Phil. L's page

I come from Sydney and run my Cthulhu campaign in modern day Sydney, and even I don't stick with the geographical facts. Most people really don't care that much, or at least not enough to have a problem with it. It allows me to turn Nyngan (a town in rural NSW Australia) into a Cthulhu cultists paradise and not have the PCs batt an eyelid.

To threadjack a bit I think that all goblinoids in Varisia should have funny french accents.

I can just picture a group of kilt wearing dwarves battling a group of beret wearing bugbears. Hairy naked dwarf knees and funny hats!

These days the monster descriptions state what languages they speak. I believe Paizo will make sure that is included with all their new monsters as well. The languages are always based off Int.

Anything the DM wants.

Of course, succubi can't take the form of girallons so they probably didn't even bother changing their forms (unless they are special succubi). I think they'd be a lot of hurting succubi out there!

Now that was just PLAIN WRONG!

They could try charm monster, though.

wlessard wrote:

I am looking for the Demon Ship or something like that.

A ship that was crewed by Demons and could sail to just about any plane of existence. Thanks for any info.

That sounds like something we'd print... but I think you're thinking of the late 2nd edition adventure A Paladin in Hell though. Which was a stand-alone adventure published by WotC several years ago.

The ship was Demonwing and it was created by Demogorgon no less!

I just hope all your great work pays off and is appreciated by your players. Me, I could never be patient enough to come up with what you are undertaking.

Elminster in the FRCS and ELH and Mordenkainen from the ELH were created more or less "like PCs," not like powerful characters that have been around for a while. I think the thought process was to "justify" what they could do under the rules, instead of looking at what they could do logically from other sources and making them as tough as possible without getting TOO far out of whack.

Elminster helped lay the Mythal in Myth Drannor, and Khelben was trained by some of the most powerful wizards there, yet neither one of them have the Epic Spellcasting feat, but the Simbul, who has always been shown as having a lot of "raw" power, but not doing anything that you would classify as "epic level magic," does have the feat. And until the ultimate magus PrC in Complete Mage, her sorcerer levels were kind of pointless, even though it was her "main" class (and didn't make much sense, given that she was, no matter how wild, always presented as being a "study spellbooks from other wizards and writer her own new spells" kind of arcane caster).

While I like knowing what someone is capable of (i.e. there general level, classes, race, alignment, etc.) if I had to have one of these guy's stats for an adventure, I'd probably remake them from scratch.

Well put.

Rocks, rocks, rocks, rocks!!!!

Roger Rabbit was framed? And here I thought the carrot-muncher was a hardened crim!

!@#$%^&*()_+

Unfortunately, in my attempt say nothing on the zero word game I have said something. :-(

I must try again!

EMAG DROW OREZ EHT!!!

Of course, now I know who to blame if all the monsters suck! ;-)

Level 1,000. I wonder what level the DM in the D&D cartoon is? It must be pretty crap if Tiamat can beat him up? He's certainly not as a high a level as the DM on the front of the 1st. Edition DMG. Now that's a DM!

Getting a CR 20 reward for speaking to demon is no different from that adventure in AOW where you had to travel to Kyuss's old temple/spire and got all those visions. The PCs didn't even need to do anything to get the XP in that adventure. It probably really doesn't make that much sense, but PCs have to get XP somehow!

This adventure is probably the weak link in the later adventures, but it's still an important adventure as far as the outcome of the last few adventures is concerned. I call the adventure a "necessary evil."

I've always been a big fan of Iggwilv and a fan of her progeny as well. I wonder if WotC are ever going to do Iuz's stats? I also fondly remember Iggwilv's daughter the vampire Drelzna (great name). I know she's dead, but vampire's have a tendancy to come back to life at the most inopportune moments! ;-)

Sebastian wrote:

Sigh. I guess I'm just becoming jaded on this place. There are only so many times I can make the same arguments in the face of the same deficient reasoning.

Maybe he started the threads because watching you go off on a rant is more entertaining then whatever crap is on TV and you don't have to watch dumb commercials?

You read my mind Jeremy. I'm just a trouble stirrer. ;-)

I'm also somewhat interested that Sebastion claims to be the one whose arguments are sound. Maybe the reasoning's fine but his arguments are deficient?

I love toying with people!

What has been the best edition of the game and why?

I think 3.5 is superior to all the previous editions of the game, but are their people who disagree with me? Also, if you disagree with me is it just nostalgia talking or do you have a good reason?

Plus, is there anything from a previous edition that should be in 3.5? E.g. In 1st Edition monsters XP used to be partly based on their hit points. Should this be represented in some form in 3.5? Should a bulette with maximum hit points be worth more XP than a bulette with average hit points. What about a bulette with only minimum hit points? Should it be worth less?

The above is only an example of something from another edition. You are free to mention it or anything else you deem important. The central question is whether these editions have anything to add to 3.5 and/or are they better?

