Anything BUT whatever dumb ass 💩 WotC has recently done or is currently doing, literally ANYTHING

Quote from Raccoon_Master >>

 

Question Of The Day: What's the reasoning behind your location on your profile?

 

Oh mine means...

<checks>

There's nothing there.

So I guess it represents my brain?

Quote from Amnon_Balderk >>

Here’s a chill question: What are you reading right now?
Here’s a thinking question: How could it influence your next D&D game or character?
Here’s a fun question: What’s a very silly direction you could take your last answer in?

 Currently reading Dragonlance Lost History: Gully Dwarves.

Began reading it because I am running a Dragonlance campaign of my own creation, that takes place as the same time as the first Chronicles book.

And one of the main characters I introduce is a gully dwarf of pretty great importance to the party.

I am running a group of fairly new players (4 people brand new to D&D, 2 more who are in my regular weekly game, so a total of 6 people).

All of them (except one of my normal players) is familiar with Dragonlance Chronicles. So it was a perfect setting to use for D&D.

As for how I'd use it silly - well, if you know Gully Dwarves...

QOTD: If you've played other RPGs, what single mechanic was your favorite, and how would you port it into D&D?

Quote from Nothic2SeeHere_ >>

Beloved thread,

I come with a question for experienced GMs and 3PP lovers. I’ve (somewhat) recently become obsessed with nautical adventures and underwater worldbuilding, and my creativity has been stretched to its limit in that regard. For this reason I’ve become increasingly interested in books and related media from which I can draw inspiration, such as the PotC movies and Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

In my search for ideas, I’ve encountered a few DMsGuild supplements on the subject that greatly interest me, namely Underwater Campaigns and Call from the Deep. These two books are available in both PDF form and Print-on-Demand. I prefer to avoid digital formats in my reading, in part because I’m easily distractible and the online world only exacerbates the issue. And so my question is: 

Can anyone vouch for the reliability and quality of PoD books from the DMsGuild and DTRPG?

I’ve heard good things, but I’ve also read many horror stories about books falling apart after only a few weeks of use. Are these isolated incidents, or would I be wise to avoid PoD entirely?

If anyone could share their experiences with these sites, it’d be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Brief bump in case anyone missed the initial post.  I may end up simply making a thread on this topic General Discussion, but I’d prefer to avoid doing so if possible.

I'd help, but I have no experience with PoD books. 

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

QOTD: If you've played other RPGs, what single mechanic was your favorite, and how would you port it into D&D?

The mechanics I like from other games are well....for other games. I mean you can't really port in the damage success vs body success from Shadowrun. You can't really port in the to-hit and damage reduction from Champions/Fantasy HERO. The mechanics are what they are and the whole pie is built around them.

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

QOTD: If you've played other RPGs, what single mechanic was your favorite, and how would you port it into D&D?

 I'd answer this, but I haven't played another RPG besides DND before, so...

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

QOTD: If you've played other RPGs, what single mechanic was your favorite, and how would you port it into D&D?

In fairness, mechanics that I liked from other games sorta preclude them being ported into D&D, lol.

• I liked the old Battletech way of creating mechs.
• I liked the original Car Wars way of handling vehicles and vehicle design.
• I loved the Universal Table from MSHAS.

Porting any of them over would have some seriously impacts on the existing systems in the game, and while I am pretty brave and all when doing that, they might be a bridge too far. Also, I am so not going to make a bunch of sheets for vehicles, lol. I have way too many of them.

But I probably *could* if I really wanted to combine the CW and BT stuff...

Anyway, yeah, um, Hi, I am around for more than just checking on listings, lol, and um, well, *waves*

Quote from AEDorsay >>

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

QOTD: If you've played other RPGs, what single mechanic was your favorite, and how would you port it into D&D?

 

In fairness, mechanics that I liked from other games sorta preclude them being ported into D&D, lol.

• I liked the old Battletech way of creating mechs.
• I liked the original Car Wars way of handling vehicles and vehicle design.

 OMG....I thought you were awesome before...

Holy smokes. Wow.

Quote from Wysperra >>

Quote from AEDorsay >>

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

QOTD: If you've played other RPGs, what single mechanic was your favorite, and how would you port it into D&D?

 

In fairness, mechanics that I liked from other games sorta preclude them being ported into D&D, lol.

• I liked the old Battletech way of creating mechs.
• I liked the original Car Wars way of handling vehicles and vehicle design.

 OMG....I thought you were awesome before...

Holy smokes. Wow.

You can blame the interest in BT on Car Wars and that anime, actually -- we just kept making crazier and crazier cars and then I walked into a game store one day and saw "Blueprints for a mech" posters.  Bought the set of four, and still have them. Then got the game, and we basically ran with it the way we run with any game.

I joke a lot about Paranoia, but it is among my favorite games because it is just so damned silly, lol.

