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Gambit
Learned Scribe
110 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Oct 2012 : 22:51:45
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Poll Question:
Just curious what edition all the FR aficionados here use as their system of choice to tell stories and fight bad guys in our beloved Realms. If you play multiple systems pick the one you consider your "main" game of choice.
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Edited by - Gambit on 02 Oct 2012 04:32:52
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2012 : 01:14:00
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| I play AD&D with many house rules. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2012 : 01:22:30
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| Same here (though with fewer houserules). |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore
1221 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2012 : 01:40:06
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I don't actually play the p&p rpg; my roleplaying in d&d and the realms is purely story based without the use to dice or stats or what not. But- I selected 4e because that's what I use as a guideline for my rp's. My game is set in post spellplague realms, I use the 4e classes, the 4e gods, the 4e planes structure, 4e powers and abilities, so on and so forth.
Which isn't to say I don't refer to previous editions; the fiend folios, book of vile darkness, monster manuals, and so forth are all major sources of inspiration, but 4e is my bread and butter. |
"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress
Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.
The Roleplayer's Gazebo;
http://theroleplayersgazebo.yuku.com/directory#.Ub4hvvlJOAY |
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2012 : 11:31:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus
I don't actually play the p&p rpg; my roleplaying in d&d and the realms is purely story based without the use to dice or stats or what not. But- I selected 4e because that's what I use as a guideline for my rp's. My game is set in post spellplague realms, I use the 4e classes, the 4e gods, the 4e planes structure, 4e powers and abilities, so on and so forth.
Which isn't to say I don't refer to previous editions; the fiend folios, book of vile darkness, monster manuals, and so forth are all major sources of inspiration, but 4e is my bread and butter.
I'm going to use your post not to pick on you, but because it brings up a point. If you're not using a ruleset, are you really including a specific edition? I view the Realms in terms of Reamsian time, not editions. How are you using 4e but not using a game system? How do you adjudicate actions if you don't use dice or stats?  |
Edited by - Matt James on 02 Oct 2012 11:32:59 |
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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2012 : 11:53:44
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I recently switched from 4E back to 1E  |
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore
1221 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2012 : 14:26:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus
I don't actually play the p&p rpg; my roleplaying in d&d and the realms is purely story based without the use to dice or stats or what not. But- I selected 4e because that's what I use as a guideline for my rp's. My game is set in post spellplague realms, I use the 4e classes, the 4e gods, the 4e planes structure, 4e powers and abilities, so on and so forth.
Which isn't to say I don't refer to previous editions; the fiend folios, book of vile darkness, monster manuals, and so forth are all major sources of inspiration, but 4e is my bread and butter.
I'm going to use your post not to pick on you, but because it brings up a point. If you're not using a ruleset, are you really including a specific edition? I view the Realms in terms of Reamsian time, not editions. How are you using 4e but not using a game system? How do you adjudicate actions if you don't use dice or stats?
You just tell the story. I use 4e to determine what a certain class can or can't do; a wizard in one of my roleplay sessions is going to be using a list of 4e powers, for instance. I use 4e to determine what magic items can and can't do. I don't force my fellow roleplayers to roll dice or select stats because that just gets in the way of the flow of the story.
Which isn't to say I put not limits on my rpers. If a spell says daily, you get it once a day. If something afflicts you with a penalty, you have to roleplay that penalty. There are encounters where, going into it, I make it pretty clear, "You guys are going to lose this- this thing is out of your league. So have fun before you run away."
In the end, whatever happens happens not at the random roll of the dice, but as a conscious decision for the betterment of the story being told. It's not all linear; it goes off on tangents and sidequests, but there's a point towards it all. |
"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress
Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.
The Roleplayer's Gazebo;
http://theroleplayersgazebo.yuku.com/directory#.Ub4hvvlJOAY |
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Sightless
Senior Scribe
USA
608 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2012 : 14:47:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus
quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus
I don't actually play the p&p rpg; my roleplaying in d&d and the realms is purely story based without the use to dice or stats or what not. But- I selected 4e because that's what I use as a guideline for my rp's. My game is set in post spellplague realms, I use the 4e classes, the 4e gods, the 4e planes structure, 4e powers and abilities, so on and so forth.
Which isn't to say I don't refer to previous editions; the fiend folios, book of vile darkness, monster manuals, and so forth are all major sources of inspiration, but 4e is my bread and butter.
I'm going to use your post not to pick on you, but because it brings up a point. If you're not using a ruleset, are you really including a specific edition? I view the Realms in terms of Reamsian time, not editions. How are you using 4e but not using a game system? How do you adjudicate actions if you don't use dice or stats?
