D&D General v3 - Games - Facepunch Forum

[QUOTE=Funktastic Dog;42948429]So you make it obvious that you won't see the wizard again until he wants to show up. (Or you don't put the wizard in in the first place). One of the best roleplaying sessions I've played was the eclipse phase game where we had a massive psychotic childlike robot chase us around an abandoned space station relentlessly. The reason it was so fun was because it was obvious that we could defeat him, we just needed to figure out how. Goddamn that was a good session, props rear.[/QUOTE] Hello, my name is Buddy and I want to kick your teeth in. And then we saw a party member get killed through HUDcam or some techno-babble.

He was simply a side plot, nothing too detailed. The main antagonist is pretty damn powerful, though they will have an ally to help them equally powerful. Though I would think the last battle wouldn't include that ally. Also, my campaign is RP focused, we've had around 2-3 sessions of just pure roleplay and no combat. I wouldn't throw them into a battle against someone they have no chance of winning against. Also the guy wasn't invulnerable but I basically made him a high level character. So the Wizard did about 15 damage and the appearing guy had ALOT more hp than that and damage reduction, so I am not doing some magic DM bullshit but just using simple stats.

[QUOTE=Funktastic Dog;42947474]I strongly disagree, the reason people play D&D and stuff is so that they can feel like they're in charge in a way most videogames don't let you. You show them how far they've come by giving them obviously more challenging enemies, like going from weak little kobolds to elementals to demons. The minute you present them with a demon at low level you make them feel weak in a bad way, even worse if that person just killed a party member. I made the same mistake that you did, in spycraft I had the big bad kill around 500,000 people with the players just in sight, it's cool in a movie, but in a tabletop game... it feels like a kick in the balls.[/QUOTE] tbh stuff like that can be better for a more serious game, especially if the players just dick around every session and crit like mad. Cyberpunk does the whole danger thing really well though. Players rarely get hit but when we do, we get fucked hard. In the second session one player got his leg blown to pieces and had to get it replaced with a synthetic one. The only other time we were in any danger was when we got mowed down by a girl with an automatic shotgun. One of us got seriously injured and I was one point away from dying. Stuff like that doesn't happen very often but when it does, shit gets interesting.

[QUOTE=cdr248;42949350]tbh stuff like that can be better for a more serious game, especially if the players just dick around every session and crit like mad. Cyberpunk does the whole danger thing really well though. Players rarely get hit but when we do, we get fucked hard. In the second session one player got his leg blown to pieces and had to get it replaced with a synthetic one. The only other time we were in any danger was when we got mowed down by a girl with an automatic shotgun. One of us got seriously injured and I was one point away from dying. Stuff like that doesn't happen very often but when it does, shit gets interesting.[/QUOTE] Oh, and his leg was so severely shredded that if the DM had used the actual rules and made him roll a death save, he would've been almost certainly fucked. I love Cyberpunk. Everything is dangerous.

Speaking of crits, I've been thinking of house-ruling away the confirmation of crits in Pathfinder. Basically, if you roll a natural 20 (or natural 19 for marked weapons): 1) If it would already be a hit, it's automatically a critical - no confirmation necessary 2) If it would not have been a hit except for this rule, it is considered a hit, but not critical I feel like that will make for a more exciting game, overall. Anybody try something like this before?

[QUOTE=gman003-main;42949685]Speaking of crits, I've been thinking of house-ruling away the confirmation of crits in Pathfinder. Basically, if you roll a natural 20 (or natural 19 for marked weapons): 1) If it would already be a hit, it's automatically a critical - no confirmation necessary 2) If it would not have been a hit except for this rule, it is considered a hit, but not critical I feel like that will make for a more exciting game, overall. Anybody try something like this before?[/QUOTE] I have my players crit if they roll the proper range. Then I have them roll again. If they crit again, they get that and the damage doubles again, etc.

Why not go the hardcore route and make confirmed crits lop off limbs or hit particularly important parts. Nothing makes a game like an arrow to the eye.

[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;42949908]Why not go the hardcore route and make confirmed crits lop off limbs or hit particularly important parts. Nothing makes a game like an arrow to the eye.[/QUOTE] The skeleton archer critical hits and lands an arrow in the adventurer's knee.

[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;42949908]Why not go the hardcore route and make confirmed crits lop off limbs or hit particularly important parts. Nothing makes a game like an arrow to the eye.[/QUOTE] that sounds like it'd make the game hilariously fun to have improved criticals with anything with bigger crit ranges.

[QUOTE=Intense Funkid;42949985]that sounds like it'd make the game hilariously fun to have improved criticals with anything with bigger crit ranges.[/QUOTE] Critical hit with a warhammer. Invent golf.

