Tim Crowe's page

Zeus,

I have been gaming in Maine Since Grade School in the 1980s. I have moved a little and gone to college and for the most part I have had to teach people the game each time I move. I am a little further north then you (Washington County). I try to start with freinds I already have and get them to do a single combat. You can tell right there if they will be into gameing or not. Find people that play fantasy video games or read fantasy novels. YOu are in Maine and it will be difficult to find gamers but it can be done.

I moved to Waterville Maine, or as I like to think of it the ass end of the universe, about six months ago. So adding two months of pre-transition crap I haven't gamed in about eight months. I've about hit the breaking point. How long after you haven't gamed are you no longer a gamer?

There's one little hole-in-the-wall shop that sells card games. The nearest decent comic/game shop is an hour away. Not to mention the movie theatres here are about 10+ years out of date, sorry different subject.

I've been gaming for since I was 12 years old, I'm now 32. I don't have any odious habits, no lisp, I shower regularly, I'm married, no kids and not living in anyone's mother basement. I'm a firm believer in contributing to the pop and munchies.

I've played with one group for a little over twelve years. Been with other groups off and on. I don't deal well with immature players or mooches. I like good indepth roleplaying. I'm not big on hack and slash or pointless dungeon crawling. I believe in cooperative storytelling.

I'm beginning to believe that I just might be past the point where I'll be able to find a new group. I very much doubt I'll be able to find one that fits any of my expectations. So do I just give in and quit?

What was the chase adventure that Wolfgang did in early dungeon. The one where the players chased the bad guy on horse back.

Sorry I will find the issue in the morning.

I am sure I will look foward to this article every time I he writes it!

Ahhh... that. As the DM-- you can assume that the players making the long plans at "the door" is happening in real time--- ie 1 min real time = 1 min game time. Then have he Bad guys roll listen checks every so often. Sooner or later the Baddies will hear / detect the PC's. Nothing breaks up long drawn out metagame planning sessions faster than:

DM "you take 5 points of damage as an arrow suddenly sprouts from your back"
PLayer "what-- but i didn't even roll inititave"
DM "I know"
Player "but i dint even roll a listen check"
DM " i rolled it for you, SECRETLY, as you were huddled by the door planning your next move, it seems you were discovered... now roll for initiave"

I do this and have condidtioned the players. I just start rolling dice and they move to the point of action.

I think all three were above par for fantasy movies in general.

Not that the par for fantasy movies are too high.

Tim Crowe wrote:

I envy all of you that can have more then one game. Downeast Maine just does not have the population or the gaming interest to support that much gaming.

I'm thankful that I get to play in more than one game. What I am envious of is people who get to play once a week (or more!) On paper I play twice a month, but with one thing or another it often ends up being once a month, if that.

And the other thing I'm envious of is all those lucky people who's partners game with them - hold onto those ones, they're keepers! My wife doesn't particularly like D&D, the fact that I play it, or a number of the people I play with ... it can make things very difficult...

I'd be interested to hear what other people's partners feel about gaming? And their partner playing if they don't?

My wife puts up with it. She puts up with my stories about the game. She played once and could not get into it.

My 8 Y/O little girl wants to play badly. I DM for solo games for her sometimes.

She sits in on my games and gets me Minis, books, drinks etc..

Sometimes I have her move the minis around for me.

She often whispers things that she thinks I should do with NPCs.

EP - I was still in when we went to Afghanistan, had my Terminal leave and ETS suspended for two years and got deployed out there. So I know how you feel out there.

Politics aside, from one former soldier to an active duty brother in arms - thank you for your service. The military is one of the most honorable vocations there is, and you just keep doing your job and come home alive and safe.

And just because I cant sut up. I do not think this war was the best way to deal with the world now but it is happening and we need to be thankful that the war is not here and never will be because of people like EP.

i took it off, you are right, this is rpg heaven, shouldn't be spoiled with such topics.

and i havent been taking out on him.. i feel sorry for EP, i feel sorry for everyone being involved in other people's violence..

sorry again!

ps: i just felt bad about someone thanking him for being there... it doesnt make any sense...

