46
General Chaos / Re: What Vidja games are you playing?
« on: October 19, 2010, 01:24:55 PM »Uhh Fallout: New Vegas?
My coworkers are getting annoyed because I won't shut up about this. Can't wait to go home and start playing it.
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My coworkers are getting annoyed because I won't shut up about this. Can't wait to go home and start playing it.
47
General Chaos / Re: Cody's got a new website!
« on: October 18, 2010, 05:36:49 PM »
Would that be the same man who wrote Batman/Aliens? Then I shall have to respect his taste in blogs.
48
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Dark Sun Campaign
« on: October 17, 2010, 01:03:19 PM »
Here, have a theme song. As many layers as there are finnish melodeath bands.
49
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Dark Sun Campaign
« on: October 15, 2010, 05:54:35 PM »the cipher is a message related to the current dark sun campaign
I think part of the poly-alphabetic key is 'sword'. That's as far as I got today.
(Can't wait to play Dark Sun over at Nerdbound someday.)
50
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Dark Sun Campaign
« on: October 15, 2010, 09:34:51 AM »
Seeing as the english language only has two single letter words ('a' and 'I'), and Ross' codes preserve capitalization, punctualization, and numbers, there seem to be several candidates for the letter 'a' ('g', 'n', 'a', 't', 'o'). This leads me to think that he's not using a simple substitution cipher as was the previous case.
And yet, several words repeat between lines, which makes it look like a substitution cipher still. ('ilv vftyeeaei', 'twvpj yo')
Very curious, Captain. And way more interesting than anything I might do at work today.
And yet, several words repeat between lines, which makes it look like a substitution cipher still. ('ilv vftyeeaei', 'twvpj yo')
Very curious, Captain. And way more interesting than anything I might do at work today.
51
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: New world campaign
« on: October 14, 2010, 08:20:58 PM »zlh jnxyz Otghcg Yzognhy Futjhxhtfh nt 1970 yhz juxzl zlh xorhy jux hyzcdrnylntk c thb yvhfnhy uj otghcg. Crr ausdnhy cxh frcyynjnhg otghx zlh khtoy Fuxvoy:
1. Zlh ausdnh ny c vcxcynznf yvhfnhy. Crr ausdnhy xhwonxh zlh fuxvyh uj ct ctnscr jux c luyz duge.
2. Zlh ausdnh oyhy zlh Ushkc Ctnsc jux hthxke, xhwonxntk tu juug nt uxghx zu xhscnt ctnsczh. Nz sce futyosh jrhyl, doz tu yvhfnhy hczy htuokl shcz zu cffuotz jux nzy hthxke uozvoz.
3. Zlh ausdnh sugnjnhy nzy luyz duge, fxhczntk zlh KLOR khthznf scxqhxy nt nzy GTC.
Zlny ghjntnznut lcy yhxmhg zlh yfnhtznjnf fussotnze bhrr, lurgntk ov otghx ghfcghy uj thb xhyhcxfl ctg ntynklz. Zlh OT lcy xhfuktnahg zlny ghjntnznut nt yhmhxcr ntzhxtcznutcr zxhcznhy.
My god... they've known since 1970! The things that walk, but should not. The markers are there in the DNA. It all goes back to the energy... Omega Anima. There's a whole nation of them - a nation of these things! All this time, they've been there and we didn't even know.
[spoiler]
the first Undead Studies Conference in 1970 set forth the rules for establishing a new species of undead. All zombies are classified under the genus Corpus:
1. The zombie is a parasitic species. All zombies require the corpse of an animal for a host body.
2. The zombie uses the Omega Anima for energy, requiring no food in order to remain animate. It may consume flesh, but no species eats enough meat to account for its energy output.
3. The zombie modifies its host body, creating the GHUL genetic markers in its DNA.
This definition has served the scientific community well, holding up under decades of new research and insight. The UN has recognized this definition in several international treaties.
[/spoiler]
Totally New World material.
