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General Discussion » 1st level Adventures » 7/03/2014 11:21 am |
Yora, I agree with Blackadder and MarbleToad that you have to make the situation rich enough that the players are compelled to interact with it to a great degree apart from their characters' special abilities. I started playing D&D when I was 12, and no one complained that the magic-user only got a single spell casting at first level, because we the players had plenty to do in interacting with the game world. (One of my current players is so good at dealing with NPCs and searching for traps with verbal back and forth with me that the character classes he plays are often inconsequential.) I think some of the better older modules are great at demonstrating this sort of thing.
That said, spellcasters in more traditional D&D games are in some ways the "delayed gratification classes" when it comes to special abilities. (I refer to them as marshmallows after the Standford Marshmallow Experiement: ). If you haven't played D&D to the point where they start getting their third level spells and higher, you haven't experienced that shift in power and perspective (or seen your players experience it with wide-eyed wonder). The casters will start paying back those fighters who saved their butts so many times at lower levels by turning around no win situations, and they will start to understand that the cost of great power is danger and sacrifice. Very sword and sorcery and a good life lesson in my opinion, and it's not something that's obvious unless you have a longer term committment from your players.
This is a great discussion all.
Rules Discussion » Alterness, Ambusher, and Surprize » 7/03/2014 9:34 am |
Thanks for the great answers all. I'm clear on this now.
Rules Discussion » If Lightly Armoured or Unarmoured... » 7/01/2014 10:58 am |
Ok, that makes sense. I think the word "must" is the confusing bit.
Rules Discussion » Alterness, Ambusher, and Surprize » 7/01/2014 9:36 am |
I have a few questions about these abilities and surprize in general.
1. Does Alterness stack if you have more than one character with it in a party? I'm guessing you can't go below 1 in 6 chance of being surprized in any case, but say the party with two rangers is facing a monster with a 3 in 6 chance of surprising. Would that be reduced to 1 in 6 then?
2. Does Ambusher stack if you have more than one character with it in a party?
3. Some monsters, like the Albion Ape, can only be surprized on a 1 in 6 chance. A ranger surprizes on a 3 in 6. Would a ranger surprize the Abino Ape on a 2 in 6 then, or is that 1 in 6 absolute?
If the answer is 2 in 6, I think it would be useful to write all being surprising or surprising chances as modifiers in character and monster entries to always be working against a base of 2 in 6. That way, you can calculate the total modifier easily. (I remember running into this in AD&D.)
4. When facing monsters with different chances to surprized and surprize, do you use the best chances?
Thanks,
Nick
Rules Discussion » If Lightly Armoured or Unarmoured... » 7/01/2014 9:14 am |
A number of subclasses, like the barbarian and beserker for example, have thief abilities they can use when lightly armoured or unarmoured. Thieves, however, can use those abilities wearing medium armor with a reduction in success chance.
Is that an intentional difference or an artifact from older rules? I can't see making that distinction except to preserve a bit of niche protection. That makes sense, but I wanted to double check.
Thanks.
Announcements » Retooled North Wind Logo » 6/30/2014 11:57 am |
Looks great.
General Discussion » Rules for Demihumans & Higher Levels » 6/15/2014 7:43 pm |
I'm thinking of using AS&SH as my go to game not just for adventuring in Hyperborea, but also for my D&D games. The ruleset is so clean, and I'm getting tired of trying to keep the various D&D type rulesets straight in my head. The two big tasks would be creating rules for demihumans and rules for advancing past level 12.
The latter I think I can extrapolate based on FA and spell progressions (I love that there are consistent progressions for these and experience points to level). Before I start working on demihumans though, has anyone done any work on that? I guess I could port them right over, with class restrictions and level limits, but I wanted to check first.
Thanks.
Rules Discussion » Outdoor Movement and Magic Ranges » 6/04/2014 9:44 am |
Ghul wrote:
Hello fellows,
Just missiles, not spells, Kirowan. Not exacty like B/X, I'm afraid.
Hmm, I thought outdoor ranges for spells and movement were in yards in 1e as well?
Is it intentional then that archers out range casters when they step outside? I'm just curious about the design intent.
Thanks.
Rules Discussion » Outdoor Movement and Magic Ranges » 6/04/2014 9:13 am |
Handy Haversack wrote:
Spell ranges are pretty explicit in AS&SH. No scale increases there (no inch system is used; this is why missile ranges are specifically indicated, I think).
Combat movement is consistent indoors and out--six-second combat rounds are the reason, I'd wager. Outdoor movement is given in miles per day.
In B/X D&D, which I understand was a big influence on the game, combat rounds are 10 seconds just like in AS&SH. Movement, spell ranges, and missile ranges are given in feet, but are supposed to be tripled when outdoors.
Hmm...curious. Hopefully Jeff chimes in.
Rules Discussion » Outdoor Movement and Magic Ranges » 6/04/2014 8:42 am |
Yora wrote:
As far as I am able to tell, AS&SH does not distinguish between indoor and outdoor distances. It's always the same speeds and ranges.
Except for missile weapon ranges and the familiar ability. That suggests to me that maybe it was intended that spell ranges and movement were to be yards outdoors. That would make it consistent with the D&D games that inspired AS&SH.
Rules Discussion » Outdoor Movement and Magic Ranges » 6/04/2014 7:38 am |
Hi,
I couldn't find a reference in the rulebook to what outdoor movement should be per round or turn. I know in most older versions of D&D, you consider the movement to be in yards instead of feet? Is that true for AS&SH?
Similarly, are ranges for spells in yards when used outdoors? The rules say they are for missile weapons (and the link between magician and familiar), but no specific note for spells it seems.
Thanks.
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