Major__Tom's page

I don't know about strange, but I can certainly provide stupid.

We were playing in the Ravenloft setting - the one that is set in 1890 (Red Dawn, or Red Blood, something like that). Party magic - one ancient sword. Party opposition - a vampire, with full D&D immunities/strengths.

Through research, we discover that it takes 1/2 damage from silver!!! ANd we have shotguns!!! Daylight hours spent collecting silver to make shotgun pellets out of. Special point made to never be alone. Stupidity begins now.

We are holed up in a defensible basement, when someone realizes that the sherriff of the town was left at his office, and he's a good shot, we need him. Dusk is just falling, so after some discussion (we shouldn't split up, yes we should, back and forth), our fighter takes off running to get the sheriff.

20 minutes pass, he's not back. More discussion, we should all go, no we shouldn't. This time two people take off to get the sherriff.

30 minutes go by, no one has come back. A single PC - the rogue, decides he can sneak through the darkness and find out what happened.

Another hour goes by, the sherriff's daughter shows up, she says that her father was torn to shreds by the vampire. The two of us remaining decide to hole up in the church. On the way there, fifth party member disappears. It's now me, my magic sword, and the sherriff's daughter, who of course was a vassal vampire.

Final battle, I managed to wound the vampire for eight points of damage before going down, total TPK entirely due to our stupidity.

It has become a byword in our gaming circle, 'We've stayed together all day, there are undead out there and it's just dark, time to split up."

Yes, the Vancian spell system is just like democracy. It is clearly the worst possible magic system, except for all the other magic systems.

There may be some that work better, (not spell points, see the 3.5 psionicist, especially at mid to high levels - 15+ for complete gamebreaking domination), but it WILL NOT be D&D without it. Too many years, too many spells.

I agree. Number one problem with APs, they end just when the characters are getting interesting. Need some that go to at least 20, more would be better.