52
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: New world campaign
« on: October 14, 2010, 06:32:39 PM »Va gur pbagrkg bs erprag qrirybczragf, vg unf orpbzr arprffnel gb rinyhngr naq rfgnoyvfu n qrsvavgvir frg bs cebgbpbyf jvgu ertneqf gb YNMNEHF pngrtbel fcrpvzraf, obgu va gur yno naq gur jvyq. Gb guvf raq, cebwrpg pbqr anzrq ERFHEERPGVBAVFG jvyy birefrr n frevrf bs rkcrevzragf naq svryq grfgf va beqre gb shysvyy gur ntraqn frg ol gur Juvgr Ubhfr. Gurfr qverpgvirf zhfg or pneevrq bhg va n gvzryl znaare, erdhvevat pbbcrengvba sebz nyy vaibyirq ntrapvrf. Nyy ntrapvrf ner pbqrq nf ERF-1 guebhtu ERF-7 naq jvyy or ersreerq gb nf fhpu va vagreany qbphzragngvba. Cyrnfr erivrj gur erfcbafvovyvgvrf naq qhgvrf frg sbe lbhe ntrapl naq fhozvg lbhe pbzzragf ertneqvat gurz ab yngre guna Bpgbore 13. Gur shyy naq pbzcyrgr cnegvpvcngvba bs nyy vaibyirq ntrapvrf vf pevgvpny gb gur fhpprff bs guvf cebwrpg. ERFHEERPGVBAVFG unf orra qrrzrq n cebwrpg ivgny gb angvbany frphevgl ol gur Juvgr Ubhfr naq nyy nccebcevngr erfbheprf jvyy or nyybpngrq gb rafher vgf pbagvahnapr.
NOFGENPG: Va beqre gb fhzznevmr gur zngrevny pbirerq va gur Jrfg yrpgherf (erpbirerq sebz Zvfxngbavp Havirefvgl nepuvirf) ertneqvat gur Bzrtn Navzn gurbel, vg zhfg or erzrzorerq gung vg jnf Iba Whamg jub chfurq gur Nve Sbepr vagb qrirybcvat nccyvpnoyr thvqryvarf sbe hfvat YNMNEHF fcrpvzraf nf nvepensg beqanapr. Guvf jbex vf gur sbhaqngvba bs nyy pheerag ERFHEERPGVBAVFG cebgbpbyf. Nyy ntrapvrf fubhyq hfr gur Iba Whamg thvqryvarf nf gurve fgnegvat cbvag.
Having read this, I have some questions:
- What is Ressurectionist?
[spoiler] What are Lazarus Category specimens?[/spoiler]
[spoiler] Why - how! - could they be used as aircraft ordinance?[/spoiler]
[spoiler]Who is Von Junzt and what is the Omega Anima theory?[/spoiler]
- Why would the White House be involved in this? (They're the good guys!)
Ruby scripting and Cryptography skills. It's been nice knowing you guys but I think there's a well-dressed man knocking at my door.
53
RPGs / Re: Anecdote Megathread
« on: October 12, 2010, 11:38:38 AM »
I played RPGs all the time when I was growing up. My friends were really into Rifts and, by extension, so was I. The only time I got to play D&D was with my brothers. We'd gotten to the point where we would 'play' without the dice. Telling stories about the bizarre characters they came up with became more fun than tactical combat.
At some point, my sister - one of the most cultured and well-adjusted people I know - wanted to participate. I think she had this idea in her mind that she wanted to show interest in what her brothers did. At the time, we were doing D&D 2e. But I also had tons of expansions, and we had very strange ideas on house rules. I brought her up to speed on how the game worked and we set about making her a character that would mesh well with the party.
Brother 1 had a wemic fighter named Hercules Bloodpaw. For those not in-the-know, a wemic is like a centaur but made of lions instead of horses. Bloodpaw was buff and had magic weapons and armor. He killed shit and did it well.
Brother 2 played 'Diablo', a wild mage who was also a member of the race of gnome-sized lizard men who didn't speak save through pheromones. (I can't remember what they were called.) I think at one point he had magical boots that gave him super-speed.
After hearing all this, my sister wanted to play something straightforward - an elven ranger simply called The Huntress. She enjoyed the character and played her well. There was nothing particularly strange about her until one day, when a random treasure table in a random dungeon earned her a magical item called the Decanter of Endless Water.
"What does it do?" my sister asked.
"Well, it's a flask," I said, sort of downhearted because I was giving the party such a shitty item. "It has three settings. You say 'stream', 'fountain', or 'geyser', and it makes water at varying levels of force."
I think she knew that the item wasn't as impressive as the other items dolled out in the campaign. I thought about changing it, but she insisted on keeping it. "Maybe we can sell it when we get back to town." The ranger tucked it away for safe keeping.
