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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 14:10:46 GMT -7
Post by Danny on Dec 11, 2012 14:10:46 GMT -7
If at all possible, I want players to know everything about how I'm going to handle rulings, so they can make informed choices.
Sooooo I decided to make a thread for it! This is basically my version of the old Sage Advice column from Dragon Magazine.
Examples Can the Temple of Pelor revive people from the dead?
Yes, but since they don't have any priest over level 6, they need a scroll to do it.
How are NPCs and monsters handled in the Sweetgrove D&D Game compared to later versions of the game?
Monsters have set values(Hit dice, AC, attack forms, damage, etc) that are only rarely different from monster to monster. On occasion, there may be a special version of a creature that is larger or psychic or whatever, but that's definitely out of the ordinary. Monsters attack as well as fighters, use fighter hit dice(d8) and generally save as fighters. They have thick hides that grant them Armor Class comparable to wearing armor.
NPCs on the other hand, are generated exactly like players. They have six stats(usually rolled, sometimes just all 10/+0 modifier) and they have a class and level. Their hit points and "to hit" come from their class, their damage from their weapons, and their AC from their armor. Even so, there are still some things that won't apply to them. They don't get d30 rolls, and they can't splinter shields to save themselves, because these represent exceptionally lucky situations that require a player at the wheel.
3rd and 4th edition players will notice that the biggest difference is that in 3rd edition, everyone's generated using the same rules as players(the various types of monsters are just handled as classes), and in 4th edition, everyone's a monster(even NPC clerics, thieves, etc have a monster stat block with a few powers, instead of 6+ abilities, a class feature, and feats).
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Kelz
Superhero
Posts: 311
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 14:45:24 GMT -7
Post by Kelz on Dec 11, 2012 14:45:24 GMT -7
In all fairness, you never intended to run "sessions" on here so this shouldn't have been an issue ;D
That being said, is it fair to assume that if you roll up enemies, that the dice roll both ways? Is it possible we run into someone who rolled up stat-wise very well but bombed the hp roll and ended up with 5D6 = 7 HP? I mean, for NPC who you plan on becoming enemies, I get editing for longevity, but for your "minion" NPC's, are you rolling each of them up as well, or do they have static ratings without bonuses?
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 15:01:16 GMT -7
Post by Danny on Dec 11, 2012 15:01:16 GMT -7
Oh, absolutely! But if I were going to roll up a level 5 NPC, I'd still roll 1d8, 2d8, 3d8, 4d8, 5d8 in order, if he/she's going to be important, which is a given if they're level 5.
I use one of three methods for rolling up enemy hit points, since I have to roll up tons if I'm going to run a dungeon with lots of big groups.
1) I roll Xd8, so 4d8 for a 4HD monster and just let the dice fall where they may. [dice=8] [dice=8] [dice=8] [dice=8]
2) I take the statistically mean of d8(4.5) and multiply it by the hit dice. So 18hp for a 4HD monster
3) What I mentioned before. Rolling hit points as 1d8, 2d8, 3d8, 4d8, like with Player Characters.
For small groups(1-6), I'll likely use the first method for each member of the group, but for large groups(6+), I'll use the second method for the middle guy and then start writing up on the left and down on the right until I hit all the guys.
Example: 8 Ogres (4+1HD) Ogre1-22 Ogre2-21 Ogre3-20 Ogre4-19 Ogre5-19 Ogre6-18 Ogre7-17 Ogre8-16
For complete mooks, like basically anything with 1/2HD, I roll d4 and just use that for every one of them, so if you encounter 32 kobolds, expect them all to have 2hp or something. [rand=689162531023010822865396884097153963988213663726669808707604649]
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Dustin
Myrmidon
Currently Playing: Alice, Witch. On Hold: Marinelle, Elf
Posts: 112
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 15:28:24 GMT -7
Post by Dustin on Dec 11, 2012 15:28:24 GMT -7
None of these affect me immanently, and some I may simply not know, but here are some questions anyway.
Which version of raise dead are we using - more specifically, how long can a person typically be dead before they can no longer be raised?
Can Thieves open Wizard Locks?
What kind of transparency of spells is there between Complete (B/X) Adventurer and the ACKs or normal B/X system? Can we find potions of Beauty or Hoodoo scrolls (that make voodoo dolls,) for example?
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 15:45:59 GMT -7
Post by Danny on Dec 11, 2012 15:45:59 GMT -7
Apparently there's a typo that assumes Clerics get Raise Dead at level 8 in the Expert book. Anyway, I'm using the version from ACKS(but still calling it Raise Dead) which means that at level 7, it's 2 days dead, and it increases by 4 days for each level. I'll operate pretty fast and loose with this, if a player cleric wants to anoint the body with oils and say prayers and/or find some natural preservative, etc. Most importantly, I'll be using the Tamparing with Mortality random chart from ACKS, which means a lot of different things can happen when you're raised!
Thieves cannot pick Wizard Locks, but a high level thief could use a scroll of Dispel Magic, employ a wizard to remove it, or any number of other mysterious solutions!
As for the spells in Complete B/X Adventurer, I won't be adding random potions of them to loot tables anytime soon, but I might drop a scroll here or there. Spell research is always an option for Magic Users and Elves! Mystic-specific spells will always only be for the Mystic, of course.
