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Dungeons & Dragons Age - Whatcha playing?

Ferrio

Banned
Recently I got suckered into a D&D campaign by a friend who lost all his players. It's maybe the 4th D&D campaign I've been in, and all the others only lasted maybe 3 sessions at best. I'm hoping this one lasts longer as it actually shows promise since we're competing against an evil group a couple thousand miles away. This is also the highest level character I've had (level 7) so I was able to do a lot more than I've been able to in the past, which makes it more entertaining than my past sessions.

So far we had our first campaign, and it went pretty well... though me and another player almost died (GM took pity on us). We went down a hallway that triggered a classic Indiana Jones rock trap. We out paced the rock down the hallway and came up upon a translucent field that blocked the whole hallway. The other play dove head first into it to test if it was dangerous (he ain't that smart) and turns out it was a Gelatinous Cube. So i made the *brilliant* idea to charge the thing sword drawn and slice my way through.... I got trapped.

Long story short, bolder came smashed into us and crushed my friend's lower half. The only reason we weren't steamrolled is that he was enlarged up to Huge size and bolder couldn't get over him.

Anyways, who else is currently playing any Campaigns... and what characters are you sporting? This is the first time I've gone with something that isn't a high dex thief type character, and is a nice change of pace.

PDFS created in PCgen (God I love this program)
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Sullen

Member
Haven't been able to get into D&D much the last few years, pretty much ever since I came across Exalted. That said, I have been considering continuing a campaign I was running for some friends a few years back. They still bug me about running it every couple months, but it is always hard to get back into running something you haven't messed with for awhile.
 

LazyLoki

Member
haven't played in a while, but here there are :)

Forgotten Realms
LN Half-Elf Monk 6 / Fighter 3, started at 2nd level; GREAT campaign, sadly it's over and there's no chance of continuing it :(

LE Human Cleric of Bane 6, started at 2nd level; BAD MOTHERFUCKER! GREAT campaign!
he once tortured a follower of Sêlune and wore his skin as decorations for his armor. the other players and the DM got a little queasy ^^

NG Sun-Elf Wizard (Diviner) 6, started at 4th level; great campaign, still kinda running, different DM. fun to play as he is near useless in battle (next PrC will be Loremaster^^)

Ravenloft
CN Dwarven Fighter 6, started at 4th level; still running around in the FR, but transition to Ravenloft imminent (i think...), yet another DM; funny little guy, he's constantly spreading rumours of demon sightings or bubonic-plague outbreaks, drives the party's cleric nuts :D
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
My 3E half elf bard was one of my favorite characters. We actually had the campaign go on for the better part of my senior year in highschool. Got to level 13.
The most ridiculous thing we ever did was climb inside a red dragon's mouth to get back our hobbit friend who had been swallowed whole. It was completely ridiculous and the DM was kinda lenient in regards to how it should have gone out, but it was hilarious fun nonetheless.
 

GDJustin

stuck my tongue deep inside Atlus' cookies
I've never played D&D, so I don't understand how it works. How can a GM, for example possibly know how climbing inside of a dragon's mouth, or any of the other unique events that make up a campaign, would play out?

I get how you can use a pen & paper and dice to roleplay basic combat and whatnot... but any scenarios more specific than that I don't understand.

Like, what is a typical session actually like? What's the actual game itself?
 
GDJustin said:
I've never played D&D, so I don't understand how it works. How can a GM, for example possibly know how climbing inside of a dragon's mouth, or any of the other unique events that make up a campaign, would play out?

I get how you can use a pen & paper and dice to roleplay basic combat and whatnot... but any scenarios more specific than that I don't understand.

Like, what is a typical session actually like? What's the actual game itself?

You need a good GM and serious players to get a really good experience. Hard to try to play a serious campaign if you have someone with no repects for the lore or rules. However when playing more casual games where the players are allowed to goof around hilarity often ensues if the GM has a sense of humour.

Being a GM is really hard though as you have to balance the attempt of getting a good story with the illusion of freedom.
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Are you mocking my dragon mouth adventure?