Later in the same dungeon, shit went haywire. A giant guarding a princess was giving the PCs a hard time. They figured out that the giant's weak point was its unarmored head, but getting up there proved unexpected difficult. Just when it looked like things were going to end badly, my sister started to smile.
"Does the flask we got earlier have a strap or something I can tie with?"
"Sure, you can strap it to you if you don't want to hold it in your pack," I said, a little confused.
"Can I strap it to my back, upside-down, and use the 'geyser' setting to boost my jump?"
I sat their dumbfounded for a second. My brothers kinda looked at each other.
"Yeah, you can do that," I said eventually, not even bothering to read the magic item description.
In her following turn, the elven ranger shouted 'GEYSER!!' and, with a running leap, stabbed the giant in the face, gouging out an eye. The other heroes charged in when the giant fell to its knees and kept the beast from recovering. In time, they won the battle and saved the princess.
This was years ago, but I'm certain she still had that item when the character retired. I think Diablo the lizard painted wings on it at one point.
At some point, my sister - one of the most cultured and well-adjusted people I know - wanted to participate. I think she had this idea in her mind that she wanted to show interest in what her brothers did. At the time, we were doing D&D 2e. But I also had tons of expansions, and we had very strange ideas on house rules. I brought her up to speed on how the game worked and we set about making her a character that would mesh well with the party.
Brother 1 had a wemic fighter named Hercules Bloodpaw. For those not in-the-know, a wemic is like a centaur but made of lions instead of horses. Bloodpaw was buff and had magic weapons and armor. He killed shit and did it well.
Brother 2 played 'Diablo', a wild mage who was also a member of the race of gnome-sized lizard men who didn't speak save through pheromones. (I can't remember what they were called.) I think at one point he had magical boots that gave him super-speed.
After hearing all this, my sister wanted to play something straightforward - an elven ranger simply called The Huntress. She enjoyed the character and played her well. There was nothing particularly strange about her until one day, when a random treasure table in a random dungeon earned her a magical item called the Decanter of Endless Water.
"What does it do?" my sister asked.
"Well, it's a flask," I said, sort of downhearted because I was giving the party such a shitty item. "It has three settings. You say 'stream', 'fountain', or 'geyser', and it makes water at varying levels of force."
I think she knew that the item wasn't as impressive as the other items dolled out in the campaign. I thought about changing it, but she insisted on keeping it. "Maybe we can sell it when we get back to town." The ranger tucked it away for safe keeping.
Later in the same dungeon, shit went haywire. A giant guarding a princess was giving the PCs a hard time. They figured out that the giant's weak point was its unarmored head, but getting up there proved unexpected difficult. Just when it looked like things were going to end badly, my sister started to smile.
"Does the flask we got earlier have a strap or something I can tie with?"
"Sure, you can strap it to you if you don't want to hold it in your pack," I said, a little confused.
"Can I strap it to my back, upside-down, and use the 'geyser' setting to boost my jump?"
I sat their dumbfounded for a second. My brothers kinda looked at each other.
"Yeah, you can do that," I said eventually, not even bothering to read the magic item description.
In her following turn, the elven ranger shouted 'GEYSER!!' and, with a running leap, stabbed the giant in the face, gouging out an eye. The other heroes charged in when the giant fell to its knees and kept the beast from recovering. In time, they won the battle and saved the princess.
This was years ago, but I'm certain she still had that item when the character retired. I think Diablo the lizard painted wings on it at one point.
54
RPGs / Re: Character Sheet Sharing Station
« on: October 11, 2010, 10:33:59 PM »
Made this guy using Heroes of the Fallen Lands. Pretty damn tough for a starter.
RACE: Human
CLASS: Knight
LEVEL: 1
ABILITY SCORES: STR 20, CON 14, DEX 10, INT 8, WIS 10, CHA 11
// The book offers three choices for scores. A "Balanced" set, a "Dual Specialist" set, and the choice used here, the "Specialist" set.
// There's a blurb saying the DM can let you use normal point-buy rules if you like.
