So, as I have been cruising the super DDB highway I noticed there are a lot of vets on here. Hey, me too! Brothers and Sisters in arms, where you at? No matter your country or creed, there are those of us who have served our countries as a duty to not only ourselves but also our nation.
I was in the US Army, enlisted in 2003 as a 13 Bravo. Artillery! Queen of the Battle! Luckily I never had a tour overseas, and I only say luckily because I have PTSD from pre-enlistment experiences so I think it would have broken me. I wasn't diagnosed until after I got out, but the thought that I would have made my condition worse or even failed in my duties saddens me. I'm just glad I never had a chance to let my brothers down.
I learned to play D&D in the military. If it wasn't for the Army I would have never picked up a d20 and I wouldn't be here on this thread today.
So, what branch were you? What was your MOS or job? I don't know what other countries call MOS's...lol Did you game while serving?
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"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Current Army Reservist, 91A (Ordnance Officer), been playing for years. My first true brother-in-arms I actually met in college when I began fencing. I stole his parking spot, he parked across from me, we got out and I was holding swords (German Longswords). He stops and stares, just says, "Are those swords...?" Turns out he was a massive gamer and we basically ran 3 years of WoW and D&D.
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Was stationed with the Marine Corps at Pendleton for 3 of those 5 years. Bounced all over that place between training excercises and duties. I also never got orders overseas. Half of me is glad about that and the other half reflgrets it.
We had a small 2e game I ran for a bit in barracks. But most free time was spent drunk on the beach haha.
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Welcome to the Grand Illusion, come on in and see what's happening, pay the price, get your ticket for the show....
I spent 20 years making the world safe for democracy. I want to say thanks to all my fellow brothers in arms whether you are a veteran or still serving. I got nothing but love for ya.
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As for me, I choose to believe that an extinct thunder lizard is running a game of Dungeons & Dragons via Twitter!
Gmoat! Barlow! Thanks for serving! I regret not following my dreams to serve, every day. But I have mad respect for all those who did. My grandfather was navy, my two uncles were both Army. My roommate is ex army, medical discharge. Two of my good friends from high school are both still Army Reserve.
Anyways, just wanted to express my thanks to all before, and all that come after for their service. Thanks for allowing my son and I to lay down at night in a country free from harm both foreign and domestic.
Edit: Auberginian, don't know how I missed you, mad respect, thanks for serving!
I feel like Vets bring an interesting flare to D&D. Tactical mindset (in and out of combat), enhanced dialogue regarding injuries, unique perspectives based on duties (medic, officer, infantry, etc.), and so much more. As much as I love my brothers and sister though, I feel like a game purely run with Vets isn't as fun as dropping 1 or 2 into a campaign to spread some madness.
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Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
I feel like Vets bring an interesting flare to D&D. Tactical mindset (in and out of combat), enhanced dialogue regarding injuries, unique perspectives based on duties (medic, officer, infantry, etc.), and so much more. As much as I love my brothers and sister though, I feel like a game purely run with Vets isn't as fun as dropping 1 or 2 into a campaign to spread some madness.
I agree! It's great when a DM will let you use your knowledge too. (I really haven't met one who wouldn't...lol)
I remember a Pathfinder game we played a little while back, we had ballista and catapults for this huge battle we were about to get into with a neighboring country. Well, I made sure every pulled "gun" had a wagon with supplies in it. From rations for the crew to all their ammunition. It was a really fun experience and made me miss loading up and rocking out. I never got around to making camouflage netting for them, though...lol events of the world took us.
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"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Unfortunately, I'm the worst combination of veteran, military historian, and fencer (German Longsword!!). When I come across a group of bandits, my mind starts running into overdrive:
Ok, there's 6 of us and 5 of them. We don't have 3:1 odds, so it's not a definite win (standard engagement criteria). They have short bows/swords, we have a wizard, 2 heavy melee, cleric, and archer, so we can not only out-gun them, but absorb the attacks. If the fighter and paladin charge, they can absorb the first round of attacks, then the cleric can medic the wounds. Wizard can either kill or disable 2 of the targets in the first turn, so our odds are effectively 2:1 (6 vs. 3).
It gets even more fun when I roll with my Battle Buddy who thinks the exact same way as me. 2/3 of the first round is us strategizing how to move everyone's characters and anticipating the enemy. The last 1/3 is execution. Yeah, short of boss fights, we've NEVER been outmatched.
