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OLD skool DM?
started this in another forum, thought it might be a blast to post it and hear what others think and believe.
1.New characters are 1st level. No matter what level you die.
2.There is NEVER a cap on level advancement (see old dragon magazine issues and some 330 odd level wizard that blew up greyhawk, in a letter to the editor, resulting in several issue long snail mail arguments in the letters section of dragon).
3.Core race ONLY.
4.Options are just that, they are options for other groups.
5.YOU will speak as if you were in character.
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The DM is ALWAYS right
1.New characters are 1st level. No matter what level you die.
This also makes for stupid encounters wherein once you die, you might as well wait until everyone else dies before you reroll.
Played with a DM who did this once, in a group of 10+ PCs. The barbarian died, player rolled a new wizard at level 1. Within two sessions, the wizard died. I forget what he rolled up after that, but I bet you can guess what happened here.
I don't play under that DM anymore.
You want to roll to find traps?
Hahaha.
I was the one asking this on another thread.
I can't understand number 4. Can someone explain it for me?
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Owner - Johnny Scott Comics and Games
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6. You still divide your rounds into segments.
7. No one is allowed to look behind the DM screen.
8. You run more of your own adventures than pre-published adventures.
9. You modify all pre-published adventures you DO run just enough to throw off those players who like to read ahead (but don't admit it).
10. Save or Die is a way of life - Your campaign did not adopt the kinder gentler Pathfinder way of handling these types of spells...
11. You have developed several ways of countering the 15 minute adventuring day.
I have been DMing since 1974.
I don't do any of that stuff.
Mind you, starting @ 1st was a tradition for years, but back in 1st Ed ect, it wasn't quite so bad. (You'd level every game if you were a 1st level PC in a group of 10th level guys, so you'd almost catch up in a short time)
And, speaking in character has been required by all sorts of RP heavy DMs, it's not "Old School" at all.
I was the one asking this on another thread.
I can't understand number 4. Can someone explain it for me?
An old school DM playing pathfinder would only allow the core book. period. no, I have this cool idea and stuff released to back up the idea and it's not even broken, i'm really a little underpowered.... CORE BOOK ONLY.
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And, speaking in character has been required by all sorts of RP heavy DMs, it's not "Old School" at all.
Old School doesn't have to mean bad, some of the idea's were very good. Only speaking in character is very much old school.
12. when he kills you every two sessions and tells you stories of his old DM who killed them every session.
12. when he kills you every two sessions and tells you stories of his old DM who killed them every session.
THIS and more like it, I think that is what pisses me off about "old school" dm's, according to them they had it worse. I just feel like I have it boring.
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Somebody had to ask this, and it falls on me, being the default loudmouthed jerk: How many more "generic gamer stuff that has not entirely much to do with Pathfinder RPG" threads will Nos start today?
I'm asking because I have the Gamer Life an, Offtopic forums collapsed and never pay any attention to them, and this is spilling over on parts that I actually do read.
Sorry, had to do that :)
hey its late, or early, depending where i am right now. jsut had some fun. and i cut it out, i started this because someone asked in a different thread. and i do actually contribute to other threads as well. its nice to have a little fun, with out having to make every post about character Maximization, and not even optimization.
I dont think this is any lamer then asking which are the weakest feats, lol...anyhow i am sorry if its to much, and i mean it. was just having a little fun. and not being a jerk, i do apologize if i annoyed you mate.
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are you kidding, the core book killed me. THat was it, no other books. but i just bought, i dont care.
13.This is my world and you will like it. Its not home brew its as good or better then any other world.
14.dont tell anyone beacause this world WILL be published.
15.dont argue or i will give you another encounter.
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Owner - Johnny Scott Comics and Games
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And, speaking in character has been required by all sorts of RP heavy DMs, it's not "Old School" at all.Old School doesn't have to mean bad, some of the idea's were very good. Only speaking in character is very much old school.
I very much agree with this statement. Old School DM does not mean "Bad DM." Some of the best campaigns I've been involved in were with Old School DMs. Heck, to some degres, I'M an Old School DM...
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16. You drop Thac0 jokes when someone mentions backstabbing
An old school DM playing pathfinder would only allow the core book. period. no, I have this cool idea and stuff released to back up the idea and it's not even broken, i'm really a little underpowered.... CORE BOOK ONLY.I was the one asking this on another thread.
I can't understand number 4. Can someone explain it for me?
+1
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when you roll your stats you keep what lies, in the order they fall.
then you argue for an entire game session on wether it is str dex con, or str con dex.
apparently some people cannot change editions.
and thaco, thank you...Applause.
actually i have had great times with old school dms, most are okay when you take one or two bad elements in a good night, however its the ones that have 10 or 12 that start to worry me.
Somebody had to ask this, and it falls on me, being the default loudmouthed jerk:...
Sorry, had to do that :)
I hear ya. Just flag it, and it will go to the right place. It's better for you and better for the thread.
18) When you call for system shock survival upon receiving a(n) [insert method of returning from being dead here].
19) When you track the number of deaths per PC as compared to thier original Con score and gleefully declare permanent death if/when they reach that threshold.
20) When you roll percentiles for reaction rolls instead of relying on the 'new fangled' Diplomacy/Intimidate social interaction rules.