[QUOTE=Intense Funkid;42949985]that sounds like it'd make the game hilariously fun to have improved criticals with anything with bigger crit ranges.[/QUOTE] This reminds me of the time I played Realms of Cthulhu (a mod of Savage Worlds). RoC has exploding die for damage, but no crits. This is an important thing to note, because at the end of our short campaign, we were met with the final boss for the area. It was a crinkly old woman. Now, this woman was on a hill performing some ritual. Now, ordinarily, a bunch of normal people faced with a possessed being would have a fair bit of trouble. And then one of our party decided to throw his dagger. Succeeded on the to hit roll. Rolled for damage on a 1d4 and rolled 4. So the die explodes and he rolls again. And gets another 4. And another. And another. And [B]another two after that[/B]. He got [I]five[/I] explodes on a 1d4 and one shot the end boss before any of us managed to do anything. We were just as shocked as the GM. I don't think our GM was particularly pleased that we'd one shot his final boss.

[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;42950061]Critical hit with a warhammer. Invent golf.[/QUOTE] "as you hit the enemy warrior with your hammer, he falls prone into the fetal position, you line up and drive him 250 feet into a lake"

[QUOTE=Intense Funkid;42950139]"as you hit the enemy warrior with your hammer, he falls prone into the fetal position, you line up and drive him 250 feet into a lake"[/QUOTE] I will remember this if any of my players ever get a crit with a hammer.

[QUOTE=gman003-main;42949685]Speaking of crits, I've been thinking of house-ruling away the confirmation of crits in Pathfinder. Basically, if you roll a natural 20 (or natural 19 for marked weapons): 1) If it would already be a hit, it's automatically a critical - no confirmation necessary 2) If it would not have been a hit except for this rule, it is considered a hit, but not critical I feel like that will make for a more exciting game, overall. Anybody try something like this before?[/QUOTE] Are these disagrees "we haven't tried it", "we've tried it and it's not fun", or "we've tried it and it's not balanced"?

[QUOTE=gman003-main;42949685]Speaking of crits, I've been thinking of house-ruling away the confirmation of crits in Pathfinder. Basically, if you roll a natural 20 (or natural 19 for marked weapons): 1) If it would already be a hit, it's automatically a critical - no confirmation necessary 2) If it would not have been a hit except for this rule, it is considered a hit, but not critical I feel like that will make for a more exciting game, overall. Anybody try something like this before?[/QUOTE] except natural 20's always hit

[QUOTE=gman003-main;42950409]Are these disagrees "we haven't tried it", "we've tried it and it's not fun", or "we've tried it and it's not balanced"?[/QUOTE] It's not balanced, take a keen greatsword for instance, 20% chance of an auto-hit no matter what your attack bonus is.

[QUOTE=Rents;42950495]It's not balanced, take a keen greatsword for instance, 20% chance of an auto-hit no matter what your attack bonus is.[/QUOTE] A crit is not an auto hit, only a 20 is. It's just that if you DO hit you will crit if it falls within the crit range.

[QUOTE=Chronische;42950579]A crit is not an auto hit, only a 20 is. It's just that if you DO hit you will crit if it falls within the crit range.[/QUOTE] "2) If it would not have been a hit except for this rule, it is considered a hit"

[QUOTE=LordCrypto;42950419]except natural 20's always hit[/QUOTE] Yeah, I'm keeping that rule. I'm just excluding natural 20s that would otherwise not be a hit at all from being automatic criticals. [QUOTE=Rents;42950495]It's not balanced, take a keen greatsword for instance, 20% chance of an auto-hit no matter what your attack bonus is.[/QUOTE] Yeah, I may have to modify it once they get to levels with equipment like that. But right now they're second-level, with their best weapon being just a +1 longsword. [QUOTE=Chronische;42950579]A crit is not an auto hit, only a 20 is. It's just that if you DO hit you will crit if it falls within the crit range.[/QUOTE] Well, the way I phrased the house rule would have any "crit" be an automatic hit. I'm thinking I may make only 20s be auto hits, but make any critical threat an automatic critical hit, as long as it's a hit. It's mainly that I've had several battles now where nobody could get a hit in on either side, and (similarly) critical hits are almost never confirmed. I'm just trying to keep combat more interesting.

If you can't hit something when you roll a 19, that's because you're combating something you shouldn't be.

[QUOTE=Oliolio;42950789]If you can't hit something when you roll a 19, that's because you're combating something you shouldn't be.[/QUOTE] Goes back to the conversation we were having earlier. Full circle.

Our rogue is sneaking into a castle solo to try and open the drawbridge for the rest of us, I'm currently taking bets on if he dies or not.

[QUOTE=Rents;42951418]Our rogue is sneaking into a castle solo to try and open the drawbridge for the rest of us, I'm currently taking bets on if he dies or not.[/QUOTE] 3 animal crackers he lives.

[QUOTE=MeltingData;42951442]3 animal crackers he lives.[/QUOTE] I've bet the warpriest 10gp that he dies, and the arcanist doesn't gamble.