Here are a few questions for you folks.

1. A lot of people only use official material from WotC when running your D&D campaigns. Why is this so, and why don't you use OGL material? On the other hand if you do use OGL material how do you incorporate it into your campaign? Is most OGL stuff even compatible with official D&D?

and...

2. Do all the WotC splatbooks add to the game of D&D or detract from it? Do all the splatbooks form a cohesive whole or do they step on each others toes and confuse the rules of the game? What splatbooks have been a good addition to the game and what splatbooks have been bad?

What they said!

DrowLand.

Sort of like DisneyLand, but not.

From a standard D&D perspective Kuthax you have a lot of problems here. The biggest problem is that your feats are way too powerful. You are basically reproducing the abilities of a template with a feat. That is a terrible thing to do. If you don't believe me stack your feats up with any of the feats in the PHB. You have developed feats that give a character multiple powers and ability score increases for no cost (and having to be 3rd-level is not a sufficient cost).

And let me add to what Moff has said. This would add a level adjustment of +3 to +4 for each racial feat. If you don't know what level adjustments are then you probably shouldn't be playing around with racial feats like the ones you have created.

By the way, the D&D splat books out there (CM, CAr, the DRAGON COMPENDIUM, etc) already have racial feats. Of course, their racial feats are far less powerful than yours and don't allow you to become a half-fiend or half-dragon simply by taking a feat (which, by the way, neuters the Dragon Disciple class in the DMG).

I'm sorry to be brutal, but from a normal D&D design standpoint your feats are Broken before they even begin.

Sorry again Kuthax, but as much as you might want to disagree with me ditch these racial feats and start from scratch. Of course, you are also free to ignore me, but then why bother asking for peoples opinions?

Good DMs can take criticism (see my bad DM thread).

One last thing. Calmative is not a word that I know of. I think the word you're thinking of is cumulative.

Gee, I'm harsh at times!

A lot of DMs use these messageboards to talk about the problems they are facing in their games or different strategies they can use to make the PCs lives easier or harder. A few recent threads have made me wonder what makes a bad DM?

I'll start by telling you a few things that I have done in my past that have been bad DMing:

In the early days I used to railroad my players into decisions. If they didn't go in a particular direction or do something I liked I would force them into changing to suit me. If I created a gate that needed a specific magical key to open they would need that key and everything else they tried would inevitably fail. Now that was bad DMing!

I sometimes used to disallow rules or classes or races because I didn't like them. Some people might disagree with me, but unless you have a very good "in game" reason for doing it, this is bad DMing.

Recently (in my COC campaign), I focused on one group of PCs over another. This was a timing thing more than anything else, but it made me think about DMs who play favorites. It happens, and it's more bad DMing.

I used to think that because it was my game the opinions or criticisms of others were b@$#+&&~. I had to be right. Some of the my players are STILL like this when they DM (which is why I'm the main DM). A DM who can't take criticism or opinions about his or her game is a bad DM.

Now that last comment is really going to get up some peoples noses.

Being a great DM is an artform (one that I haven't mastered). Being a competetant DM is a job (it takes work andc dedication). You need imagination, patience, timing, good interpersonal skills, the ability to act a number of different parts, and the ability to balance everything nicely. The DMG doesn't give you any of that, but is also an invaluable resource.

Sorry if I have repeated anything other people have said. I'm in a rush!

All the PCs could take the Leadership feat and take the skulks and dark creepers as followers and/or cohorts. The beguiler could also become a mindbender (prestige class from CM) and take some fo the prisoners as minions. Eventually they wouldn't need to kill anything. They can just let the monsters they face kill all the prisoners.

Of course, this makes them sound more like evil bastards than pacifists. ;-)

There is nothing wrong with pacifist PCs, but there must be some sort of limits to their pacifism. Taking undead, plants, oozes, or constructs prisoner might be somewhat problematic. Also, some of the major villains later on can teleport with but a thought, so keeping them prisoner might take a bit of effort.

If your players are intent on following this strategy they should be burnt and rewarded for it in equal measure. From what you've said though, their strategy also appears to be heavily dependant on the circumstances. Many of their prisoners are not evil, and they are close to Cauldron (well, underneath it) so their actions are sound if rather strange from a classic D&D standpoint.

Boblinithistarku

or Bob for short.

This is a rather strange thread.

I'm sure part of your players' problems Sebastion is the structure of your campaign. You obviously don't allow standardized hit points (if your efreet is rolling 2's and keeping them) so no wonder your players hit points suck. This may be valid at times, but if you run "any" published adventures then you know that all the designers use average hit points for their monsters and NPCs. Allowing the PCs average hit points per level would probably solve your problem without having to rely on magic items.

I wonder with a somewhat bemused expression why DMs run games where all the core classes are banned. Since I'm about my players having fun I try too accommodate as many of the rules and options of the game as possible. When you ban a class like the cleric you are asking for trouble, unless you force players to take classes like the healer, favored soul, or spirit shaman (which are all not as good as the cleric when you get down to it). I just wonder whether you use the same rules regarding core classes with your NPCs?

The duskblade, warlock, and scout all have their place (and the scout is better than the rogue), but when PCs are forced to choose these classes because they don't have access to the core classes, they often make poor decisions. Some players like the simplicity of being able to open the PHB and find the class they need. It's like how some DMs can't use non-WotC material because they have been conditioned to think it is crap.

As for the lack of a tank in your group. Unless you have access to The Book of Nine Swords the only really tank non-core class is the knight. Hexblades, duskblades, and swashbucklers are all lightly armored fighters, while the samurai sucks for what it is. Nothing beats the barbarian or paladin as a tank, and while the fighter has been described as a weak class, its simplicity also makes it easy to play as a tank.

You can run your games how you like and your players may love you for it. I'm also not trying to cast dispersions against your character or say that you are a bad DM (you might be a great DM). I just can't help thinking that some of the problems in your game might be your fault.

Okay, hit me with it.

I did say use the existing lists as a guide. I'm talking about CR ranges here (or perhaps the average CR on the list) not specific CRs. Of course, for the D&D dummies out there maybe I should have been more specific. :-)

The chaos and violence that roils within a savage creature makes it constantly seek out other creatures to attack and slay. You need a bit of a survival instinct to exist for any length of time on a piece of land as deadly as the dreaded isle. Savage creatures have none!

I'm sure you could probably find some material from WotC or other companies on the subject as well. Of course, you could also make up your own lists depending on what monster books you have at hand. Just pick monsters of the appropriate CR using the existing list as a guide (though if you're a player you should get your DMs supervision and approval before you make any changes). ;-)

I was thinking of replacing Lavinia with a lilitu in "Into the Maw". My reasoning is that Malcanthet might want to have a little extra control over the PCs in her attempts to demolish Demogorgon rather than let the PCs have free reign to do as they wish. My other option is to replace Lavinia with Lynnara (and get rid of her from area 24.).

In this scenario Lavinia has been secreted away by Malcanthet to be used as a bargaining chip should the PCs decide to do something against Malcanthet's wishes (such as release Shami in "Wells of Darkness"). I'm just not sure what should happen to Lavinia. I'm thinking of having Malcanthet release her when Demogorgon is disposed of.

My other option is to have Lavinia transformed into a lemorina half-fiend and have her stand by the side of her dead brother against the PCs. This would be truly horrifying for the PCs who have built up a rapport with her. Of course, this also should not mean that Lavinia needs to be destroyed. Perhaps the process can be reversed (by traveling to the flesh forges or with a wish spell).

Opinions?

The DC of saving throws is only going to get worse Black Bard. But then what do you really expect? If your players are having too easy a time of it maybe a reality check like Vorthys was called for. In the next few adventures the DCs for certain monster attacks is going to easily be in the DC 30 to DC 40 range? All of Demogorgon's attacks (even in his weakened state in the last adventure) are going to be over DC 40 (probably)! The only relatively normal DCs will be for his spell-like abilities.

The trick there is to create a villain who the PCs come to hate but don't actually fight until the end of the campaign. This doesn't mean a villain who fights the PCs then runs away before they can put the big kabosh on them, but a villain who is working in the background to make their lives difficult. this also works best if the villain know about the villain but can't do anything about him. My current ice age PCs have a list of villains they can't wait to destroy. Of course, they sometimes joke that they have too many villains to possibly be able to destroy them/defeat them all, but I won't let them down.

As for that final fight. Most of my fights are now under an hour in length, but also use less foes. This is partly a time management issue and no one can be perfect at it. I run a COC game and it had been running smoothly for months now, but just last week I completely stuffed up with my time management and players got confused. I plan to rectify that little problem this week with a stopwatch.

Well, in Scuttlecove you could "realistically" purchase a dead PC.

Sorry...

Some people can't handle constructive criticism. If you didn't want the opinion, why did you ask for it?

Sheesh.

You get stuck into him good Fiendish Dire Weasel!

No one should ever get angry or spiteful on these messageboards, unless it's fake anger and spite like the sort Logue and Pett have for each other.

My initial point was that the CR system is broken at higher levels and that corporeal undead need to be tougher, particularly if they are front-rank fighters. i'd even go so far as to say that corporeal and incorporeal undead should have different rules regarding their BAB, hit points, and other factors. Incorporeal undead are nasty, while corporeal undead (except for classed undead such as vampires and liches) are too weak.

As for the Book of Nine Swords. I just say what's good for the goose is just as good for the gander. If my players can play warblades (considered the most broken of the BoNS 20-level classes) then so can my monsters.