21) When you wonder why the artifacts are so wuss.
22) When you pine longingly for 1e/2e multi-classing and/or dual-classing.
23) When you keep forgetting that rangers don't start with 2d8 hit dice.
24) When you also keep forgetting that rangers don't get druid and magic-user spells - they have their own special spells list.
25) When you wonder why on earth is the barbarian levelling as fast as the rest of the party.
26) When the cavalier character does not immediately purchase a suit of full plate armor as soon as they have the cash and are in town to order one you reflexively say "freeze your XP until you do".
27) When you wonder why no one has interviews for henchmen and hirelings until no earlier than 7th level.
28) When you implement training rules for leveling up 'cause that's the way it's always been done. ;)
29) When you still blink in amazement that there are so many paladins.
30) When you stare in horror when a player says that thier paladin is any race other than human.
31) I hand out what characters you are to play when you get here.
(and one dm)32)I'll level your characters up for you, you don't know what you got better at during game play.
33)You demand to know why there aren't more unnecessary charts in this book.
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34) Back in your days, "elf" or "dwarf" was a class.
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when you roll your stats you keep what lies, in the order they fall.
then you argue for an entire game session on wether it is str dex con, or str con dex.
IMPOSTOR! If you were old school like me you'd know it was Str, Int, Wis, Dex, Con, Cha.
And then Cms, if you used "those new books."
When you have to set up a separate Module or encounter for the Barbarian player, because he can't travel with the Magic User or Cleric yet.
Care to explain?
Care to explain?
Gygax, Gary, 1st edition Unearthed Arcana (1985), barbarian class.
It was one of those "new" AD&D books.NOOB!
Care to explain?Gygax, Gary, 1st edition Unearthed Arcana (1985), barbarian class.
It was one of those "new" AD&D books.NOOB!
And why couldn't he travel with the Magic user and the cleric?
That's the part i don't understand.
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@leo1925
Magic intolerance. 1E Barbarians couldn't go anywhere near magic at 1st level unless they wanted to destroy it and only got to associate with spellcasters as they went up in level. They couldn't even use magic equipment until they'd gained a few levels. Of course, they made up for it by being damn near unstoppable and, by about level 12, you could use most of the magic gear other warriors could use and there was no problem with hanging out with friendly casters. Not that that stopped you from gaining XP for destroying magic items.
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Care to explain?Gygax, Gary, 1st edition Unearthed Arcana (1985), barbarian class.
It was one of those "new" AD&D books.NOOB!
And why couldn't he travel with the Magic user and the cleric?
That's the part i don't understand.
Barbarians HATED magic types. Though I thought it was more arcane casters than divine casters but it's also been years since I've looked at my copy of UA.
Hmm... When you have written more adventures/articles for later editions than the times you actually DMed or played anything post-AD&D.
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At early levels, it was all spellcasters. Clerics and druids came off the hate list earlier than mages (that's "wizards" for those of you who only started playing after 2E.) To "balance" the lack of magic-reliance, barbarians got all sorts of awesome abilities like super leaping powers, spell resistance and stealthy stuff in addition to a d12 HD and x2 on their CON bonus to HP (i.e. an 18 CON got you +8hp.) Of course, they also needed about 4000xp to reach level 2 since every class had it's own XP table.
I also remember the cavalier from the same book gained bonuses to STR, DEX, CON, and CHA every few levels and that ability was extended to Paladins since they became lumped in as holy cavaliers.
Now, for another something old school...
You remember "giant-class creatures." As in, a ranger adds his level to damage against all giant-class creatures. This was like the original favored enemy ability and it was pretty amazing what called giant-class. I distinctly remember goblins and norkers were on the list because they were, apparently, related to giants.
.....when you house rule everything because too complicated. ;)
True. And you were afraid of rules lawyers because they had not yet taken control of the world and deleted the concept from historical memory.
39) When to roll inititative you reached for a d6...that remember it is a d10.
40) When you critize the PF GM screen for not having the Combat Matrix or the Saving Throws Matrix
41) When reach for that d6 again to dtermine surprise.
42) If you always have the Elves and the Halflings in non-metal armor in the group travel 90' in front of the group to gain surprise.
43) When you sit back and can gleefuly state you used THAC0 before that new fangled 2nd edition came out.
...you think skills are "sort of like non-weapon proficiencies."
...you don't understand why every character doesn't have a max press.
...you think rolling dice to collect information or influence NPCs is a crime against nature.
...you really like polearms.
44) What do you mean you cannot fork the Lightning Bolt?
45) What do you mean you cannot bounce the Lightning Bolt off the wall and hit the target a second time?
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Thaco was a second edition creation (and we hated it!)
No...
It came well before 2nd edition...
The first time I've personally seen it used "officially" was in 1983 in the TSR UK module "UK2: The Sentinel"...
However, it's actually even older than that...
As I've read (but cannot confirm) that Frank Mentzer used it in his RPGA "R" series of modules in 1982 or so...
You started playing with a little siver-grey book called 'Chainmail' and GRADUATED to the three books in a box...
gawd! I feel old!
8. You run more of your own adventures than pre-published adventures.
(...)
11. You have developed several ways of countering the 15 minute adventuring day.
Huh... I am Old School GM despite starting GMing in middle of 90s?!