David Trueheart's page

I was a big FR fan. I bought all the sourcebooks for the lore it had. To let me see the big picture of the world. Think of new adventures and plots for my players. To think that WotC/Hasbro is just going to let FR and EB go stagnant sickens me. Unless they are going to outsource the respective campaign sourcebooks...That would fit in with the corporate/non-gamer mindset they have.

Well since they are going into the underdark create yourself a nice drow patrol and when the drow wizard makes a spellcraft check, reconizes the spell he fires off a dispel magic and watches them fall from the sky. Would that work??

I recently ran Shut-in, escape of Meenlock prison and Funeral Procession as a mini arc to get my players to be local heroes. I think these 3 adventure create a nice starting arc.

Well if you look at the alignment of the weapons you see that they are either evil or neutral. The weapons have goals and feelings. Since they are intelligent the weapons can choose not to let the wielder use their powers.

Not sure the make up of your game and group but, starting to do questionable actions and ignoring friends they have made should also be motivators.

My idea is take group A and have them work on recovering an artifact to defeat the great evil. Group B goes out and becomes the thorn in the great evil's side and lets group A get the arifact.

Another cool thing you could do is run some stealth mission if you want. Get both of the rogues together and let them run a side quest. Maybe do a part thick with undead and have the other cleric join up for a little.

I think it is a very cool idea. Make sure you got alot of paper for note taking.

I agree with TS. It is all designed to balance. Being invisible has so many advantages. Being able to counter those advantages with a 2nd level spell seems fair. Its just a matter of the spellcaster remembering to have it ready to use.
Also maybe the invisible wizard is something your gaming group has come to expect. All of us who run games have habits that we fall into. Maybe time to throw them a curve.

Arcane Formula- Looks good. Kind of like the Elf Wizard variant.

Arcane Synergy- I would require Spell focus in the school but, otherwise doesn't look bad. Its just like the reserve feats.

Arcane Buffer-Like how you used descriptor there. Doesn't make it too powerful

Arcane Combination-This one is a bit powerful. I get to cast a 5th level spell and follow it up with a 4th as a swift action? Or if I followed the whole arc I can cast a 5th, 4th, and a 2nd level range personal spell in one round?!? I would suggest putting the 3 level lower and range personal/touch and target caster as the benefit and toss the special

All I know is that everyone that goes trading in their 3x books I will follow them and buy everything used. Then my collection will be complete. Hahahahaha

Thanks. I think I will run the class a few times in lower level versions before using it as one of my major villians.

I just picked up this book used the other day. Partly to add to collection and curiosity about shadow magic. I have read it once and I was wondering if anyone has had experience with running a shadow mage and if the class is just flavor or if it can be really nasty to put on a BBEG. Thanks!

I was recently playing in Shackled City by myself. It was quite easy. Had the four core classes all complimenting each other. Had the grand total of starting gold to use on all my characters. NO party in fighting but, my characters were keeping secrets from each other. Was a good time and combat went really quick. Approach your two players and see what they think. Was lot of fun always changing hats. Blasting with the mage, to then buff up the paladin, with the cleric, to powerattack some monster and then the thief to loot the body.

LOL

paladin's job is take one for the team so the wizard can be the hero. Its in the job description. Blood, sweat, and tears. Why do you think so few people like running them? It isn't the alignment issue. Its having a big target for the bad guys to hit all day long.

I kind of like the points in to ability checks. I think people who run barbs and fighters would love to be better at breaking down doors. Average door at my table just gets chopped down. Maybe have the max ranks to an ability check be 1/3 character level or maybe make it cost two points. Or both. Might have to play around with this a little....

Does anyone remember this card game? Anyone still have a deck set up or the rules? Starting to think I am the only one that has any of the cards.

yeah knocked out. Chaos monk are a variant that was in the Waterdeep issue of Dragon year, year and a half ago. Can be really broken if you start out with a barb level then switch to the monk levels. Raging grappler.

Oh it is a great one. We are finishing it off tomorrow with two new characters. One died due to running into ogre. The other got knocked out and sacrificed to Grazz't. The mob freaking out from the swarm and zombie was fun. My wife, playing a chaos monk, took a AoO on a commoner running by and just dropped him. It was a memorable moment

Looks like I am a couple of hours late.
I just hate that these parents have kids and treat them so poorly, and a friend I work with just had to deal with her child dieing the day after Mother's Day. It was a SID thing. he was like 6 months old. My friend would have given her child anything. Why should these two people be allowed to have their kids? Why do crack babys get to live and good people's kids die from nature?

On a brighter note maybe Hasbro will freak out over some bad PR and tell WotC to sell the D&D brand to everyone's favorite publishing company??

I am going to tie this adventure into my Waterdeep series. I know my players will be beside themselves with all the magic swords for them to use until....I tell them they have to destroy them. I might actually get some dice or books thrown my way. Thank you Michael for this great adventure and the extra info. I did think the Oquon were a little under staffed in the weapon department.

My party hasn't gotten that far to the brothers yet. I took two out with the orge in the rendering room. Then again, they just stayed to the walls and didn't check the middle of the room. I would also like to add I hate my players some time. They metagame 90% of the time. But when I stand there and read them right out of the book what concelment in the room will mean for combat they walk through the room like nothing was going to happen. No buff spells, nothing. ARG!!! Then they give me the hurt puppy dog look of "Why did I just get crushed to -11?"

I saw the movie last night. Thought I was going to hate it. I loved it. As you watch the movie it just pulls the 5 year old boy out of you and makes you curse that your toys were sold in a yard sale 15 years ago

Yes spiked chain is a nasty little weapon but, as I tell all my players that think of using one that, if they are being Mr. Bad *$$ in battle expect for the bad guys to want to take you out quick and fast. At my table Spiked Chain = bull's eye.

I recently had a chance to intimidate my players. We were playing "Shut-In" and I was using my wife's old mini for Peck the halfling killer. The players were scared.
To explain my wife's character, claim to fame, is a barb/scout halfing with leap attack and monkey grip. Her great ax attack make other people whine and cry. I just wish I had the money to expend my collection.

I recently have started my group in Waterdeep and I started them off with Shut-In, followed by a trip to Meenlock Prision since the did such a good job finding the Swan Street Slicer. When they arrive back in Waterdeep I am going to run Funeral Procession, with Peck as the dead body to be recovered. Has anyone else found some good published adventure that flow together?

I might work with that hold outsider idea. My player is going to be taking bloodline levels out of unearthed Arcana and he is interested in dealing with devils.
On a side note, this same player once told me bards don't have enough offensive spells. Never happy

I got a player that is hooked on warlock. In the past 5 characters we have made he has done a warlock three times. Anyways he wants to do some homebrew invocations. I was wondering if any one has some home brew ones of their own.

MM says you need BAB +4 but PHB2 gives it the the destroyer build as a first level feat. Did they F up in PHB2 or did the feat prereqs change???

Thank you KnightErrant. I will definently make note of that. Alas we were unable to play tonight. My wife had to have gallblader surgury, she is doing fine. Gives me more time to draw out my maps and to do the little write up I was promising my player about the various factions that are in the city. Anymore advice is welcome thank you.

Thanks alot everyone. I start tomarrow night. Been on 8 month break from Dming and I got a full boat of players (6). I will make sure to take notes of NPCs as well as the taverns. As for the gossip I have been looking at all the garbage that are at your local store checkstands and just trying to put a FR spin on it. "Lord X's son was seen with new woman." My group won't be too interested in that stuf but, they might end up picking up a broadsheet or two.

From what I read about Complete Champ was that is was going to be extented Core beliefs that we already get from Dragon. Sure some PrCs and a few more feats that people will point at and say "Cool." but never use. Honestly not interested. Then again being a FR DM that could explain my opinion too.

I am about to finally start my Waterdeep Campaign. I have a rough draft of the arc I want to take the characters on. Lots of seed planting in the lower level part with some basic adventuring thrown in too.
What I am looking for is tips. Has anyone done a long city based campaign? Other then Monte Cook of course. I know I am going to have to make each inn and tavern unique. I also realize that any NPC shop keeper or tavern worker could be there next best friend. So any fun tricks or words of experience would be great.

I was wondering if anyone had some house rules on catching alchemical items that are thrown at people. I was just playing shackled city the other day listening for the skulks then the little bastards threw a thunderstone right at my paladin and he just had to sit there and watch it go off. I am thinkings a dex check would be the best way to go. ANyone else have ideas?

I would like to say Arctaris, you have done such a fine job with Segwin that only the good in my alignment is keeping him alive. Nice job.

As for flying death dealing halfings I made my wife a halfling Barbarian/scout with monkey grip and leap attack. She gets an extra 2d6 from movement with the scout levels and she get X3 from her power attack cause of the medium sized great ax. She has killed many enemy with one swing.

I just have the feeling that the WotC Dragon and Dungeon issues are just going to contain Eberron and Forgotten Realms. Its just going to be what they post on their web site all ready but, call it a magazine. There is no signs that point that WotC will cover Greyhawk material or anything generic. Everything is going to be Eberron or Forgotten Realms.

I was wondering if anyone has a gaming tattoo. Is it a character, or my a natural 20 roll? I have thought of the 20 roll.

Has anyone ever been bother of the though of the 8th level rogue with a 16-17 dex tumbling out of reach of anything you throw at them? I have wanted to change the skill but, can't figure out what I would call a balanced approach. I have though of making the skill check result the AC against AoO like you can do with a Ride check for your mount. Anyone want to add?

I like Sebastian's system so far. The gather information is a nice quick game way to have them search the city for what they want. Smiths, temple, other adventuring groups and shopkeepers are all place you have to look at. Might make my group actually have a character with a positive charisma modifier.

On a side note DmRrostarr there is a Thayen Enclave in Waterdeep now. The Red Wizards have become quite diplomatic and most major city in the realms has an enclave. They limit themselves to selling no magic item over 2k gp.

And to Valefrim what does your group do with any unwanted magic items?? If you trade them to a merchant won't the merchant turn around and sell it to someone else?

I am going to start a Waterdeep adventure once the Undermountain book comes out. I was going over things and magic shops came up. This has always been a hard choice for me. I want the players go and earn the items. From the players side I know they will want to be able to buy themselves items. I don't like the "If you got the money for it then you can buy it approach". I also don't want to sit there and random rolls up items for the shops (which I did in second ed). Anyone have suggestions on a middle ground?

I have an older half brother but, I was raised as only child. Only saw my dad and half brother every other weekend. I would put me down as only child please.

Honestly I think the wizard. He has spells that would keep him away from a buffed up cleric. Also the wizard can deal out more damamge from a distance then the cleric. Think of the primary roles of these characters. Wizard blast 'em and know it all. Cleric buff 'em up and fix all the damage the party takes. Wizard hands down.

I too have thought over the idea of going to point buy. Now, when I was first introduced to it I rebelled. I was going to build a rogue/cleric of Ollidamra with the invisible blade PrC. I was looking for high Dex, since I will wear no armor, high Chr, for bluffing in combat, and Int for skills and AC from the Prc and of course Wis for the cleric side. Now, with point buy you can't have multiple high stats. Never got to find out if it would work the group broke up a little after 4th level I think.

I have been a dice roller for stats for 11 years. Recently here I have added a new person to the group and he is what some would call a power gamer. He is a warmage aasimar that had a 20 Chr at 1st level and had a high Int also. He is now 11th level, has a cloak of charisma +4 now has a score of 26. It has reached the point in the game that he just blasts everything in two rounds and its done. Sure some of it is the inexperienced DM not using appropriate encounters. The other is that with dice rolling allowed him to come off as near god like.

I don't think the CR where made considering a party of four character with base 18's in the primary attribute and probably 16's in one or two other key stats. I think the CRs where set in mind to the elite array for the party or something.

Guess I didn't really make a point at all was more of a rant. Next time I DM I think I will do Point buy so there is no funny rolls at my table which seems to be a trend. Think its time to find a new group. Rant rant rant rant....

Speaking of Todd McFarlane I was thinking of getting a Spiderman tattoo. No and its not cause of the movie. I was wondering if anyone could give me a list of Spiderman comics Todd drew. I know Spiderman 1-14ish but what about the Amazing Spiderman days? Anyone know? Thanks

I know Book of Vile Darkness has a few poisons in it. Other then that nothing that I am aware of.

I remember watching The Prophecy. I went around calling everyone bad monkey for like two weeks.

On what Zombie said about the director in the car accident. I would like to point out the the @#$&ing drunk driver was arrested. Meaning the P.O.S. lived after killing those two people. Remember life isn't fair.

I got a question Sebastian, what about the Holy ability? For 8k I can get a longsword that will give me a +2 and 2d6 against anyone evil. Do you ignore the +1 prerec for all the abilities or just the +1 market modifiers?

The +1 to caster level bonus from the feat is handy until you max out the spell then you lose the bonus from the feat. Plus a magical range weapon is more useful I think since you can full round attack with it at the point the +1 would stop being useful.

Thanks for the heads up into part 3 there Mary. Looks like I might be running this one for awhile after all. With the undermountain book coming out I think I might want to do a larger scale thing then just one shotting this vampire adventure.

I would have to say for favorite "cult" and I mean cult as in did little to nothing in the theater and became bigger once they got out on video.

Princess Bride- the number of lines that can be quoted from the movie is Inconcieveable.

Krull- Some might not have seen this one. First watched on USA up all night I think. Liam Neeson's first film I think. Almost makes you feel guilty for watching its so bad.

Boondock Saints- Other then seeing William Defoe in drag its a great movie.

I kind of like it. Adds a nice touch to the day. Plus it is effecting previous posts also. Happy April Fool's Day everyone