It's always intrigued me that WotC has forbade other companies from using the slaad, but have done nothing with them themselves. I actually wrote a query to DRAGON asking whether I could submit an article describing Ssendam and Ygorl (sort of Demonomicon style) and they said no thanks quite unequivocally. It seems that if you want the lords of chaos statted up you're going to have to wait and see what WotC have in store, since for Paizo times just about run out!

Hellboy not drawn by Mignola is not Hellboy. I'm a Hellboy fanatic (I even have the limited edition Hellboy watch), but this is reprehensible.

I have to agree with those people who have said that ninjas are somewhat underpowered in the right circumstances. Frankly, they need the ghost step ability to set up their sudden strike attacks. Otherwise, once combat is joined the ninja must resort to normal attacks. The ghost step ability has to be added to the class to let the ninja keep up with the rogue and the scout (with its brutal skirmish ability).

There are so many ways of cancelling or neutering invisibility that they are not even worth mentioning. Spells like faerie fire and invisibility purge can ruin a ninja's day. Plus people have already mentioned all the creatures with immunity to the sudden strike ability. I'm really flogging a dead horse here, but the ninja is certainly not overpowered.

Being a demon prince I'm sure that Demogorgon can change the appearance of his heads at a whim. The baboon headed Demogorgon is the original though (as far as heads go). Perhaps he briefly made his heads into hyeena heads after trying to steal some of Yeenoghu's followers.

Of course Asmodeus has never had to stoop to such tactics!

I actually thought this thread was titled post pests.

I'll leave now.

On the Necromancer forums, somebody said it's 10 maps, 2' by 3', scaled for mini's.

Now that's a freakin' manor.

If it's as big as the manor in Resident Evil or the castle in Castle Falkenstein then I'll be more than happy.

I can't believe I just said that!!!

I'll let you know when all of you have as many posts as me combined.

That just means we'll all have to brush up on our inane one-liners ;-)

Nice ideas Carl! I may swipe these for a future campaign.

Hi Craig. I was just passing back through the messageboards when I saw your post. I actually have a few thoughts about The Aundarian Job I'd like to share with you.

Why doesn't Solinthus tell the PCs about the ward over the bank, since he would have needed the password to gain entrance anyway? Was this just an oversight or was there a reason behind it? Also, I have problems with lawful characters funding bank robberies (which this essentially is). Why doesn't Solinthus simply tell House Kundarak about the amulet? Surely, once they knew they were dealing with a dangerous artifact they could transport it to a Temple of the Silver Flame. The rest of the adventure is cool by the way. Especially the magebred bears!

Recently the adventures in DUNGEON seem to force players to break the law, attack non-evil creatures, and side with demons and other villains. I do that often in my own campaign, but it does seem to dominate published adventures these days.

As for half-races in Pathfinder, I think that the team has already got their own ideas for how to incorporate them. They do read the messageboards though, so I'm sure somebody's ideas could get a nod or two.

Uh...67? I tend to just read and lurk on these forums, so I've got a good excuse.

Damn lurkers! This makes it 724 post for me.

Guess I am gonna stay confused...

Well, your avatar does appear to be holding his chin in thought ;-)

Fenrir Snarki would wup them all.

You're just avoiding the question!

Teotihuaca is a Mesoamerican Goddess of Spiders and the Underworld.

And, of course, there's Arachne of Classical Greece.

Thanks Andrew. I wasn't aware of Teotihuaca, but Arachne isn't really a goddess according to greek myths. She was a mythic figure, but wasn't an actual deity.

Is Teotihuaca good-aligned? Most Mesoamerican gods were evil or neutral (according to D&D sources anyhow). Though, I suppose it's as close as I'm gonna get to a matchup.

One of my players used one of the three emergency raise dead scrolls given to them by the townsfolk to raise his arctic thrush familiar (it was in my ice age campaign). Let's just say that the other players weren't to happy about it!

Vattnisse wrote:

Only when used in the area of a Consecrate spell, though. Tricky fellas, those Lemorians...

Maybe for some. Me, I take Lemorians and make Lemorianade.

Though you have to be careful how you remove the stingers. Also, Lemorianade can be somewhat bitter unless you add just the right drop of Malcanthet juice.

Logue had to stick his nose in didn't he! Damn roleplaying thespian!

Demogorgon vs. Kyuss?

...Kyuss (by stint of spellcasting ability only)

How about...

Odin vs. Zeus

Bahamut vs. Tiamat

Pelor vs. Lathander

Heracles vs. Gilgamesh

Vecna vs. Bane

Thanos vs. Darkseid

Lolth vs. Ichunawa (god of saintly spiders)

...okay, so I made Ichunawa up on the spot. I couldn't think of a real-life or fanatasy good-aligned spider god.