[QUOTE=Rents;42951450]I've bet the warpriest 10gp that he dies, and the arcanist doesn't gamble.[/QUOTE] What are you playing as? And I'm assuming this is Pathfinder?

[QUOTE=MeltingData;42951479]What are you playing as? And I'm assuming this is Pathfinder?[/QUOTE] It is, I'm playing a brawler, it's a quick game to test out the new classes they released for playtesting.

[QUOTE=Rents;42951418]Our rogue is sneaking into a castle solo to try and open the drawbridge for the rest of us, I'm currently taking bets on if he dies or not.[/QUOTE] Unless your GM is a softie, he dies :v:

[QUOTE=Alxnotorious;42951654]Unless your GM is a softie, he dies :v:[/QUOTE] Yeah, I owe the warpriest 10gp now.

[QUOTE=Chronische;42940620]Too bad they are also FAR AND AWAY the most powerful, non-casting classes just can't compete. Not unless you put some restrictions on casters that aren't in the rules, like casting times from AD&D or something like that. Something that would let non-casters interrupt or otherwise make casting right in the middle of combat not be a thing.[/QUOTE] I think 3E+ has made magic too common place. AD&D's way of making magical things rare and powerful magic nearly impossible for most to accomplish was better balanced in my opinion. Although when it comes to common characters spellcasters are still fairly limited. Elite builds would only allow level 5 or level 6 spells.

[QUOTE=Alice3173;42951793]I think 3E+ has made magic too common place. AD&D's way of making magical things rare and powerful magic nearly impossible for most to accomplish was better balanced in my opinion. Although when it comes to common characters spellcasters are still fairly limited. Elite builds would only allow level 5 or level 6 spells.[/QUOTE] I've always prefered magic to be something beyond most peoples comprehension or ability to use. Casters are fairly rare in my gaming world, and usually higher leveled. The only exception most of the time are the PC's, but they're never supposed to be average in our games anyways. I think the biggest way to ease magic out of the mainstream world is to remove the magic shop emporium concept because that shit was lame. I ended up replacing it with a system comprised of some other house rules and added my own touches. [QUOTE]- Moving foward, magic items are to become very rare. Most magic items are objects of legend, tied to the stories of heroes, villains, kings, and kingdoms. With the exception of low-tier potions, scrolls, wands, and certain other consumables, magic items are never sold on the open market. Few places in the land have the capabilities to run magical exchanges (primarily guilds, magical academies and major capitol cities), thus you can except magic shops to be far and few between and contain little of the stock they once had. - Every player gets a budget equal to their expected wealth by level, I'm calling this Magic Wealth for easy terminology; this Magic Wealth is independent on any other wealth you may have and is solely affected by your characters level. This Magic Wealth can be spent on improving or creating magical gear (that is to say, making a mundane item magical, it does not mean the ability to create inherently magical items like wands) as they choose. This operates as a metagame construct, just like experience points, leveling up, and increasing class abilities. However, all new magic items and major enhancements to magic items require a story element to obtain, examples of this can be found in the Examples section. [IMG]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/5429/mjsw.png[/IMG] - Magic Wealth carries over to your following levels (i.e if you are level 3 and never spent any you would have 4000 Magic Wealth to spend). Magic Wealth does not stack on new characters post level 1. If you are level 10 and die, and thus create a new character at level 9, you will not have 139,000 Magic Wealth -- you will have 46,000. This is to avoid power gaming and to prevent players from stock piling their points which would otherwise be unfair to the players that haven't made new characters -- new characters should never have more than previous characters. - Item materials do not count as magical items (unless specifically stated), thus you can still buy (if they're available) Darkwood bows, Mithral armor, etc. You can also upgrade/buy items to Masterwork quality. - There is no penalty for stacking abilities on a single magic item, you can stack as many as you have Magic Wealth to spend. Examples Our barbarian kept souvenirs from all of her kills. She hung these on her furs as trophies, for boasting and good luck. Since they were all on her torso, mechanically we referred to it as an leather "breastplate" for the sake of convenience, and it got enhanced to +1. Later it also acted as a Cloak of Resistance +1 (which increases your saves), and slowly accumulated all of her defensive magic abilities. Her bronze sword was sundered in two while fighting a brigand, and she kept his fine blade after defeating him with her bare hands (a masterwork greatsword). This became a +1 sword when appropriate, and carried all of her offensive abilities, like a strength bonus. She then decided to add the Flaming quality to her sword; thus after defeating one particularly monstrous unique fire elemental, the sword obtained the Flaming quality.[/QUOTE] I didn't want to remove magic items and the like from the PC's, but I wanted everything to have a greater organic flow and natural progression while encouraging and rewarding better roleplay in the process. So far this is the best alternative I have made. Of course taking away so much magic in a game that assumes you have access to it requires more house rules to compensate (such as the Healing rule I posted before). Finding the happy medium between them is an ever changing process. I also really hate how little formatting and text support Facepunch has. I always have to completely redo my quotes.