I Feel thankful for all of the people that have put themselfs in harms way for the last 200+ years. I did not read the post you put up but I do not feel wrong or out of place for thanking everyone that serves, I do thank them and none of them have ever taken offence to it. It does make sence.

I envy all of you that can have more then one game. Downeast Maine just does not have the population or the gaming interest to support that much gaming.

Thank you for being there EP.

ME DM:32
Players: 13, 13, 14, 16, 18, 42

The 42 yearold is the dad of the rest of the players.

I have DMed since 1985 with 6 or 7 different groups.

I taught almost everyone I ever played with how to play with the exception of 2 groups in 2000.

I have 2 groups that I started then moved away and they still play.

I have just taught the 18 Y/O above how to DM and will be a PC for the first time since 2000 tonight.

I never care about my spelling or gramar.

I had her face them in a throne room I made before her bedroom (about 30 by 30). I talked to them for awhile about working for me. Then I had gut tugger attack. I also had the BB Zombie in this room. Rowyn stayed back and when Gut Tugger went down she raised him, took one hit and then drank the potion of Gaseous form.

I had the mist drift through the door to her bed room.

The players were sure she was hiding in the bed.

She was long gone.

I picked Wee Jas for a magor NPC in my STAP and was so over joyed to see this article.

Anyone want to give a shot at the stats on the succubus?

I like 1 encounter an hour. I play between 1 to 5 hours. Many in my group love combat and things can get bogged down in looking for rules. If I see an encouter taking up an hour I start making on the fly rulings so we can get to some roleplaying before

I got 350 today. I read 2/3 of it last night. Now I need to wait for my next dungeon.

You just HAD to come up with this challenge the day before every relative in the WORLD descends on my house, didn't you. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

Ashenvale

I will not have Bugbear Zombies in my game until friday night so you have some time.

Additionally I think there is more support material for SCAP than for any of the other APs to be found on RPGgenius site. This is a PHENOMINAL reference for anyone running the game.

Sean Mahoney

What is the url for that site?

Sadly, there were no companion articles in Dragon for the SCAP. However, there is quite a bit of player related goodness in the Shackled City hardcover - I wish I had some of that when I was running it...

I have all the dungeon issues with the SCAP and I am letting one of my current players use them to DM for the first time and I wanted some back up to help him out but I have read none of the SCAP adventures as I plan to be a player for the first time in like 5 years.

I have been in many games with fireballs and not too many with cannons.

If my players want it when they get the wyvern I will entertain it.

I alway make gun powder a little bit different in each game I DM.

I think for this they if the want cannons they will need to talk to a crazy gnome from cauldron.

I am a ways from having the ships But I know they will want cannons. My players always want gun powder for some reason.

And cannons are so cool.

Did anything like savage tidings ever run for shackled city in dragon?

I am gearing up to be a player and was looking for some resources.

I had the same problem. Where is the art for a Bugbear Zombie!? I have seen the monster used quite a bit and have never seen art for it.

May the first person to find a picture of a bugbear zombie be blessed with all 20s during there next undead encounter.

Luke Fleeman wrote:

Ultradan, where do babies come from?

Lol. I think it's time you visited your family doctor...

Ultradan

Ultradan

Can you also post the description of the nine hells from the Manual of the Planes first edition?

JK

Mando these stats on seperate pages helps sooooo much. Thanks again!

Your posts are helping me run my ST game. I am just getting done with No Honor and am keeping my game behind yours just so I can see what direction your group takes.

Thanks for the Journal.

Dragon issue #350 shipped to subscribers on 11/7. We like to give subscription issues at least a full two weeks to reach US addresses, which for this issue is tomorrow.

Therefore if you have not seen your issue by the end of this week, let us know at that point.