You just tell the story. I use 4e to determine what a certain class can or can't do; a wizard in one of my roleplay sessions is going to be using a list of 4e powers, for instance. I use 4e to determine what magic items can and can't do. I don't force my fellow roleplayers to roll dice or select stats because that just gets in the way of the flow of the story.
Which isn't to say I put not limits on my rpers. If a spell says daily, you get it once a day. If something afflicts you with a penalty, you have to roleplay that penalty. There are encounters where, going into it, I make it pretty clear, "You guys are going to lose this- this thing is out of your league. So have fun before you run away."
In the end, whatever happens happens not at the random roll of the dice, but as a conscious decision for the betterment of the story being told. It's not all linear; it goes off on tangents and sidequests, but there's a point towards it all.
I've played in something like that, they are typically refered to as interactive storyies, or something like that, and can be a lot of fun. Although I've heard alot of commentary that they require mature groups in order to work properly. No comments meant towards your group BTW, just commenting.
Now, as for me, until up until a few weeks ago, I only played 3.5 because of the SRD, and most of the people I know only use that or AD&D, even when they play in the 4e era. That's mostly because they have more 3.5 material and they'd rather stay there. As for me, iit was mostly because of the srd. In fact, all the significantly visually impaired players I know play in that mechanics, 3.5, I mean, because of the open source documents and so on. Although two of them also play pathfinder for the same reason. And because the Pdfs that come with the books are text searchable, which a screen-reader can work with. And sorry, this post is a bit longer than intended. |
We choose to live a lie, when we see with, & not through the eye.
Every decision, no matter the evidence, is a leap of faith; if it were not, then it wouldn't be a choice at all. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2012 : 15:17:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
I play AD&D with many house rules.
Quoting myself, the reason I say "Many" is that I've come to find that I liked some aspects of other editions that we have adopted in our game...but the core is still AD&D.
Examples: I like the idea of characters having trades that they may have had...so a player can say they have a certain trade (or not). Instead of basing it completely off of their attribute, I usually work out something related to their stat and the time they devote to the trade (so not truly skill points like in 3.x, but similar).
I also like the idea that Cantrips are more "At Will" like in 4e, so all the Cantrips my players memorize from the Unearthed Arcana are indeed At Will.
We also have Barbarians (from the Unearthed Arcana); but a player can request to be a Berserker, so we use a modified 3.x "Rage" ability for them...at the sacrifice of some of their regional abilities (such as signaling and such).
And so on... |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 11:55:21
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| I absolutely love AD&D. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 18:37:24
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Mostly it looks like 3e, but with bits and pieces from other editions, and even other games. Its an 'ever-evolving' system of my own manufacture (and I am constantly tinkering with it, throwing away those bits that don't work for me, and adding new ones).
Depending on what the 5e system looks like when finished, I may finally take the plunge and create my own system. I don't want to do that though, so hopefully 5e will be close to what I want and I will be able to tack-on another layer of rules on top of it to do what I want (and it sounds like 5e is being designed with that approach in-mind, so I have my fingers crossed).
I am a big fan of hit locations, and thus far, no edition of D&D has done that in the core rules. If 5e is able to handle a layer like that, I may just have to write an 'options' article of my own.
That was the beauty of 1e - Dragon magazine (and to a lesser extent setting-specific modules and adventures) gave us a never-ending plethora of options to add to our games, which we could take or leave. For some reason, the splats of 3e made it all seem so much more... core... and it became harder to separate the two (options from core rules). We need to get back to that paradigm: Its YOUR game, use what you want and chuck out the rest.
This is how we got introduced to Ed Greenwood and his world - through articles about options. Why folks got caught up in the 'canon shackles' concept is beyond me. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 05 Oct 2012 18:38:42 |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2012 : 03:30:58
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I play 3.5 and Pathfinder. Love the logical consistancy of the d20 system.