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 15:48:51 GMT -7
Post by Zolexa on Dec 11, 2012 15:48:51 GMT -7
Question on spell casting/level:
So for level 3, Velira will gain a level 2 spell, to go along with her 2 level 1's. That's the "auto-gain" for the spell book.
So when Velira goes to actually cast, when casting that new "3rd spell" does it HAVE to be a level 2 spell, or can it be any lower level one also?
Example of the scene in Kaine's hut. (let;s pretend she did her level 3 'upping' before) She cast Detect Magic already. She wants to cast Read Magic on the scrolls. (2 level 1 spells) Once they go explorin in the tunnel, is she confined to only having Knock available (her level 2 spell) or could she cast Detect Magic again in it's place?
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 16:04:26 GMT -7
Post by Danny on Dec 11, 2012 16:04:26 GMT -7
I'm going to have to say it has to be a spell matching the "spell slot" level, for now. I may change my mind in the future! My biggest worry is the Cleric, actually. They get Cure Light Wounds as a first level spell and then no HP restoration until fourth level spells(Cure Serious Wounds.)
If I decided to make a house rule that lets people use higher level slots to cast lower level spells, I worry that Dustin Clerics would run all their spells out on a single spell!
In addition, this adds a bit of strategic resource management to the game and won't feel as sharp a bite once you have access to more level 2 spells!
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Lydia
Champion
Currently playing: Fletcher, Tamli, Whistler, 'Ro, Zorba (Zack), "Bear", Rutherford
Posts: 165
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 18:30:22 GMT -7
Post by Lydia on Dec 11, 2012 18:30:22 GMT -7
Shitsumon desu!
You keep saying there's going to be magic ammo, but I have never found any thus far~ when will that start showing up and what kinds of magic ammo might appear? Will there be super neat special effects like sleep arrows, or glue arrows a la City of Heroes?
I ask because I have a ridiculous penchant for bow users, and both Rukh and Fletcher would love to know if they can add to their arsenal something other than plain and silver arrows!
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 18:35:48 GMT -7
Post by Danny on Dec 11, 2012 18:35:48 GMT -7
Yes, I will make a conscious effort to put magic arrow loot in the adventure tomorrow night. I'm reverting back to the original system(as I mentioned) so magic bows will just add "to hit" and arrows will add "damage"
Thus, you will be able to find the following:
Magic arrows (+1, +2, etc, damage bonus arrows, basically) Elemental arrows (fire damage, cold damage, electricity damage, etc) Sleep arrows (knocks 'em out) _____slaying arrows (knocks 'em dead, dragonslaying, undead slaying, etc) Alchemical arrows (greek fire, glue pots, stink gas, etc) ...And others I haven't thought of yet!
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Lydia
Champion
Currently playing: Fletcher, Tamli, Whistler, 'Ro, Zorba (Zack), "Bear", Rutherford
Posts: 165
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 18:36:50 GMT -7
Post by Lydia on Dec 11, 2012 18:36:50 GMT -7
Cool! Thanks!
Edit: Oh, actually I'm curious, you answered the reverse above: can knock open ordinary locks? I am under the impression that it can. And chains! Like manacles. Can it open those?
Can knock untie ropes?
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 18:45:57 GMT -7
Post by Danny on Dec 11, 2012 18:45:57 GMT -7
From ACKS Knock spell:
Saying that, Knock can loosen chains if they're holding a door or chest closed, solve trick boxes, and basically do just about anything that can be defined as "opening" something. Knock will also temporarily deactivate a Wizard Lock for 1 turn, then the Wizard Lock resumes.
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 19:06:13 GMT -7
Post by Zolexa on Dec 11, 2012 19:06:13 GMT -7
*looks at book* Well I'll be damned it does say one turn...
So how does that work? You get one turn to open the door, then what happens?... So you open a door, go inside, seals behind you? Open chest, grab loot quick! then chest reseals? Just trying to understand mechanics before I actually take this spell.
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Q & A
Dec 11, 2012 19:22:41 GMT -7
Post by Danny on Dec 11, 2012 19:22:41 GMT -7
Wizard Lock is a very specific kind of situation that doesn't come up too often(mostly because I forget it exists!) If you encounter a wizard locked door or chest, you'd probably be better off just smashing it open, but Knock is a great spell if you want to be secret about it, since the wizard would come by later and find that the Wizard Lock was still intact!
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Dustin
Myrmidon
Currently Playing: Alice, Witch. On Hold: Marinelle, Elf
Posts: 112
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Q & A
Dec 12, 2012 5:58:53 GMT -7
Post by Dustin on Dec 12, 2012 5:58:53 GMT -7
Can a potion be transferred to a different container and retain its effect? Can a potion (especially Philters of Love) be mixed with other drinks? Drinking a potion with a duration while a first potion is in effect makes you sick, but can you mix instant potions together with duration ones (i.e. Philter of Love with a Cure Potion)
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Q & A
Dec 12, 2012 6:13:48 GMT -7
Post by Danny on Dec 12, 2012 6:13:48 GMT -7
Potions mixed with drinks would likely ruin the effect since you drink a potion all-at-once to get the effect and generally people don't drink the whole drink at once.
Mixing any two potions together is likely to cause me to bust out my potion mixing effects random chart!
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