Ner0Sputnik

Re: Sword and Shield But no, you use your OCV vs. your opponent's OCV when blocking. Ner0

Re: Thoughts on Shields OK, you say that you're running a high-fantasy campaign so what you want is to look at movies and literature to find the effects this has in those sources. There are a couple of ways you can recreate these things. First, I agree that someone having a tower shield on his own is not a good idea, but if it's part of their character concept, that's fine. So, let's break this down into the effects it has on the combat. Shield bash: 1) To knock down or knock back your foes. This would most likely be a move through. But let's break it down even further. What are you really trying to do is temporarily stun your opponent, right? How about calling it a flash? Just 1pip. No more than 1 turn but enough to let your guy get the first attack in next time. 2) To release the proverbial smackdown on some b*&hes. You could always work it like a club (Str damage +1d6 normal) if the current rules don't work the way you want them to. I would see this as a shield bash more by a smaller shield but hey... it's your campaign. Jon

Re: Reasonable Construction Times So, for a fantasy campaign, Tolkien-esque. Saying two weeks for an "off the rack" sword. An extra week for customizations and probably double it for anthing intricate. Sound about right? Good to know!

Re: The Adventures of Mikael Nice! I've made a few worlds of my own. Here's the web site for my current campaign world... which I'm pretty much ready to scrap for a new one. Aldgate You'll notice in the maps section that the map of Aldgate has little dots and dashed lines connecting them. These are the main roads and towns/cities. Each dot has a number next to it. On the back of the map I have all those maps correlating with numbers. That way when they enter a town the conversation doesn't go, "You guys enter a town." "What's the name of the town?" "Ummmm... errrrr... Townerania?" I found it to really add to the game... that and a list of fantasy names in my main folder. Hope you like.

Re: NPC Stat Tracking Yeah, that's a damn good sheet. THANKS STOMPY!

Re: NPC Stat Tracking Ooo! I like that! I'm definitely using that... and I figure if someone has an end drain, I can tack on a few more than they roll. THANKS!

Re: NPC Stat Tracking Yeah, it was the End drain that got me in trouble. If a PC has an end drain spell and I'm not keeping track of stun, what's the point. I would keep track for a Mage, but I haven't kept track of fighter types.

Re: Keeping Healing in Check Some good points there. I definitely intend to do some different things in combat when my new game starts up. Like blocking. Not a lot of people blocked in my old gaming group. It was almost as if they didn't want to upset the "I hack you, you hack me" mentality. (Which, I'm sure, is a carry over from Champions) I watched a two guys playing a duel that was more or less set up like this. One guy would go to hit, the other would block. Finally, the NPC/Enemy missed one and the PC cleaved him stem to stern. It was a lot more dramatic seeing if that next block would hit or miss. The miss was bad. I'm sure when some of my old players watch an orc block for the first time, they're going to need to change their shorts. As it is right now, most every character has some sort of combat level or martial art. OH! And Combat Luck is BRILLIANT! Especially when I got to import my duelist character into 5th Ed. It made him a lot less susceptable to death. Thanks! I love the idea of a healing room or something. Another variation on that (for parties on the road) would be to have the cleric (or whoever) make a magical circle that the guy could be laid in. He has to remain undisturbed or the magic wanes and the healing doesn't work. So, the rest of the party has to watch him overnight... or for a few days or whatever, depending on how bad he was injured.

Re: NPC Stat Tracking Yes, I'm very happy that my work has given me a laptop...

OK, one of the problems I've had in Fantasy Hero is keeping track of a bunch of enemies who are attacking the party. Body is easy enough to keep track of, add Stun to that and it's only slightly tougher but keeping track of body, stun and end has been a problem. Is it just me? Does anyone out there have any tools they use to keep track of these things? thanks

Re: Keeping Healing in Check Damn I feel dumb now. The new healing rules kick @$$! I kinda forgot about them. Have I mentioned it's been a while since I played? thanks!

Re: Stun Problem in Fantasy Hero (Double it) This is one of my... for lack of a better term "Pet Peeves." I can't stand it when this stuff happens. I do, generally, play that when someone's down, he stays down, at least for the course of that combat. Hit location is the shiznit! And I also use sectional defenses. I love it. Yeah, I usually have the first few guys fight to the death, but once they take a couple of casualties (especially if it's really quickly) I make a group "morale" check (based on Ego) to see if they turn tail and run. The more they lose, the more negatives they get to their roll. If they wipe them out and leave one standing, I normally don't even make a roll. He just throws down his weapon and surrenders... which is often the wrong thing to do after you try and kill a dwarf. That's why I think I'll keep it only for bladed weapons. Fists, staves, maces, etc... will do damage normally. NerØ

OK, I'm going to pick your brains again... One of the reasons I stowed away my D&D books and never looked back was because damage had very little affect on the game. For example. My party went up into the hills of some wild land that hadn't been explored because of the "native wildlife." We ran into a werewolf, didn't have any silver, so we got our butts kicked and returned to town. After a short stop and a few gold spent at the local healers, we were stocking up on silver weapons with all intent of going back and hacking him to bits. It was almost like a video game. Get really hurt, run from combat, go to the healing zone, go back until you beat your foe. I HATED that! My old GM used a system that really made healing rare. He imposed a house rule that any healing spell you administered took that much healing from the person casting the spell. This cut that out... but also left times where someone would take an unlucky head shot from a goblin's short sword and we'd be laid up in town for a month or two waiting for his head to heal. How you do all manage healing in your campaigns? I wouldn't mind a little bit of healing in combat or some healing in town, I just want there to be consequences when someone gets in combat. I feel it really makes the players think twice before launching an assault... and yet I don't want to make them afraid of combat... that's half the fun!