The one we were goofing around when was clearly when we chopped the dick off a blue dragon and rode said giant phallus down the river to sell his balls to a sex witch and live the rest of our lives in glory.
 

LazyLoki

Member
sounds like fun ^^

things like that wouldn't be possible with our FR DM's, but the Ranvenloft one could be abit more lax :D
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
I haven't played in years. Basically since high school. I played a bit in college, but get-togethers were always at the wrong times.

Maybe I can sucker RK into starting up a campaign. :lol
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Dude, if we could find enough people (and force Budokai into it once he moves to Kansai) we could easily do a once a month shindig where booze and food would be aplenty. And it would be awesome.
 

Vagabundo

Member
Ive been DMin (and never playing :( ) a bunch of casuals, my brothers&Sis and friends, for the past 15+ yrs in DND.


Waiting patiently for 4e and wrapping up my current FR story, they will make the world go boom, if they survive long enough.

All are around 11-12lv.

Dwarf Fighter/Cleric of Tempus
Dwarf Fighter called Drewbell (she is a tank)
Dwarf Ranger (who through misreading the class skills is excellent at tumble)
Halfling Rogue/Sorcerer (very evil curious and only two foot tall)
Gnome Monk of the old Order (he rarely plays but is autocontrolled by someone)

For the 4e curious this site is good: http://www.enworld.org
Lots of good stuff in their forums for DMing tricks, hints and general DM Nastiness.

Oh and there is suppose to be a CG for 4th edition already in the making.
 

rSpooky

Member
MAn, I have not played much since my move in 05.
Nobody that I know plays it and since I have little kids , I am a bit weary of inviting strangers in my house ( like ones met ona cummunity website). And it would have to be played in my house,because it is easier to take car eof my kids this way , especially the youngest who is diabetic type 1 since 3 mnths ( we are still getting used to dealing with this-so are more comfortable at home )


But man when I did play ... it was always great. Before the move we would have friends over all weekend, just playing having fun. order in food, or buy a bunch of crap at the commisary and bring it in. Play until 3.00 am ..let them crash in the lving room. Wake up and play some more.. good stuff.
I enjoy being a player more then being a DM, especially in 3rd Ed it is just to much work.( hence we have some house rules that borrow from 2nd)

I really hope they do NOT make a 4rd ed... friggin waste of all my money then.

heck my friend who ran our campaigns in the past moved to seatle before 3rd came out and he refuses to acknowledge it..still plays 2nd.

THAC0 rulez!!
 

Vagabundo

Member
rSpooky said:
.
I enjoy being a player more then being a DM, especially in 3rd Ed it is just to much work.( hence we have some house rules that borrow from 2nd)

I really hope they do NOT make a 4rd ed... friggin waste of all my money then.

heck my friend who ran our campaigns in the past moved to seatle before 3rd came out and he refuses to acknowledge it..still plays 2nd.

THAC0 rulez!!

NOTE: I'm a 4e supporter at th emoment

But it looks like 4e will be a good DM game, it should make it easier to run stuff on the fly and not get bogged down in fiddly mechanics. The combat should be more mechanically interesting. With fighter types having more options.

It looks like it will clean up 3e and smooth out a lot of the wrinkly bits.

Most of All it is suppose to fix High Level Play. No more bogged down combat for 15th+ lv.

There is a preview/starter adventure for 4e called Keep on the Shadowfell. It will be released two weeks before the main books and has pre-gens in it, game rules and enough options to bring the the pre-gens to 3rd level.
 

Mar

Member
I haven't played for what must be over 10 years. I used to be a DM and had a pretty regular group going. So many amazing adventures were had... Good times.

GDJustin said:
I've never played D&D, so I don't understand how it works. How can a GM, for example possibly know how climbing inside of a dragon's mouth, or any of the other unique events that make up a campaign, would play out?

I get how you can use a pen & paper and dice to roleplay basic combat and whatnot... but any scenarios more specific than that I don't understand.

Like, what is a typical session actually like? What's the actual game itself?