WHen I hit Uni, some of the stuff from RoleMaster's Campaign Law booklet actually helped me in some of my early sociology and natural earth courses.

I have played probably a good couple hundred games -- and my first spin at creating my own was in '85 (it was bad) but I just kept learning and met some good folks.

But in terms of mechanics, getting decent vehicle mechanics into D&D has always been a big deal to me. I'm not even super fond of what I have now -- so this made me think maybe I should just take the plunge and see what's still in storage and give it a go.

Also, I am not that awesome. But if what I make is, that's a Win!

Quote from Wysperra >>

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

QOTD: If you've played other RPGs, what single mechanic was your favorite, and how would you port it into D&D?

 

The mechanics I like from other games are well....for other games. I mean you can't really port in the damage success vs body success from Shadowrun. You can't really port in the to-hit and damage reduction from Champions/Fantasy HERO. The mechanics are what they are and the whole pie is built around them.

 
So much this.

one thing I noticed about 5e that was very different to me was how they sorta "blocked" out certain systems -- the norm has usually been high levels of interdependency. Not that you can easily separate combat rom class and stuff, but you can definitely play around with combat a lot more in 5e, from a systems perspective.

All of those completely re-think the HP/AC/To HIt system that is all interlinked in D&D. It is a completely different way of seeing combat (arguably better in the cases of those particular uses).

I really like the "hit or miss roll" style, myself, with damage modified by the "resist or not" type of thing.  Easier to conceive in a lot of ways, fewer folks trying to make armor work "better", lol. Also allows for a faster turn, in some ways.

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

QOTD: If you've played other RPGs, what single mechanic was your favorite, and how would you port it into D&D?

 I haven't played any other RPGs except a little bit of Pathfinder. I thought the Prestige classes were cool there, and I also like how the to hit modifier for ranged attacks is tied to the Wisdom modifier. It makes more sense that you can hit better by having better sight than by being fast and agile in my mind. It might be cool to let an Archer-themed subclass add their Wisdom modifier to their attack rolls. 

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

QOTD: If you've played other RPGs, what single mechanic was your favorite, and how would you port it into D&D?

 
Someone mentioned Champions - which had a similar thing to the ElfQuest RPG (as clunky as it was) - I did like the "to hit" location as well as damage reduction based on armor. And while it's a cool concept - it would, in the end, slow down combat further, which I would not be in favor of.

Quote from Nothic2SeeHere_ >>

Quote from Nothic2SeeHere_ >>

Beloved thread,

I come with a question for experienced GMs and 3PP lovers. I’ve (somewhat) recently become obsessed with nautical adventures and underwater worldbuilding, and my creativity has been stretched to its limit in that regard. For this reason I’ve become increasingly interested in books and related media from which I can draw inspiration, such as the PotC movies and Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

In my search for ideas, I’ve encountered a few DMsGuild supplements on the subject that greatly interest me, namely Underwater Campaigns and Call from the Deep. These two books are available in both PDF form and Print-on-Demand. I prefer to avoid digital formats in my reading, in part because I’m easily distractible and the online world only exacerbates the issue. And so my question is: 

Can anyone vouch for the reliability and quality of PoD books from the DMsGuild and DTRPG?

I’ve heard good things, but I’ve also read many horror stories about books falling apart after only a few weeks of use. Are these isolated incidents, or would I be wise to avoid PoD entirely?

If anyone could share their experiences with these sites, it’d be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Brief bump in case anyone missed the initial post.  I may end up simply making a thread on this topic General Discussion, but I’d prefer to avoid doing so if possible.

 
Is there an underwater movie, book, RPG that has already done this that you like?
Borrow from that for starters - and tweak as you play, if your brain is already too tired.
Sometimes, listening to your players while they're in the environment, they will (un)intentionally give ideas, as they're talking.
"I wonder if ABC is down here."
And suddenly, you think, "Great idea!"

Quote from AEDorsay >>

Anyway, yeah, um, Hi, I am around for more than just checking on listings, lol, and um, well, *waves* 

 
Well, well, well. Look who finally showed up after ignoring my concerned PM from like months ago! :D

Anybody want a free homebrew idea? I had a good one but I don't feel like fleshing it out. Basic idea is that it's some sort of thrown item that you toss into a portal. The next creature that comes through that portal takes damage/transforms into a newt/is sent to a random plane etc. It's a portal sabotage device.

Quote from SirTawmis >>

Quote from AEDorsay >>

Anyway, yeah, um, Hi, I am around for more than just checking on listings, lol, and um, well, *waves* 

 
Well, well, well. Look who finally showed up after ignoring my concerned PM from like months ago! :D

 

I didn't exactly ignore it, I just didn't respond.

And especially given where I was trapped at the time (a toilet), you would have, at best gotten little more than grunts, groans, and some foul smelling odors.