HIT POINTS: 29
HEALING SURGES: 11
SURGE VALUE: 10 (base 7, +3 from Swift Recovery)
INITIATIVE: +0
SPEED: 5 (6 + Armor Penalty)
ATTACKS
* Longsword +9 (+5 Ability, +1 Weapon Talent, +3 Proficiency)
* Javelin +8 (+5 Ability, +1 Weapon Talent, +2 Proficiency)
DEFENSES
* Armor Class 20 (Base, +8 Armor, +2 Shield)
* Fortitude 18 (Base, +5 Ability, +1 Race, +2 Class)
* Reflex 13 (Base, +0 Ability, +1 Race, +2 Shield)
* Willpower 11 (Base, +0 Ability, +1 Race)
LANGUAGES: Common, Elven
SKILLS (Trained; includes Human bonus skill)
* Athletics +9 (Strength)
* Diplomacy +5 (Charisma)
* Endurance +7 (Constitution)
* Intimidate +5 (Charisma)
FEATS (includes Human bonus feat)
* Swift Recovery (+3 bonus to your healing surge value)
* Armor Finesse (ignore the check penalty for wearing armor)
EQUIPMENT
* 5 gp
* Plate Armor
* Heavy Shield
* Longsword
* Javelin
* Adventurer's Kit
POWERS and FEATURES
* Weapon Talent (+1 bonus to attack rolls with weapon attacks)
* Shield Finesse (ignore the check penalty for wearing a shield)
* Defender Aura (Minor/At-Will; Aura, Personal)
While in this Aura, any unmarked enemy takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls when it makes an attack that doesn't target you or another ally who has Defender Aura.
* Battle Guardian (Opportunity/At-Will; Martial, Personal)
TRIGGER: An enemy subject to your Defender Aura either shifts or makes an attack that doesn't target you or another ally who has Defender Aura.
EFFECT: You make a basic melee attack against the triggering enemy. If the attack misses, the enemy still takes damage equal to your Strength modifier.
// Fighter Stances (choose two)
* Defend the Line (Minor/At-Will; Martial, Stance)
Until the stance ends, whenever you hit an enemy with a melee basic attack using a weapon, that enemy is slowed until the end of your next turn.
* Measured Cut (Minor/At-Will; Martial, Stance)
Until the stance ends, whenever you hit an enemy with a melee basic attack using a weapon, you can shift 1 square as a free action.
// Encounter Powers
// Heroic Effort seems to replace the free At-Will power that humans usually get.
* Heroic Effort (No Action/Encounter; Human Racial Utility, Personal)
TRIGGER: You miss with an attack or fail a saving throw.
EFFECT: You gain a +4 racial bonus to the attack roll or saving throw.
* Power Strike (Free/Encounter; Martial, Personal, Weapon)
TRIGGER: You hit an enemy with a melee basic attack using a weapon.
EFFECT: The enemy you hit takes 1[W] extra damage. (This damage increases at Level 17 and Level 27.)
---
Hadagal the BraveRACE: Human
CLASS: Knight
LEVEL: 1
ABILITY SCORES: STR 20, CON 14, DEX 10, INT 8, WIS 10, CHA 11
// The book offers three choices for scores. A "Balanced" set, a "Dual Specialist" set, and the choice used here, the "Specialist" set.
// There's a blurb saying the DM can let you use normal point-buy rules if you like.
HIT POINTS: 29
HEALING SURGES: 11
SURGE VALUE: 10 (base 7, +3 from Swift Recovery)
INITIATIVE: +0
SPEED: 5 (6 + Armor Penalty)
ATTACKS
* Longsword +9 (+5 Ability, +1 Weapon Talent, +3 Proficiency)
* Javelin +8 (+5 Ability, +1 Weapon Talent, +2 Proficiency)
DEFENSES
* Armor Class 20 (Base, +8 Armor, +2 Shield)
* Fortitude 18 (Base, +5 Ability, +1 Race, +2 Class)
* Reflex 13 (Base, +0 Ability, +1 Race, +2 Shield)
* Willpower 11 (Base, +0 Ability, +1 Race)
LANGUAGES: Common, Elven
SKILLS (Trained; includes Human bonus skill)
* Athletics +9 (Strength)
* Diplomacy +5 (Charisma)
* Endurance +7 (Constitution)
* Intimidate +5 (Charisma)
FEATS (includes Human bonus feat)
* Swift Recovery (+3 bonus to your healing surge value)
* Armor Finesse (ignore the check penalty for wearing armor)
EQUIPMENT
* 5 gp
* Plate Armor
* Heavy Shield
* Longsword
* Javelin
* Adventurer's Kit
POWERS and FEATURES
* Weapon Talent (+1 bonus to attack rolls with weapon attacks)
* Shield Finesse (ignore the check penalty for wearing a shield)
* Defender Aura (Minor/At-Will; Aura, Personal)
While in this Aura, any unmarked enemy takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls when it makes an attack that doesn't target you or another ally who has Defender Aura.