For a DM, you need someone with a good imagination, good story telling, a good sense of humour, and a firm grasp on the rules. You gather around a table, the DM has the world already mapped out and encounters ready to go. Then the players literally just start playing in it. They decide where to go, the DM tells the story. It's completely open and no video game or movie can compete with what your own mind can conjure up.

Ferrio said:

Well that was silly. Now I can steal your character!
 
I haven't played in something around a year. When 4e comes out, it's likely the group I play with will get together and try it out. The fact that they're trying to make low-level play more interesting may make their desire to always start at level fucking 1 tolerable.
 

turk128

Member
It's been forever since I played D&D... come to think of it, don't really miss much. I loves me my Toon, thou. Gotta start another epic session sometime.
 

Vagabundo

Member
Teknopathetic said:
I haven't played in something around a year. When 4e comes out, it's likely the group I play with will get together and try it out. The fact that they're trying to make low-level play more interesting may make their desire to always start at level fucking 1 tolerable.

You get a lot more HP at first level (ex a rogue now gets 12+con score) and the death/dying rules allow you to go to your negative in hitpoints before death.

Level 1 characters will be able to do more stuff and survive a little bit longer, it should make for more interesting play at early levels.

EDIT: Damn Im such a cheerleader o_O...
 

RevenantKioku

PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Mar_ said:
For a DM, you need someone with a good imagination, good story telling, a good sense of humour, and a firm grasp on the rules. You gather around a table, the DM has the world already mapped out and encounters ready to go. Then the players literally just start playing in it. They decide where to go, the DM tells the story. It's completely open and no video game or movie can compete with what your own mind can conjure up.
And while people like to think I hate on WRPGs because of my Japanophile tendencies but the truth is when I sit down and play a PC RPG that almost brings me to the feeling of tabletop gaming but doesn't quite, that turns me off.
 

JayDubya

Banned
Always wanted to try the Psionic stuff myself, but I never got the chance to.

I prefer to DM, myself, and have a homemade Eberron campaign ready to go when the group I joined finishes up our current one (it can be hard to first find a gaming group in a new city, especially one that's baby friendly). My favorite character is still Stalwart, my L10 Warforged Fighter, a kindhearted and softspoken historian / blacksmith (that just happened to be built to be a death machine :D).

My current character is nothing too shmancy.

Valon Thoranden, LG Human Knight 4

Str 18, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 16

HP: 34; Fort: +4, Ref+4, Will+5; AC: 23, Touch AC: 15

Class Features: Knight's Challenge - 5 / day (Fighting Challenge +1, Test of Mettle (Will SV:15), Shield Block +1, Bulwark of Defense, Armor Mastery

Feats: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Specialization, Agile Shield Fighter, Shield Ward

Skills: +5 Climb, +10 Intimidate, +5 Jump, +10 Ride,

Possessions: +1 Darkwood Shield of Bashing, Trident, Shortsword, Glaive, Full Plate (w/ Armor Spikes)

+9 1d8+5 Shield, +8 1d8+4 Trident (+7 Ranged, RI: 10'), +8 1d6+4 (19-20) Shortsword +8 1d10+6 (x3) Glaive; +8 1d6+4 Armor Spikes; +8 Grapple
OR +7 1d8+5 Shield & +6 1d8+2 Trident;

Basically, he's hard to hit, has a lot of hitpoints, will soon be able to run at full speed in full plate, and he can taunt strong enemies into focusing fire (and later can cause weak enemies to run in abject fear). I've never made a highly shield focused character or used shield bashing before, but it's kind of nice to have that kind of Spartan hoplite feel, focusing on a throwing spear and a shortsword.

Also, anyone starting in a square Valon threatens treats the square he is in as well as all other squares Valon threatens as difficult terrain (makes it damn hard to withdraw or tumble away, especially if he pulls out the glaive).
 
I always wanted to play D&D, but never got the chance to.

(Maybe there are some online options, besides D&D Online, the commercial game?)
 

