get saving throws versus
wishes.

The wish could also work by forcing the villain to cast an attack spell that
does a fixed amount of damage, as his next spell; or it could work by causing
all his variable-damage attack spells to fail until he casts a fixed-attack
one.

It could also do the same thing with zero-damage spells, such as sleep.
--
"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)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
From: brunborg@solan.unit.no (]dne Brunborg)
Subject: Re: Hurled Weapons To hit/damage
Organization: Norwegian Institute of Technology
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 10:17:12 GMT

In article <2421@cix.cict.fr>, dutech@reseau.Berkeley.EDU (Groupe ELEVES) writes:
 > 
 >   [... marc allows both STR and DEX bonus to hit, on the rationale that
 > more pull = more energy...]
 > 
 >   I still disagree. More pull certainly doesn't increase accuracy, which
 > is all we are talking about, provided we agree that the archer is able
 > to keep his bow pulled for more than a heartbeat ( a bow adapted to his
 > strength ). Only DEX counts for accuracy, IMHO. For the same reason, you
 > could not increase the bow ranges for greater strength : yes, the arrow
 > will go farther, but the accuracy is the same.
 > 

The accuracy is the same, yes, but the arrow has more momentum and will easier
penetrate the armor.


 >   On another subject, I'd strongly increase the crossbow damage. We are
 > talking ( for a heavy crossbow ) about a weapon that could pierce a
 > knight's leg ( in full plate armor ) and kill his horse ! Its sheer
 > penetrating power, IMHO, allows far greater damage. I'd say 2d6 / 2d4
 > for the heavy crossbow, and 2d4 / 1d6 for the light crossbow.
 > 
 > 							Redwing

Agreed. I use 1d10/1d12 for heavy, 1d8/1d8 for light and 1d6/1d4 for hand
crossbows.



So long!

		Aadne Brunborg
		Norwegian Institute of Thechnology
		University of Trondheim
		NORWAY

	"If ye can't see it, it's right behind ye..."
From: raa@guild.socal.com (Raa Lopez)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: New D&D Alignment ...
Date: 9 Nov 92 04:35:15 PST
Organization: TheGuild[FTS]

One of My friends created an alignment for D&D ... and I think I should share it with everyone.

It's called "Ammoral".

Now ... you have your good people that just do good things, and your neutral people who keep the balance, and your evil people who just do evil things.

Then you have the Ammoral ... who does what he damn well pleases. He can do both good things ... nuetral things ... and evil things ...

Ammoral is like neutral with a weird twist ... 

Well ... whaddya think?

--- Via UCI v1.15 (C-Net Amiga)


     __ ___ ____________ __ __ __ __ __ __
     \//___\\__  ______//_//_//_//_//_//_/ ... UUCP: raa@guild.socal.com
 _____//__//  / / DigiT.W.I.T. Ink. UnLtd. '92!
/_________/o /_/o Pffffttt!!!...Pop!!!...Bang!!!.....Etc.!!!?
From: DGBRUM01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu (DAVE BRUMLEVE, UCCPE/IT COMPUTING CONSULTANT)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: WANTED: Info on Supplemental Sourcebooks
Date: 10 Nov 1992 13:26:54 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway


	Greetings Netrunners!  I am thinking of ordering some RPG materials
from Wargames West (yeah, I know...ACK!) and would appreciate some information
about the usefulness of those I'm interested in from someone who's played or
used them.  Anyone who has these games or sourcebooks and has any kind of
opinion on them whatsoever, PLEASE respond via E-Mail or post to News.

	I am looking for (non-T$R) source material and adventure ideas for
AD&D (things that haven't been run into the ground), and have a list of a few 
books I'd like some INFO about:

	1.) Flying Buffalo's "Citybook I: Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker"
	    (first in their Citybook Series)
	   {I need example cities, NPCs, and scenerio ideas.  How good is this?}

	2.) Flying Buffalo's "Treasure Vault"
	   {I'm tired of the normal treasures, I want something a little more
	    imaginative.  Could this book help, or are the massive amounts of
	    net.magicitems enough?}
	* Reviews of additional Flying Buffalo Fantasy Supplements would be
	  much appreciated.
				   	
	3.) Sage Lore Productions' "City Shops, 2nd Ed."
	   {Detailed businesses sound neat, as does the floorplans, the 25mm
	    scale map, and the forms for AD&Dv2.}
	* Opinions on other Sage Lore sourcebooks (such as "Arcane Artifacts")
	  are also welcome. 

	4.) Any Underworld Publishing mini-books in the "Lore of the Crypt"
	    series (Magic, Monsters, Spells, New Rules, Adventures).
	   {Methinks I've already acquired much similar materials from FTP
	    sites.  Are these anything special (i.e. worth anything)?}

	Please offer ANY feedback on these non-standard-but-ADND-compatible
game books.  I'd like to hear from as many people as possible before I place an
order.
						Thanks in advance,

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
Dave Brumleve                      BITNET: DGBRUM01@ULKYVX.BITNET
                                 INTERNET: DGBRUM01@ULKYVX.LOUISVILLE.EDU
 
"Drummer, beat, and piper, blow, Harper, strike, and soldier go.  Free the
flame and sear the grasses till the dawning Red Star passes."
		- The Dragonriders of Pern (Anne McCaffery)
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd