Durn's page

Strength 9
Intelligence 8
Wisdom 12
Dexterity 13
Constitution 11
Charisma 9

I'll check for traps.

I'm gonna get 4E and play the DND.

well I figure if he's rolling 9 times a round crits are gonna come up. But then at my table we don't roll to confirm. Nat 20's! Improved Crit seems like a good adjustment though.

Here's a version I just came up with after reading Mearls' revision and KR's version. It struck me that you could consider each power a lesser version of the save or die power. Each ray could retain the save or die affect a function of a critical hit. This way all the classic flavor is retained without constant save or die attacks. I arbitrarily boosted the saves DCs to reflect their rarity and the high level of the encounter and spread out the types of saves as well. (This is mostly just a cut and paste of Mearls' and Keith Richmond's versions so thanks to them.)

Beholder                                                                     CR 14
Usually LE Large Aberration
Init +6 (Sustained Barrage);
Senses darkvision 60 ft.;
Listen +23, Spot +33
Languages Common, Undercommon, Abyssal, Infernal
 
AC 26, touch 11, flat-footed 24 (+2 Dex, -1 size, +15 natural);
hp 153 (18 HD)
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +15
Speed 5 ft. (1 square), fly 20 ft. (good); Flyby Attack
Melee bite +16 (3d8+6)
Ranged 10 eye rays +14 each (special)
Atk Options Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +13; Grp +21
Special Actions Spell Disruption Eye
Abilities Str 18, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 15
SQ All-around vision
Feats Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Skills Hide +12, Knowledge (Arcana) +17, Listen +23, Move Silently +16, Search +34, Spot +33
Advancement 19-36 HD

Spell Disruption Eye: The beholder can focus its large, central eye on an area, disrupting all spellcasting that takes place there. As a swift action, the beholder creates a 60 foot cone. Anyone in this area who attempts to cast a spell must make a caster level check (DC 25) to successfully complete the spell. This DC is Intelligence based and includes a +7 racial bonus.

Rays: 9 rays per round (Max 3x for each ray. Max three rays per target), Plus 1 Barrage

Stun 1rnd (Will DC25, Dominate on Critical Hit)

Telekinesis: Push 20ft (Ref DC25, 40ft on Critical Hit)

Disintigrate: 6d6 dmg(Acid) (Disintigrate on Critical Hit, Fort DC25)

Petrification: Slow until successful Save (Will DC25, Flesh to Stone on Critical Hit)

Death: 4d8 dmg(Necromantic) (Finger of Death on Critical Hit Fort DC25)

Barrrage: A radiant 20ft explosion of Magical Force, Requires 2 Saves: Fort DC20 (2d8 dmg), Ref DC20 (Knocked Prone)

We've been using simplified skill lists and we just started using the death/dying rules wotc put out. I like it.

Did they ever do a Mass Combat set of rules for the Conan RPG?

yes they did. It is a free PDF on the Mongoose website.

I really like the game too, although I havent had a chance to play it. Interesting to hear that it plays faster, I wouldnt have though so with the DR factor.

I dig it alright. It makes me think of the Elric of Melnibone sagas, who I have always thought of as the coolest multiplanar hero...

does anyone use a Mac with these programs?

I actually liked it alright. The first half was a full-on Conan/Predator crossover and the vikings looked rad. Still, a pretty corny movie but better than 300 for me.

Hey, its good publicity for Paizo's Pathfinder project!

I seem to recall this one book about a halfling that was really popular... or was it a trilogy?

There simply was no patriotism involved in the battle of Thermopylae, except perhaps by the Thespians. The actual Greek force was almost 4000 strong until the final day when only Spartans and Thespians remained and the other survivors had gradually fled during the previous nights.

Most historians believe that Leonidas and the Spartans went simply because of the Oracle of Delphi's foretelling that 'Lacadaemon will fall or a Spartan king shall fall'. There were very few young men in the 300 only the fathers who had sons were allowed to go and Leonidas was said to be 'elderly' and soft spoken...probably ancient in Spartan terms. Not much like Gerard Butlers barking dog portrayal at all. Also the 300 were mainly comprised of the heavy infantry of the Spartans, the ones that wore full armor: breastplate, greaves, and shield. They certainly didn't fight almost naked. The force of the Persian king included contingents from all over Asia Minor and some historians say as far away as Egypt. The infantry alone would have been over a million men.

And finally it was Athens navy that saved Greece... at the battle of Salamis, once the Persian navy was defeated they had no choice but to retreat, certainly the 300's stand would have been a morale boost and certainly it is remembered as one of the most courageous battles in ancient times but it wasn't considered a battle for the "freedom of the Greeks" or any such nonsense.

I didn't know this, but I figured as much. A reluctant army, motivated by prophecy and desparation would make a more interesting and heroic movie. In the movie, the only motivation for Leonidas seemed to be just because "We're Spartans". Anyways, it was just and an incredibly one dimensional flick that would have been best as a cut scene in a computer game or some such. It reminded me why most adventure movies have the requisite "family" scene, "funny" scene, and the "happy life before all the bad stuff happens" scene. In 300 those scenes were: "Dad beating his son with stick", "laughing at ships sinking in a storm", and "standing around waiting to throw a black guy down a well". As corny as it was I liked "Eragon" a lot better. (I can't believe I just admitted that.)

I'm glad at least couple people here shared my reaction. I was definitely going for some escapist fun but I left feeling kinda ill as well. Light people killing dark people. Not much else. Now, I totally understand not wanting to read too much into entertainment -I like my DnD lighthearted and clean- but in this case, I instead of wonderment I just felt uncomfortable.

I imagine that a great opportunity for epic level play should involve roleplaying with the Gods, like attending a council on Mt Olympus... other than that when I think epic D&D I usually think of those mind-bending Elric novels.

what is udon?

Well that's good news. Great monster. The whole DnD cartoon thing might make for a good theme for an adventure in Dungeon...

Ernie was non-plussed but he still invited me to his weekly pick-up game that evening, which was great time in itself.

I have a good story: I was in Lake Geneva on my way (big roadtrip from CA, long story) to GenCon 2000 and I stopped by the local game shop. Who was working the counter? None other than Ernie Gygax! I kid you not. So we got to talking and Ernie said he'd lived in LA for awhile in the 80's when he was a consultant on the DnD cartoon. His job was to make sure everything in the cartoon matched up to the game, such as monsters. Well I had recently seen some bootlegs of the old cartoon so I asked him, "Well what about DemoDragon?" (DemoDragon appeared in an episode wherein the kids were trapped in a fortress under seige by Venger who summoned DemoDragon to break down the doors. DemoDragon was big as the fortress itself and looked like a cross between DemoGorgon and Tiamat: 2 dragon heads, 4 cloven hooves, and tentacles.) Not in the MM, Fiend Folio or anywhere! So stumped Ernie Gygax! He had let it slide... To this day I doubt there's stats for DemoDragon, but there should be, he kicked Venger's butt!

I like the cartoon in all its hokeyness. I do take issue with the stats for the kids' magic items. I guess they're appropriate for a 7th level party but c'mon! Those things are artifacts!

What about charging an opponent with reach? I've always thought that incurred an AoO.
As for leaving a threatened space, I think you can do that freely.
Ditto for me on the cleric's resting, I never thought of that.

The Conan RPG looks really cool... if yer into that sorta thing

(weeps for Joe)

Oh no, Joe, say it ain't so! He was the most active player on this thread. What happened Steve?

Well I fit the bill except for a couple of things. I live in Santa Cruz, and I have been reading the STAP. And I dont know much about Eberron. Oh well.

first book was passable
second book was mind-numbing
Eragon the movie was fast paced and painless with decent CGI
Pretty generic stuff. Malkovich is particularly lame.
If Swords n Sorcery is a monkey on yer back, the movie is a banana.