Davidion

Member
Teknopathetic said:
I haven't played in something around a year. When 4e comes out, it's likely the group I play with will get together and try it out. The fact that they're trying to make low-level play more interesting may make their desire to always start at level fucking 1 tolerable.

Thank fuck someone's looking into that.

I have played in years but recently ran into some old gaming friends so may start again. I missing having a really good DM.

Try as people might, you just can't replicate that shit with a video game.
 
"(Maybe there are some online options, besides D&D Online, the commercial game?)"


With D&D 4e they're actually also trying to push their monthly subscriber thing D&D Insider which is a rule for rule table top recreation of D&D that can be played online. The subscription includes shit for DMs to build their dungeons and adventure blah blahs.
 

Ferrio

Banned
Teknopathetic said:
"(Maybe there are some online options, besides D&D Online, the commercial game?)"


With D&D 4e they're actually also trying to push their monthly subscriber thing D&D Insider which is a rule for rule table top recreation of D&D that can be played online. The subscription includes shit for DMs to build their dungeons and adventure blah blahs.


Ya from what I heard from a friend they're really trying to force their own tools on people. I'll be surprised if an opensource PCgen equivilent exists for 4e.
 

rSpooky

Member
DAMN DAMN DAMN... 4th edition ,..DAMN

All those boosk wasted ( time for ebay)
Etools ..gone.. and what i had is now useless. ( if there anything else that is useable out there?)

102 for the core books ... DAmmit...

Wizard I friggin

THis sucks

I better wait for the 4.5 ed lol.
 

rSpooky

Member
Teknopathetic said:
"(Maybe there are some online options, besides D&D Online, the commercial game?)"


With D&D 4e they're actually also trying to push their monthly subscriber thing D&D Insider which is a rule for rule table top recreation of D&D that can be played online. The subscription includes shit for DMs to build their dungeons and adventure blah blahs.

Fuck that! what is this becoming ? an MMO?
 
After playing Icewind Dale I finally understood the AD&D ruleset, THAC0 is still a weird concept but overall it's becoming one of my favorite editions of D&D ruleset. I never played the P&P version though, so all I know is from CRPGs.
 

iapetus

Scary Euro Man
Back when we actually played D&D (rather than the many superior systems that get played these days) I remember GMing a particularly fun session in which the players came across a stash of treasure that, among other things, included a cursed cloak that damaged the wearer and a potion of resurrection. The thief immediately put on the cloak and promptly died. One of the others decided to cut the cloak off him. With a mace. Having finally managed to separate most of his corpse from the cloak, they handed the resurrection potion to the party's cleric, a priest of a minor deity of life and death by the name of Bizzy, to administer. He took one look at it, declared "resurrection potions are against the law of Bizzy," and poured it out on the ground.

All of which left the party with a dead, partly-skinned thief with a mouth full of soil (good thinking, too late) when the local militia turned up.

That was the nice thing about GMing with that group - you didn't have to actually come up with a scenario, because sessions would normally devolve into some form of fight among the party members without any prompting. And if you did try, there was a definite tendency among party members to walk around the mysterious ancient towers and spend some time searching suspicious looking bushes and cows...
 

JayDubya

Banned
I wonder if you can only play online if you pay for a subscription to D&D insider. I hope not. Or at least I hope the whole group doesn't have to.

I mean, shit, let people host that on their own computers, pay for updates to the ruleset, or something. >_>

Of course, you can already KIND of play online but it's generally via chatroom / online chat and you have to use an online diceroller tool that e-mails your results to the DM. This would kind of integrate the whole thing and include a grid of 5x5 squares the DM can design and use for everything, or just for battle, and the player gets to custom built their own little miniature.
 

Monroeski

Unconfirmed Member
My claim to fame back when I used to play was deciding to have my level 3 or so fighter take a potion of fire resistance, have the mage cast featherfall on me, set myself on fire, and jump off the roof of a cavern into the midst of an orc, goblin, and giant army in an attempt to scare them all by making them think I was the flaming avatar of a vengeful god.