Keep in mind, however, that the Paizo offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, so I can stay home and play World of Warcraft, and other people can eat turkey and watch football. Customer Service inquiries will be addressed on Monday.

Thanks!
cos

Thanks Cosmo. I will be looking in the mail and keep you posted. I give thanks this year for Paizo customer service.

I live in northern Maine should I just continue to wait?

Fourth batch sent.

Adventure 2 encounters stats doc should be available next week.

I just noticed this thread. I would love a copy. Thank you for the prep work!!!

timcrowe@calaisfederal.com

Not sure what the next should be but their should be one.

I am coming home to greyhawk right now too so I would like to see greyhawk again.

I am for a random focus of some under appreciated area of greyhawk but lets leave the tropics.

I love this line of play. My players have already breeched the guild hall by way of the the well (sewer drain in my game). I am sure the will go back top side once the find the way.

I am going to intro The lady dragon somehow. Not sure. Any ideas.

No glories for them tonight.

I have them in the crucible 3 out of 5 wounded. They just got the crocs down and just found the secret door.

I am debating on making all of the trap doors out secret or not. They are down to 3 heal potions and no cleric.

I am having a second game tommorow.

This is one good adventure. Things are flowing well and the players are all engaged. Even the halfling theif that climbed all the was up the drain pipe to find nothing.

Tonight I am having the Lotus Dragon note, Ambush, Raid on the Taxidermist and the chase to the guild. Or atleast this is the sequence I see.

For the guild entrance I am putting it as a drain at the end of a Dark alley. I am also making it a slide that runs some distance.

I am raising the ceiling of the crucible and putting the crucible about 50' below the rest of the dungeon.

After all of this they will probably get in through Nemien's shop.

I am also bulking up the Bugbear Zombie a little (I started with an old dead PC).

Tim Crowe wrote:

My players found Vanthus on the Parrot Island, and chased him off. They sent the heavy armor fighter into the hole. He killed three zombies and attracted the rest. He ran back to the hole and climbed the rope. The players then dropped 7 flasks of oil down the hole and lit the fire with an arrow. All that was left was 12 hp of undead, crabs and one secret door.

Any idea of where I went wrong as a DM would not be taken the wrong way.

The party got lucky with Vanthus and had a good plan for the zombies. This is where you went wrong, you changed things and took away the party's win by......YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG!!! If you had pulled a stunt to make their lucky victory not count, then you would have done something wrong. There are too many DM's who feel like the party needs to be beat down and barely survive every encounter. This path will have a TON of almost TPKs, let the victories be just that. Victory.

Good Job!

FH

Thanks

I have only just got done with Parrot Island and now I want to go ahead and read 141. All I read is the summary of the adventures and then put them into the library (going back to dungeon one but missing runs of more than 3 or 4 at a time). But after this thread I am going to have to read Wyvern's Wake.

I am impressed with this adventure path so far.

My players found Vanthus on the Parrot Island, and chased him off. They sent the heavy armor fighter into the hole. He killed three zombies and attracted the rest. He ran back to the hole and climbed the rope. The players then dropped 7 flasks of oil down the hole and lit the fire with an arrow. All that was left was 12 hp of undead, crabs and one secret door.

Any idea of where I went wrong as a DM would not be taken the wrong way.

James, one of the questions I posted to the boards a few weeks ago is about the map of Sasserine - is it going to be possible to get a version of this (maybe in the #139 supplement) without map keys or labels? It would help out my FR game to no end (as I need to rotate the map 180 degrees and put it near Thay).

Thanks!

I lost my Sasserine map. I have been using the players guide. I would also love to have the player handouts. I am just going into the Vault so I am not too far in but after this week end I should be near the end of need for hand outs on 139. Please get the online supplement up for 139 and 140 ASAP!!

One of my players 1/2 orc fighter bluffed his way onto the Blue Nixie while the rest of the party hid on shore with long bows. They were able to take the ship with out any rucus at all.