* Battle Guardian (Opportunity/At-Will; Martial, Personal)
TRIGGER: An enemy subject to your Defender Aura either shifts or makes an attack that doesn't target you or another ally who has Defender Aura.
EFFECT: You make a basic melee attack against the triggering enemy. If the attack misses, the enemy still takes damage equal to your Strength modifier.
// Fighter Stances (choose two)
* Defend the Line (Minor/At-Will; Martial, Stance)
Until the stance ends, whenever you hit an enemy with a melee basic attack using a weapon, that enemy is slowed until the end of your next turn.
* Measured Cut (Minor/At-Will; Martial, Stance)
Until the stance ends, whenever you hit an enemy with a melee basic attack using a weapon, you can shift 1 square as a free action.
// Encounter Powers
// Heroic Effort seems to replace the free At-Will power that humans usually get.
* Heroic Effort (No Action/Encounter; Human Racial Utility, Personal)
TRIGGER: You miss with an attack or fail a saving throw.
EFFECT: You gain a +4 racial bonus to the attack roll or saving throw.
* Power Strike (Free/Encounter; Martial, Personal, Weapon)
TRIGGER: You hit an enemy with a melee basic attack using a weapon.
EFFECT: The enemy you hit takes 1[W] extra damage. (This damage increases at Level 17 and Level 27.)
55
RPGs / Re: D&D Essentials
« on: October 11, 2010, 08:29:59 PM »
Just bought the Heroes of the Fallen Lands and the Rules Compendium. I'm hoping to upload a character made with the former to the sharing station.
56
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: The RPPR AP podcast site is now up
« on: October 11, 2010, 08:28:44 PM »I saw one of the Yu Gi Oh Abridged Episodes with Duke Devlin and I laughed so much I think I missed half the jokes.
His cup is so big!
57
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Dark Sun Campaign
« on: October 11, 2010, 08:27:15 PM »
If anyone believes in lighting bodies on fire, it's Captain America.
58
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Dark Sun Campaign
« on: October 11, 2010, 08:25:21 PM »
Double-post woot.
59
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Dark Sun Campaign
« on: October 11, 2010, 01:04:49 PM »
Generally, D&D seems to follow the line of thinking that absolutes of Good and Evil can and do exist, so I guess it's possible to have a LG character anywhere, even if their own society considers them evil or lawless. So I have to concede on that.
I was tempted to say that history is so tightly restricted on Athas that nobody could be nostalgic about the better times, but I think the PHB and Campaign Setting make special concessions for that very thing. (Notably, PCs are always assumed to be literate even though most of Athas isn't.) So I have to admit that your so-called Nostalgic Hero can and would exist in Athas.
Plus, if a character belongs to a tribe, I guess they could be Lawful Good with respect to that tribe, even if that tribe's ideas on justice are far different from Pelor's. But again, I don't think D&D addresses such issues. Though I'm sure nerds will post in forums on the subject at great length.
Yes I know it's ironic, shut up.
I was tempted to say that history is so tightly restricted on Athas that nobody could be nostalgic about the better times, but I think the PHB and Campaign Setting make special concessions for that very thing. (Notably, PCs are always assumed to be literate even though most of Athas isn't.) So I have to admit that your so-called Nostalgic Hero can and would exist in Athas.
Plus, if a character belongs to a tribe, I guess they could be Lawful Good with respect to that tribe, even if that tribe's ideas on justice are far different from Pelor's. But again, I don't think D&D addresses such issues. Though I'm sure nerds will post in forums on the subject at great length.
Yes I know it's ironic, shut up.
60
Role Playing Public Radio Podcast / Re: Dark Sun Campaign
« on: October 11, 2010, 11:25:06 AM »I didn't say I was necessarily coming back Lawful Good.
It doesn't count as Lawful Good unless you say what Law you're Gooding with. As far as I can tell, your character just hates evil - at least what he thinks is evil. Which makes him Neutral or Chaotic Good if anything.
I'm inclined to think that 'Lawful Good' in Dark Sun is an oxymoron since the bodies of Law are pretty much Sorceror-Kings who defile in the name of power. I guess the Veiled Alliance would be good and lawful in the classic sense.
Honestly, alignments are dumb. Allegiances are better. Fallout: New Vegas has the right idea with faction-based karma.