It didn't work.
 

Davidion

Member
Prime crotch said:
After playing Icewind Dale I finally understood the AD&D ruleset, THAC0 is still a weird concept but overall it's becoming one of my favorite editions of D&D ruleset. I never played the P&P version though, so all I know is from CRPGs.

Oddly enough, I think that the newer graphically enhanced D&D games actually detriments attempts to learn the mechanics of the system because the game makes such an emphasis on presentation to the degree where it removes the player from the actual rules.

If you want to become more familiar with the ruleset, hunt down the old CGA/VGA "Gold Box" games (look it up on wiki) and see if you can still play them. Pool of Radiance! Secrets of the Silver Blades! Curse of the Azure Bonds! The original Neverwinter Nights (on AOL)! THAT stuff really forced you to become more familiar with the actual game rules.

I miss those days...
 
Maybe I've never had a really great campaign or DM but the most fun aspect of D&D is using it as an excuse to hang out with your friends. Slaying dragons and rolling dice really isn't that fun, or maybe I've just been spoiled by PC and console RPGs. I especially hate power gaming in D&D. I mean it's all in your freaking head. Though I remember a fun one i played was when me and my friends got in a big rumble in a tavern one time and ended up burning it down by accident. Haha. Much more fun than just going by the book and slogging through a dungeon and killing a bunch of kobolds.

Edit: Also why do people spend so much money on the books? I mean they're just a bunch of rules that you can learn and then they complain that their investment is going to waste when a new edition comes out.
 

Mar

Member
iapetus said:
Back when we actually played D&D (rather than the many superior systems that get played these days) I remember GMing a particularly fun session in which the players came across a stash of treasure that, among other things, included a cursed cloak that damaged the wearer and a potion of resurrection. The thief immediately put on the cloak and promptly died. One of the others decided to cut the cloak off him. With a mace. Having finally managed to separate most of his corpse from the cloak, they handed the resurrection potion to the party's cleric, a priest of a minor deity of life and death by the name of Bizzy, to administer. He took one look at it, declared "resurrection potions are against the law of Bizzy," and poured it out on the ground.

All of which left the party with a dead, partly-skinned thief with a mouth full of soil (good thinking, too late) when the local militia turned up.

That was the nice thing about GMing with that group - you didn't have to actually come up with a scenario, because sessions would normally devolve into some form of fight among the party members without any prompting. And if you did try, there was a definite tendency among party members to walk around the mysterious ancient towers and spend some time searching suspicious looking bushes and cows...

Monroeski said:
My claim to fame back when I used to play was deciding to have my level 3 or so fighter take a potion of fire resistance, have the mage cast featherfall on me, set myself on fire, and jump off the roof of a cavern into the midst of an orc, goblin, and giant army in an attempt to scare them all by making them think I was the flaming avatar of a vengeful god.

It didn't work.

These are two great examples as to why D&D will never be replaced by video games.
 

Volcynika

Member
My friend is a D&D fiend, and he actually got press passes to go to the event this weekend. Needless to say, he's freaking out about it. I'm not sure if I could ever really get into that whole world, as busy as I am now though.
 

rSpooky

Member
krypt0nian said:
4E has some SERIOUS World of Warcraft influences. I just picked up the preview books and the similarities are obvious.
o..oh... that does not sound to good,

where did you get the preview books at? and how much are they ?
 

rSpooky

Member
Mar_ said:
These are two great examples as to why D&D will never be replaced by video games.

here is one fore you ( I got way to many of these)

Once I played this one char who was a noble warrior.. (think still in 2nd ed) but histhing was that he felt all women were fragile beings that needed protection. Therefore whenever he would here a woman in distress , it became prio 1. Needless to say a weakness used by the DM in full effect when fighting off hordes of enemies.

Well, when the party met up for the first time, my charachter thought to be all galant and told my wifes character " let me be in front little lady.. I shall protect you as we enter this cave."
My wife played a snobbye half elf something rather .. who did not like to be treated as a helpless kitten and shot an arrow in my ass.... Which is no problem, but she critted... max damage and damn near killed me... (1 hp left) ...

she still laughs at that one.


Then we have the idiot that played in a campaign with us, he alway smessed things up alot.. but his worst must have been where he lit a torch in a small closed of room full of (ogre)shit.. fire plus methane = BOOM!
 
iapetus said:
Back when we actually played D&D (rather than the many superior systems that get played these days) I remember GMing a particularly fun session in which the players came across a stash of treasure that, among other things, included a cursed cloak that damaged the wearer and a potion of resurrection. The thief immediately put on the cloak and promptly died. One of the others decided to cut the cloak off him. With a mace. Having finally managed to separate most of his corpse from the cloak, they handed the resurrection potion to the party's cleric, a priest of a minor deity of life and death by the name of Bizzy, to administer. He took one look at it, declared "resurrection potions are against the law of Bizzy," and poured it out on the ground.

All of which left the party with a dead, partly-skinned thief with a mouth full of soil (good thinking, too late) when the local militia turned up.

That was the nice thing about GMing with that group - you didn't have to actually come up with a scenario, because sessions would normally devolve into some form of fight among the party members without any prompting. And if you did try, there was a definite tendency among party members to walk around the mysterious ancient towers and spend some time searching suspicious looking bushes and cows...

:lol

This whole post was classic D&D comedy gold.
 

JayDubya

Banned
DKnight said:
Fuck D&D. Damn pussies.
Go go Hackmaster!

No thanks. I've got the 3.5 ruleset memorized and everything's very clear - I don't generally like to have characters die in character creation, but when I do, I'll be sure to try the insane and over the top Hackmaster.
 

Davidion

Member
JayDubya said:
No thanks. I've got the 3.5 ruleset memorized and everything's very clear - I don't generally like to have characters die in character creation, but when I do, I'll be sure to try the insane and over the top Hackmaster.

Say what?! :lol :lol
 

lastendconductor

Put your snobby liquids into my mouth!
JayDubya said:
No thanks. I've got the 3.5 ruleset memorized and everything's very clear - I don't generally like to have characters die in character creation, but when I do, I'll be sure to try the insane and over the top Hackmaster.

Don't worry, only a few are man enough to stand the awesomeness :lol
 
rSpooky said:
Then we have the idiot that played in a campaign with us, he alway smessed things up alot.. but his worst must have been where he lit a torch in a small closed of room full of (ogre)shit.. fire plus methane = BOOM!

Man we had a guy like this in our group too back in the day, took the dumb warrior type just a few steps further then needed and always found himself in trouble or doing stupid shit. Needless to say our GM wasn't too happy with his characters habit of killing off important people in the campaigns. It was fun as hell though.

One time he was supposed to hold up this dude who had a password of some kind(my memory is a bit foggy) to intimidate him into giving it to us. In an epic miscalculation of strength couple with some really bad throws on dex and str which got way out of hand he instead of just holding the guy up threw him really far against a stone wall killing the guy instantly. Everyone was....wot.....wtf......omg!

Luckily the GM bailed us out of that one with some creative thinking ^^ But he wasn't that happy.
 

JayDubya

Banned
Davidion said:
Say what?! :lol :lol

I've never played the game, so this is only second hand. I'm assuming it had to do with some sort of random table of flaw generation or some such, and I would hope that flaws give you bonuses like in other systems.

At any rate, in Hackmaster, A friend of mine unintentionally (I presume - I hope) generated a hemophiliac with a gaping wound and high anxiety such that whenever he would take damage, he would fall unconscious and cease breathing.

Were he to start an actual campaign, within 1 round he would take a point of damage, fall over, and proceed to asphyxiate.
 

besada

Banned
JayDubya said:
No thanks. I've got the 3.5 ruleset memorized and everything's very clear - I don't generally like to have characters die in character creation, but when I do, I'll be sure to try the insane and over the top Hackmaster.

Ah, Hackmaster. The only character creation system more insane than Traveller, where you can also die or be crippled during character creation.
 
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