Re: Need feedback on house rules for my new campaign haha! No, that'd be fine... actually, that'd be really COOL! The guy that played the character was a healer and fought with a staff. I wouldn't mind a martial artist, it would just take more collaboration with me to make it work in balance with the campaign.

Re: Need feedback on house rules for my new campaign

Re: Need feedback on house rules for my new campaign I had this happen to me. My response? "Sure. But your speed can't go over 2 and your dex is going to suffer horribly!" (I think we settled on 11 with the understanding that he could raise it in time to 13.) It's all about balance, if you have someone who does a lot of damage, they act slower. If they do little damage, they can be much faster and have a higher speed.

Re: Need feedback on house rules for my new campaign Why not just have a sit down with each of your players. Look over their character sheets see if any red flags come up. (This is what I do.) "OK, what's your character concept again? "I was born a poor elven child in the forests of Flegmnor where I learned how to ride and rope. At the age of 13 I ran away from home and became part of a mercenary party that blah blah blah..." "Ok, so why does this require you to have a 30 strength, elf-boy?" "Well, I, uhhh..." "Wouldn't you say your character is more ranger-like?" "Well, yeah, but he's a fighter." "Granted, so buy up his skills. I wouldn't think he should have more than a 15 strength. Just make him hit more often." Lots of times instead of saying "no" if you help your PCs redirect their points in ways that better fill out their character concepts, they'll like it even more. EDIT: If this doesn't work, there are times when you do just have to say, "No. That's throwing your character out of balance."

Re: Help! I need a gnome! Try out this little bugger! http://www.geekscubed.com/Art_Gallery/Jason/images/Gnome-with-gun.jpg Let me know if you need him resized!

Re: keyes bill is the disparate That site is just too damn cool. I've been running fantasy campaigns since I was in Jr. High (1986.) I've learned a lot of things, but still am improving. I spent WAYYYY too long reading through yesterday when I should've been working. THANKS! My players (but not my boss) will thank you! ;]

Re: Starting a new campaign...

How do people out there introduce new characters to each other? I used to just connect people through each other, but it's a lot more interesting to link them together with something in common allowing them to bond without having to resort to "you meet your friends in a tavern and decide you want to go adventuring together." So, anyone have any good intro scenarios they've run?

Re: Need feedback on house rules for my new campaign I always restrict starting out characters in my campaigns. I've had a few players balk at the thought of that and then I explain to them that this is my system of balance. If they want to have higher stats, then it's going to turn into the cold war. Let's say I wanted everyone to have their average stats be at an 8-11 with a couple of stats rising above that. Then with most of the average bad guys would also be limited to this. If they refuse and want to be at higher levels (say, average stats being 13-15) then they're just going to run into more bad guys with those stats and the big badasses are going to be rediculous. Usually they see the point and back down... Though I can imagine that your gamers who all stand together might not back down, but as long as they realize that the bad guys are going to be as potent as they are, it's all good.

Re: Stun Problem in Fantasy Hero (Double it) The problem I have had is with people knocking out their opponents with a sword attack instead of killing them. Which, yeah, might be more realistic, but I run a more high heroic campaign and I prefer that the fights don't end with someone getting stabbed and knocked out. (And yes, I use the hit location chart.) But I don't want to omit all stun from killing attack combat because in the case of monks, etc... they do mostly stun damage. I'm definitely going to try the "double your defenses" thing against bladed weapons. That sounds like a good idea. Thanks! Ner0

Re: Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic I think the level of detail is determined by the GM. You can really have a great game and you don't have to go hacking your way through everything you see. None of my fantasy campaigns have been stealth and slaughter. Yes, there is killing, but a truly great game is made with character development and a good storyline. Some of my best games have been with absolutely no combat whatsoever. In my experience the key to a great campaign is to find out what the characters desire most and dangle it in front of them. Just when they think they've got it, you tear it away from them like a child with its teddy bear. That way they've got the taste in their mouth and they want it all the more. You have to allow them to advance and to get some stuff done or the world will seem hopeless and they could lose interest, but figure out what it is that your characters really want. I've played in a few bad sci-fi campaigns and the main problem was that it was either like Agemegos said, a hack n' slash setting or the players weren't into why they were doing something. (We're collecting these packages thousands of light years why? And why don't we just say, "Fuck the cargo" and run off when the bad, bad aliens attack?) Ill set up, as in Agemegos' example. The great thing about Star Wars it that it is so rich in info. Do your research, use the things from the movies that people love (like get them in some X-wings and have them shoot down tie fighters). The other cool thing about Star Wars is that you're not restricted to "Elf, orc or ogre". Your guys can make up any race they want as long as it passes your inspection. So, draw up a questionairre, make your guys fill it out under the promise that if they fill it out completely they'll have a better gaming experience (and another 5 experience points.) Find out about their families. What do they love in the world? What are their weaknesses... then play on those things. They'll love it no matter what the setting.

Re: Star Wars Hero : Ready for Comment Wow! Great work, thanks!