@stroVal's page

Cyberpunk.
Does anyone know anything about this game?

unicorn for its

Temporal acceleration field

Quantum Leaping Husband

of ooze and

began evolving into

No reviews? No news from people who have played it?

I've recently been absorbing Fantasy Craft by Crafty Games, and I must admit I'm quite impressed. Lots of crunch, more like a toolkit for creating a system that you like.

It is definitely giving Savage Worlds a run for its money in my book (Tho I still do love SW!!)

I was about to comment that nobody mentioned this :)

Willow had everything in it..Even an interesting spell-casting battle at the end(which a lot of films lack)

If we are to mention anime as well:

Record of Lodoss war WAS dnd..Especially the ovas where interestingly scripted,beautifully illustrated and gory enough for me

Rune soldier Luie(more comic relief) and Legend of crystania are all set in the same World(different continents)

Highlander (the first film) is also something my group likes to watch to get in character(the anime was good too if not ott)

What I recently found and watched is Dungeons and Dragons; Scourge of Worlds
Its an interactive adventure with three of the iconic 3.5 party
(Lidda,Regdar,Mialee) its not perfect but I found it interesting(for 2000)
and the voices matched what I had in mind for the characters(especially Lidda)
I hear they all return for a commentary on the second dnd film (what they would have done differently as a party etc) but I didn't find that in my dvd version

You'd be amazed of how much more imagination(not to mention potential for cgi and money-making)all those ancient stories had than their movie counterparts(God of war rip-off I am talking to you)

Lazaro wrote:

Starfighter" directed by Nick Castle.

"Conan The Barbarian" still in script.
"Logan’s Run" directed by Joseph Kosinski attached.
"Dune"

I'm looking forward to these films. Though, I thought the Conan film was supposed to be a sequal. As for "Clash of the Titans" directed Stephen Norrington and "The Warriors" directed by Tony Scott.

Little pieces of me just died. :(

Ya think? What about my hope of ever seeing one(just one people) myth done properly?

Kyr wrote:

Maybe they could remake Hawk the Slayer ;-)

Unfortunately no Jack Palance but there is someone who looks exactly like the dwarf in that movie admittedly last seen in Dark Knight but that still requires them to be actually better than the original...

Can't quite see them pull that off for me it was actually rather good and probably what Jeremy Irons used to pull off his role in the D&D movie (Jack Palance is after all a good role model for villainy in swords and sorcery movies!)

For some arcane and obscure reason I want to see a direct sequel to that

What happened to the south with the wizards amassing?
(Not that I particularly liked the original..but maybe it has some potential)

In Sequence, the

@stroVal wrote:

So has anyone played using this system? Is it better than previous versions of RuneQuest?

I haven't played, but I have been following the feed back at various boards and the concensus is that it is definitely an improvement. If you want, go look this book up on Mongoose's website, as a free download you should see a conversion guide that also includes the errata, that will tell you a lot.

I have never been able to figure out, and then remember, how to make links work here, but you can copy/paste this into your browser for the page with the conversion and errata materials.

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/home/series.php?qsSeries=39

Thanks :)

Its [ url=your link]name for the link here[/url ].

Apart from laminating the cards has anyone found card protectors for tarot sized decks?

Mt. Zogon was hilarious.

Sigh...still no news huh?

I am starting to get worried...

So has anyone played using this system? Is it better than previous versions of RuneQuest?

Wait a minute there..no I thought origin of the species was a FC supplement based on some of the forum suggestions..I have never played spycraft(nor am I in the mood to convert things from that to FC)

LMPjr007 wrote:

Now available at Paizo!

Any previews of what some of the cards look like?

Some of the items are really well done (and with a video-gamely look as they are cgi enhanced) while others are not so good.Overall the artwork lacks consistency...

Now available at Paizo!

Any pics of the items in the pdf?

And while this is about brainstorming regarding Munchkin I have one question...
We own a few of the expansions and have noticed that with the recent amount of cards play is much faster
(for instance once you get to level 7-8 with enough treasure cards or items you simply sell everything and win the game)
While this by itself is acceptable some of the players have expressed the need for some kind of home-rule..Maybe banning the option to sell after level 8 or simply introducing more levels into the game (epic play maybe)
...Any ideas ?

So, I play Munchkin frequently with my girlfriend (and sometimes my little sister). But the problem we have is that with just two players, it kinda loses some of the fun. While we are trying out and liking some options to relieve some of the hurt feelings that arise when you only have one single target for negative cards, I am super open to suggestions.

So far our fix is to make a "NPC" munchkin player (named Stan N) that takes an shortened turn (flips a door, faces curses and monsters as normal. never loots the room. uses whatever cards in his hand by general consensus. decides whether or not to help out in battles by whoever bribes him with the most treasures). The downside is that Stan N wins sometimes, and often ends up with way more things in his hand than he can ever use (extra races, classes, and just random cards)

And as an aside, I'm always interested if anyone has any nice homebrew Munchkin rules/suggestions.

What you did is one choice..the other is: just bring more people to the game :)

@stroVal wrote:

oh no maybe I didn't put it succinctly; I am through with vancian for now..had a lifetime of playing this style through my dnd years :)
time for this new style(Like the good old times of mana in spellcasting in crpgs or the glore vyrden in Brent Week's books)
I was just lamenting the fact that I need to introduce a new backstory for magic...(though I do actually enjoy this sort of thing so its sweet bitterness really ;p)

As for Spellbound? I second that!!!

What, no love for Origin of the Species?

I wanna play a Centaur, Gorgon (medusa), and every species of dwarf, gnome, orc, and Elf that I can... plus the ways to get a Human to have some of those bloodlines.

But then again, it'll likely be another pbP that I'll end up RUNNING rather than PLAYING in for awhile. But that's for another day entirely.

/d

No I do love Origin of the species,but like you said I will probably end up running it instead of playing it(same with fantasycraft in general)

oh no maybe I didn't put it succinctly; I am through with vancian for now..had a lifetime of playing this style through my dnd years :)
time for this new style(Like the good old times of mana in spellcasting in crpgs or the glore vyrden in Brent Week's books)
I was just lamenting the fact that I need to introduce a new backstory for magic...(though I do actually enjoy this sort of thing so its sweet bitterness really ;p)

As for Spellbound? I second that!!!

I recently bought it and love it.
It's dnd as it should have been in my humble opinion
And I believe it better suits my home-brew world too..
My only problem is that I had to eventually make all the back-story for the world for 3.5(as it was the only system my players knew) so I am now trying to change all the vancian facts about magic etc as they dont match with FC(I could make them fit but spellcasting as a skill is so much better)

Yeah, I felt like season 2 was a real step up in quality, and wondered if I was the only one.

Yep it is...and while still people will complain about everything bear in mind that: 1) it matters not if you are entertained(any form will suffice)

2) there aren't any fantasy series so its a start(House would never be if not for ER..so we need a history of fantasy series before getting complex anti-cliche plots such as in Tigana)

3) Certain cliches are not so bad..look at most role-playing games..its fun
:)
even Tolkien-oh gosh he dares?-is full of them

PS: now some might criticize the last bit so I will have you know; before you argue that : "it wasnt a cliche if he was the creator of all we know fantasy-like" that in fact he wasn't the first...maybe the best or the most famous but not the first(and I am not even referring to the folklore myths)

Scratch that..I just saw this one:

http://crazyegortroll.blogspot.com/

I am fond of the DIY- customizing monkey DM- disciple..so this is good news for me...more work though...

Yet they don't elaborate on battle mechanics too much.I wonder if those ''stances'' and fighting techniques are well done and thought off.
Also can you actually convert 3.5 characters to Fantasycraft ?
Sigh...one way to find out I guess...

0k I'm interested..now I need an in depth review
Sounds like elements of adnd with a pinch of fresh and all in one book

I believe what you are looking for is here. It is still coming out and sounds interesting to me, sort of a more basic and rules light system set in the cool world they have built.

Their original listing said it was scheduled for a fall release however, so right now I am not sure just when it is going to be out. However with a huge number of the paizo staff really into the game, I suspect that green ronin's release will get a note on the store blog when it does come out.

Thank you for the reply, I have seen that; that is why I was asking if anyone has some new info. yes all these elements you mentioned attracted me to the game in the first place(bored with all the supplements and rules,need something new)

I am actually a little jealous people have beaten this game. I got it on the day it came out and have very little time to play it since. :(

Erhm it might be a bit outta topic as from what I gather everybody's discussing the PC game ; But any news on the pen and paper version of it?

I read that Green Ronin is making it(unless that was a joke...and what a poor one if indeed it is I might add)

I've done two things in the past; one, start with a small boat at low levels and as the campaign "gets bigger" the ships change (not my favorite). Also, I've allowed the PCs to not own a boat themselves but be friends with a few different NPC captains (or commodores), allowing the PCs to have various sea experiences without having to be "tied" to the ship and to deal with the (I think) cumbersome and boring realities of ship maintenance.

-W. E. Ray

I am currently using the first idea.The ships get bigger and each new location has a workshop in its harbor where they can repair and upgrade(weapons armour etc.)I must say its a pain having to play enemies AND the crew npcs on naval encounters;(not the mention planning of so many other things) moreover my PCs tended to rely on them and ask for assistance on other quests.I don't advance the crew npcs any further than their original level though(I think there is a similar suggestion in Stormwrack?)so PCs eventually just use the crew when they travel(that's what they are paid for in the first place) and adventure on their own in each location they anchor.Its hard work but most of the time I find it rewarding.

@stroVal wrote:

Might be a little irrelevant with most of the discussions here ; but what did you think of the Sea-wolves in Stormwrack?

Lame or good idea?
(remember the sea-lion and sea-cat?)

pres man wrote:

I thought it was kind of uninteresting. Were-wolves, fine. But sea adventures should have things like were-sharks, were-squid, were-dolphins, etc. A were-wolf-seal, a bit lame.

@stroVal wrote:

yeah..especially the fur-underwater thing.

on a brighter note:In greek the word for salt dog(or sea dog) is sea-wolf xD

PS:I found a kick-arse kit for a seamage (adnd though)in one of my old dragon issues,but I don't seem to find anything close to that in 3.5. Conversion time?

The sea-wolf was most likely just meant as an update from earlier editions (I known that I have their earlier stats somewhere). That was the nifty thing about some of the splatbooks - seeing old monsters updated to the new edition. As to how useful/logical some of those monsters are - that's a whole different subject! :)

With regard to the Sea-Mage:
I would aim for either the Stormcaster or the Sea Witch prestige classes (Stormwrack), and use such feats as Ship's Mage, Storm Magic, and Steam Magic (same source). The Aquatic Spellcasting feat (Lords of Madness, the aberration splatbook) could also be useful, but I would houserule a hefty pre-requisite for that one (like 9 or more skill ranks in Spellcasting, and possibly Knowledge/Nature too).

Didn't have the time to get involved with this one during the Summer.At first I was thinking of making a prestige class but I am not convinced it fits the whole thing.Considering an alternative to the wizard with a few different spells and options...well just like what the kits where supposed to do in adnd I guess.Not sure as I've never done something this 'drastic' in my Home rules so far.

From the Dragon article, I liked the idea of performing a ritual that evolves your companion, though the effect does not take place until you advance a level. The sheer number of options presented in the article make a animal companion anything but run of the mill.

No two Animal Companions would be the same.

So you can actually make a plant animal companion? Like a leaf wolf?

So any ideas about the penalties when fighting with a sheathed Swordstaff?
Or maybe there shouldn't be any?
A rough idea I had was -1 on attack rolls +1 on damage(as the blade concealing end is heavier)
and a rule that after a few critical fumbles would have the sheath destroyed or removed.
On the other hand its like fighting with a scabbard on and I am not aware of any rules(Kill Bill vol 2 anyone? ;-p )

And now using the stats, you can recreate the greatest fight scene ever.

Haha a Star Trek reference and I thought we were missing something.

What did you think of the new film btw?(or should I redirect this to another thread?)

DitheringFool wrote:

interesting discussion...I was reminded of those swords the elves used in the Lord of the Rings movie. HERE and HERE - maybe their a bit too short

Valid point.I completely forgot to link one of these before!

Damn..now I am thinking if I should give it free to the Duskblade or not xD

I guess another thread could be made on how to incorporate the LOTR swords into Dnd..I personally think they fit the Rhomphaia description(as given in wiki,not the bastard sword one obviously)

interesting discussion...I was reminded of those swords the elves used in the Lord of the Rings movie. HERE and HERE - maybe their a bit too short

Valid point.I completely forgot to link one of these before!

Damn..now I am thinking if I should give it free to the Duskblade or not xD

Looks okay/reasonable now...

So now we work on the polearm version. Just kidding.

;-) Somehow I was expecting one of you to say that.

Exotic Weapon:
Swordstaff:

1d8/1d6 [ 1d6/1d4 for small characters ]
19-20x2
12 lbs
(P or S) or B
Length: 6ft
Hardness for steel part: 10 and 5 hit points
Hardeness for wooden part:5 and 10 hit points

Price: 30 gp

Given to the Warmage,Ranger and Monk weapon lists.
Like the bastard sword it can be used without an exotic weapon feat (but only the blade side) or alternatively the blade can be sheathed with a wooden cap and used as a quarterstaff(still need to settle on the penalties)
Spring loaded blade versions exist that reveal the blade with a mechanism as a free action.These cost around 100gp

Regular two weapon penalties apply as with any double weapon.

It is a confusing little weapon in general ;-p

But I personally think its worth it..Gives a certain flavor to your character.

Or maybe as it is regarding damage but moved to the exotic weapon type(free for rangers, monks and Warmages).
A battle mage swinging a magical,flaming Swordstaff..that would be a cool sight.(in my head at least).
All the other classes will either need an exotic feat or 1) use it as a longsword 2) as a quarterstaff with a wooden sheath but with penalties.(the sheath might fail or the blade could be damaged within it)

So my final thoughts on it are:
Two-handed Martial weapon: (Double-weapon)
Swordstaff

1d8/1d6 [ 1d6/1d4 for small characters and no large version(?)]
19-20x2
12 lbs
(P or S) or B
Length: 6ft
Hardness for steel part: 10 and 5 hit points
Hardeness for wooden part:5 and 10 hit points

Price: I am not sure.Maybe around 30gp as the technique to fit a long blade in a staff could be a costly one.

Regular two weapon penalties apply as with any double weapon.

Also thinking of certain versions being spring loaded, with the blade shooting out of the wood.(provided that there is a penalty as they will not be sturdy enough)
Maybe something similar to the modular weapons rules.
The standard sword-staff hit points could be around 10.

Two-handed Martial weapon: (Double-weapon)

Swordstaff
10 gp
1d6/1d6
19-20x2/20x2
12 lbs
(P or S) or B

One end has a blade the size of a short sword that can be used for slashing or piercing damage, the other end can be used as a club.

Yeah I was thinking somewhere in the 10-12 lbs range too.And the rest of the stats make sense.

So you are not fond of the d8/d6 (m) d6/d4 (s) idea?

@stroVal wrote:

Did you mean this, the Rhomphaia? The description kinda fits.

If I am going to use the sword-staff in my World I'd prefer if it were closer to the weapon I mentioned originally.

Something akin to this:
DragonKatanaTwinSwords

From what I gather the blade is either halfway between a short sword and a longsword or between a longsword and a bastard sword(big difference I know).As far as the wooden part is concerned more likely a bit smaller than half a quarterstaff.I guess when we finalize blade length the wooden part can change accordingly.

Also I agree with the idea of no reach.

I guess if you want to choke up on it... but if you want the most momentum in bringing the blade down on their noggins then I view it more as a polearm.

If one really wanted to go non-polearm, for me, I'd probably go with d6/d6 with the slashing/bludgeoning option. I'm not sure if you could do enough damage with the blade for longsword damage when choking up on the staff like that... ok, did that sound almost dirty? Plus, it's easier bookkeeping, did I hit him with my staff or with my sword... argh, my mind is in the gutter.

Almost... ;-p

Well that's what I thought at first but this way its exactly like a quarterstaff...It only differs in description.

As long as the blade cuts from both edges it does serious damage.Also by having a quarter of a staff as a handle you thrust better with it and have two hand use which means better momentum.I wont argue about a pole-arm being better as it is in most cases(still it differs with the technique in question and skill of user) I just wanted to use that exotic double weapon.
Since adnd speed of swinging or effectiveness etc are of little concern in actual battle mechanics.

So as another double weapon the question is:
d8/d8?(like the two bladed sword) d6/d6(like the quarterstaff) or d8/d6?

Did you mean this, the Rhomphaia? The description kinda fits.

Thank you..well in danger of being tedious here it goes:

I never could find a description of a Romphaia that made sense as to what kind of weapon it is.Some present it like in that article,others refer to it as the byzantine bastard sword.
To make matters worse this controversy exists in sources from that time as well; where it's described as a ''broad-sword''.
If I am going to use the sword-staff in my World I'd prefer if it were closer to the weapon I mentioned originally.
Something akin to this:
DragonKatanaTwinSwords

Treat it as a glaive? Or as an exotic glaive that you can choose each round to use as a reach weapon (10 ft, no 5 ft) or not (5 ft only).

I'm not sure why it would be a double weapon, based on the description I just read.

The Scandinavian sword-staff is different ,its a pole-arm.

The byzantine sword-staff is a double weapon.(some even used a wooden sheath to make it look like a whole quarterstaff when not used.Its closer to a double sword with one part being wooden.)
I am trying to find a picture to link here or an article.I have a book home about it but its in German. Also I found no wiki articles regarding this.