Canon shackles are a boon in my opinion. It gives me the 'feeling' I actually have participated in a shared world. A roleplayer in Alaska, playing in a D&D session several thousands of kilometers from me, can relate to my words when I tell him of my characters exploits in Mantol Derith. That's awesome and needs to be cherished. |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Euranna
Learned Scribe
USA
219 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2012 : 04:45:06
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| We are currently playing Pathfinder as our core game. We also play AD&D periodically for short campaigns, then return to Pathfinder. My husband is our DM and he loved AD&D. We sometimes play other systems as well for short runs to take little breaks (like Shadowrun, L5R, etc). |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2012 : 05:13:14
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| I'm seriously hoping 5e turns out to be something close to what I'm already running...that way I can have newer players in my game sit in and just play. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Neo2151
Learned Scribe
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2012 : 11:30:43
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Personally, I can't stand d20 systems ever since I was introduced to d10 systems. I wish someone would alter the AEG roll & keep system for non-L5R games (mostly because I'm too lazy to do it myself! :D)
d20 - Your bonuses are important, and the d20 gets less relevant the higher you level. Hardly feels right. (Not to mention, rolling a d20 just feels "clunky.")
WW d10 - The better your character gets, the bigger your chances for total botch on a roll. Uh, what?
AEG d10 - Take all the pros of WW d10 and replace the "success/botch" chance with "target numbers." Best system ever.
But, if you twist my arm, my go-to "edition" for the Realms would probably be Pathfinder (with a fair share of house-ruling).
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"Come looking for me, and I will blast you to dust, and then lay waste to all your descendants, ancestors, and the realm you came from, every last tree and stone of it. Why? Well, it's what I usually do."
-Baerendra Riverhand on The Story of Spellfire |
Edited by - Neo2151 on 06 Oct 2012 11:34:30 |
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Derulbaskul
Senior Scribe
Singapore
408 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2012 : 04:54:03
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I'm a definite 4E fan and I'm actually enjoying the 4E Realms more and more as our campaigns play out (although I still wish for a decent map).
However, I use an enormous amount of material from earlier FR versions (I've been running the Realms since the OGB) and one of the main plot points involves the ancient dwarven empire of Haunghdannar mentioned in both Dwarves Deep and The Savage Frontier (the latter product also provided me with an idea for a marauding ghost ship). From the 2E era, I'll be using at least two of the "books" from Prayers from the Faithful - Gorothir's Girdle and The Silver Supplicant - and I could go on and on.
Right now we're a few sessions into a campaign based in the post-Spellplague version of Neverwinter as per the Neverwinter Campaign Setting and, judging by the reaction of my players (and the renewed enthusiasm I have as a DM), this is going to be our favourite campaign of all time. And, for some strange reason, my players are actually intrigued by the whole Spellplagued event and its legacies so the spellscarred and plaguechanged are featuring a lot more than I expected. |
Cheers
D
NB: Please remember: A cannon is a big gun. Canon is what we discuss here. |
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Gambit
Learned Scribe
110 Posts |
Posted - 08 Oct 2012 : 18:33:03
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I figured I might as well reply to my own poll.
We alternate between Pathfinder and 2E. Our current campaign is Pathfinder and our DM just finished up a 2 year 2E campaign with his other group that went to 18/19th level. Soon we will be combining the two groups to form a 10 person "megaparty" using Pathfinder. I like Pathfinder for the most part, but some parts annoy me, as it feels over fiddly and I miss the simplicity of AD&D at times (this isnt just Pathfinder, but the 3E/d20 system as a whole). I will probably be running a Myth & Magic (2E retroclone with some 3E elements) campaign in the near future when they finish the books.
For those interested in checking out Myth & Magic here is the link to the Kickstarter. This one is for the Game Masters Guide, they have already successfully funded the Players Guide, but there are options in the GMG Kickstarter to pick up both it and the PG or a combined collectors edition.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/705393141/myth-and-magic-game-masters-guide-and-collectors-c |
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe
Canada
826 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2012 : 16:40:21
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2e was horribly overpowered with the Old southern magic scrolls, Demigods walking all over and such.....
Loved it.
but really, 3.5 was my bread and butter |
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Marc
Senior Scribe
658 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2012 : 16:45:23
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| Pathfinder-3-3.5th edition-homebrew system of levels, skills ...-multiclassing inspired by the 4th edition - all that mixed |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4438 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2012 : 18:31:48
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I've gone with the decision of 4th Edition, though it was a hard one as I look over at my bookshelf filled with 3X and Pathfinder (and some D&D:next playtest stuff). I think I've decided on 4E because, as a player, I can put into mechanics some of the greatest character ideas I've had and not have to fight the system to allow it to function or be overpowered. An air genasi warlord that also relies on air-magic is balanced next to our Shadar-kai Berserker from Netheril and both play completely different with no problems of Level Adjustment or fiddily mechanics. Be a wearbear Berserker at 1st level? Yes please! Want to be a Pixie Ranger with a Hawk Mount at 1st level (AND NOT BREAK THE GAME!)? Yes please! Want to be a Dhampir Paladin of Tempus? Easy as pie. Want to play as a Warlock Knight of Vaasa (Paladin/Warlock) and use Platemail and shoot beams of magic at people? Done and done! And, for me, the best part is that ALL of thse options are easily suppored by the system and work along side the un-Bizarre like Elf Rangers, Human Clerics, and Dwarven Fighters. That is probably the biggest pull as an RPG for me.