(yes, do not try to guilt me or face the wrath of TMI!)

and good to have time to be back!

QOTD: What do you think of the use of the "legendary" characters in a lot of newer D&D products?

I mean the use of things like Tasha and Vecna and Mordenkainen and Tenser and Leomund and such?

I mean, Vecna wasn't even a "being" really in AD&D -- he was a hand and an eye and a super vague two sentence comment, lol. And the DM had to create the powers of the hand and the eye themselves.

Tasha was always a surprise among all of it -- it was when she became tied to Iggwilv (in the original tsojcanth) that she started to gain more notoriety than just being the only woman that is mentioned by name in the AD&D books. And who the **** was Tenser with his little floating disk?

I have found it peculiar to watch them being grabbed and developed as "characters" for use in licensing and such (ah, cynicism, raise your head proudly), but also shocked at just how very differently I see them (having seen Gygax actually play Zygyg) from the way they are being shown today.

Quote from AEDorsay >>

QOTD: What do you think of the use of the "legendary" characters in a lot of newer D&D products?

It doesn't really make much difference to me one way or another. I'm not terribly interested in the FR or Greyhawk lore, so the easter eggs aren't doing anything for me. What bothers me is the sinking feeling that the FR and other WotC IPs are being developed at the expense of efforts to create new settings and new iconic characters.

On the one hand, we see some efforts to develop new settings in the form of Radiant Citadel etc. But on the other hand, we've seen many more ports of old settings, eg. Spelljammer, Planescape, the adventures in the upcoming Infinite Staircase, etc.

Quote from Gnomarchy >>

Quote from AEDorsay >>

QOTD: What do you think of the use of the "legendary" characters in a lot of newer D&D products?

 

It doesn't really make much difference to me one way or another. I'm not terribly interested in the FR or Greyhawk lore, so the easter eggs aren't doing anything for me. What bothers me is the sinking feeling that the FR and other WotC IPs are being developed at the expense of efforts to create new settings and new iconic characters.

On the one hand, we see some efforts to develop new settings in the form of Radiant Citadel etc. But on the other hand, we've seen many more ports of old settings, eg. Spelljammer, Planescape, the adventures in the upcoming Infinite Staircase, etc.

 
Oh, there is no doubt that they are being developed at the expense of creating new worlds. I mean, that's like bluntly said in investor stuff -- they are working to monetize those figures so they can license the IP more readily and have more value out of the creations (even though to players they ae obscure as hell, they are not to new folks).

Especially after seeing the success of Critical Role's character stuff (i mean, they have merch -- hasbro must be salivating, lol).

Honestly, I am surprised they haven't tried to create their own version of a critical role type of show -- hire actors and all that.

Quote from AEDorsay >>

QOTD: What do you think of the use of the "legendary" characters in a lot of newer D&D products?

I mean the use of things like Tasha and Vecna and Mordenkainen and Tenser and Leomund and such?

I mean, Vecna wasn't even a "being" really in AD&D -- he was a hand and an eye and a super vague two sentence comment, lol. And the DM had to create the powers of the hand and the eye themselves.

Tasha was always a surprise among all of it -- it was when she became tied to Iggwilv (in the original tsojcanth) that she started to gain more notoriety than just being the only woman that is mentioned by name in the AD&D books. And who the **** was Tenser with his little floating disk?

I have found it peculiar to watch them being grabbed and developed as "characters" for use in licensing and such (ah, cynicism, raise your head proudly), but also shocked at just how very differently I see them (having seen Gygax actually play Zygyg) from the way they are being shown today.

 Not to nitpick, but there was also Baba Yaga, who through her hut got almost as much mention as Vecna. (Don't get me wrong, 1e was far from woman-inclusive, and I'm not trying to argue otherwise. Just, there was more than 1.)

But to answer the question. I like it. It does exactly what an easter egg should do, if you're in the know, it's fun little detail that makes you smile. And if you don't know, it doesn't get in your way of enjoying the product.

As far as I know, most of the named spells come from the names of characters of the first players, where often the player -- through their character -- invented the spell and it got added in. And they were not super creative with their names -- Drawmij is Jim Ward backwards, Tenser is an anagram for Ernest (Gary's son). Melf was a male elf, etc. Though I'm pretty sure I heard Tasha was actually a young girl who wrote in with the idea of a spell that made you laugh, so Gary named hideous laughter after her. I think using them in current products is a fun way to keep that history alive, and re-imagine it for a new generation. Or, use it like bits of apocrypha, to fill in blank spaces as they did with the deck of many things book, take a name and fill in a story. (Ohh, Euryale, she also goes back to 1e, albeit in a very superficial way.)

Quote from Xalthu >>

 Not to nitpick, but there was also Baba Yaga, who through her hut got almost as much mention as Vecna.

 
At least Tasha was original. Baba Yaga was just stolen from old slavic folklore.