And as a DM, I just love the ease that comes with the system. The Encounter building, the Monster creation, the NPC creation, the magical item placement, etc. To make a campaign or encounter, I need half the time to come up with stuff in terms of plot, NPCs, encounter, and treasure as opposed to how I used to run 3X games. The ease at both ends of the DM-Screen is unparallel to other editons I've played. |
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Gustaveren
Learned Scribe
Denmark
197 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2012 : 14:22:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
[quote]you adjudicate actions if you don't use dice or stats?
This reminds me
My very first roleplaying game
It was on a boyscout camp
we did not have paper or dices
we just had our imagination and we used the rock, scissor, paper system to decide the outcome of the few combat encounters |
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Tarlyn
Learned Scribe
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2012 : 15:31:26
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| I have had great experiences with both 3.x and 2ed, but I have to give the edge to 2ed. The quality of lore and amount of useful Realms mechanics (spells, magic items, monsters) was what put it over the top. |
Tarlyn Embersun |
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coach
Senior Scribe
USA
479 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2012 : 03:30:50
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| FR using Pathfinder rules |
Bloodstone Lands Sage |
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Pagangamer
Acolyte
13 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2013 : 18:40:51
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| Definately 2nd Ed, i prefer it to all others |
Nothing is Forgotten....Nothing is ever Forgotten |
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Varl
Learned Scribe
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2013 : 00:32:24
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| 2nd edition for life, modified with copious house rules. |
I'm on a permanent vacation to the soul. -Tash Sultana |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2013 : 10:33:47
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I love 2e, and I have a library which will allow me to DM for many, many years... I'm not full of House rules - although I've revised some kits (archer and bladesinger, for example) and made a huge 2e Oriental revision for Kara-Tur classes - but I do have a "house setting", with less magic than the regular, published Realms.  |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 17 Nov 2013 : 22:23:01
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| I love 2E by far! 2.5 more so. |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1847 Posts |
Posted - 17 Nov 2013 : 23:32:14
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| 3e but with some 2e elements and with some elements adapted from other non-DnD rulesets. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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genebateman
Acolyte
23 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2013 : 21:20:27
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3rd edition with some house rules and old modules and what not from Basic, 1E and 2E
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Drustan Dwnhaedan
Learned Scribe
USA
324 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2013 : 23:12:24
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3.x for Forgotten Realms, but my group's currently engaged in a Pathfinder campaign, running amok on Golorion. But my DM's promised that the next campaign he runs will be an FR game (using the Pathfinder system) as soon as we're done with our current one.
Which is going to be quite soon, if the rest of my party has their way. You see, our current dungeon-crawl was interrupted when a dead titan fell through the five floors above us and brought the entire dungeon down on our heads. After digging our way out (we got lucky on our Reflex saves, and only just survived having an entire dungeon fall on us), we discovered that two liches (who were also level 20+ wizards), commanding armies of hill and stone giants, were engaged in a fight to the death. The rest of my party, being the bunch of min-maxing power gamers they are, have decided they can take both armies at the same time, even though one of the liches killed a titan with only one spell. Oh, and did I mention the fact that our party is made of characters that are levels 9-11? Yeah, this isn't going to be pretty. (That's just their plan. My plan is to keep running until I get to Absalom (it's a good thing my aasimar cleric just took a feat that caused him to grow angel wings, because crossing the Inner Sea would be just a tad difficult otherwise), taking the girl we rescued with me (who, coincidentally, both liches were looking for when they ran into one another, and are apparently fighting over who will 'get' her.))
EDIT: Sorry for ranting, but it's frustrating dealing with a group that won't listen to reason (or even basic common sense). |
Edited by - Drustan Dwnhaedan on 18 Nov 2013 23:16:04 |
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froglegg
Learned Scribe
317 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2013 : 23:19:45
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Right now I am putting something together with D&D 3.5 but I just love love me some 1st edition AD&D and B/X and BECM D&D as well.
John |
Long live Alias and Dragonbait! Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb the Realms need you more then ever!
On my word as a sage nothing within these pages is false, but not all of it may prove to be true. - Elminster of Shadowdale
The Old Grey Box gets better with age! |
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What edition do you play?