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Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Started playing in elementary school. Continued to play while in Army 2/505th P.I.R. 82nd Airborne Ft. Bragg, NC. One sixteen month deployment to Iraq. I also have PTSD from things early on when I got to Bragg and also during deployment. If you are struggling with it, I went through a research study here in San Diegof with the VA. It didn't fix everything, but my days are so much better. Prolonged Exposure therapy, it is just as fun as it sounds. It was worth it, I did one session a week at home over a secure video chat with the doctor. Home was comfortable and convenient.
Back to D&D! I am getting my minature's and terain painted so I can start my boys on adventures. It is also very therapeutic for me to enjoy my hobby!
Welcome welcome! Thank you for all that you've done and been through. I've known several of my soldiers who make it their mission to assist thosr with PTSD. By far the best people you could ever meet.
I would recommend the Play-By-Post section of the forums too. Being mobile-bound, it's a great way for me to stay active with the game and community.
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Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Air Force? And also, why is the half-orc barbarian crossed out on your signature? What happened to Adohand? :'( What have I missed while being away in the PbP section of the forums...???
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"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Air Force? And also, why is the half-orc barbarian crossed out on your signature? What happened to Adohand? :'( What have I missed while being away in the PbP section of the forums...???
Yep!
Adohand found a beautiful (read: strong) woman who he fell in love with (read: wouldn't let him leave) on a wonderful tropical (read: frozen) island. tldr, the idea I had for him at the get-go was just so different from how it actually played out that I wasn't having fun with it anymore. He'll be back for future adventures in one way or another though ;)
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Front End Developer for D&D Beyond by day, Half Orc Barbarian Gnome SorcererDuergar Cleric Aarakocra Barb/Rogue/Fighter (yeah yeah i know) by night.
Air Force? And also, why is the half-orc barbarian crossed out on your signature? What happened to Adohand? :'( What have I missed while being away in the PbP section of the forums...???
Yep!
Adohand found a beautiful (read: strong) woman who he fell in love with (read: wouldn't let him leave) on a wonderful tropical (read: frozen) island. tldr, the idea I had for him at the get-go was just so different from how it actually played out that I wasn't having fun with it anymore. He'll be back for future adventures in one way or another though ;)
Oh, nice! Thank you for your service...so what did you do while serving? The Air Force always looked like it was a fun...
And I get that, we've all been there. If you can't have fun with your character, retire, retire, retire. I do like bringing characters back and playing them in new games with little tweaks. Still, I'll always rep #AdohandStrong !!! :)
PS thanks for everyone's hard work on getting DDB out to us, this has changed the way I run a character and run games in all the best ways. I love it! <3 I don't think I can game without it...so thanks!!! :)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Seriously...so many rules! And I can grow my beard out now...lol
And for sure, y'all deserve it!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
So, as I have been cruising the super DDB highway I noticed there are a lot of vets on here. Hey, me too! Brothers and Sisters in arms, where you at? No matter your country or creed, there are those of us who have served our countries as a duty to not only ourselves but also our nation.
I was in the US Army, enlisted in 2003 as a 13 Bravo. Artillery! Queen of the Battle! Luckily I never had a tour overseas, and I only say luckily because I have PTSD from pre-enlistment experiences so I think it would have broken me. I wasn't diagnosed until after I got out, but the thought that I would have made my condition worse or even failed in my duties saddens me. I'm just glad I never had a chance to let my brothers down.
I learned to play D&D in the military. If it wasn't for the Army I would have never picked up a d20 and I wouldn't be here on this thread today.
So, what branch were you? What was your MOS or job? I don't know what other countries call MOS's...lol Did you game while serving?
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Current Army Reservist, 91A (Ordnance Officer), been playing for years. My first true brother-in-arms I actually met in college when I began fencing. I stole his parking spot, he parked across from me, we got out and I was holding swords (German Longswords). He stops and stares, just says, "Are those swords...?" Turns out he was a massive gamer and we basically ran 3 years of WoW and D&D.
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Former Navy Corpsman reporting.
Was stationed with the Marine Corps at Pendleton for 3 of those 5 years. Bounced all over that place between training excercises and duties. I also never got orders overseas. Half of me is glad about that and the other half reflgrets it.
We had a small 2e game I ran for a bit in barracks. But most free time was spent drunk on the beach haha.
Welcome to the Grand Illusion, come on in and see what's happening, pay the price, get your ticket for the show....
Not a veteran.
Just wanted to say thanks for your service.
Howdy,
I spent 20 years making the world safe for democracy. I want to say thanks to all my fellow brothers in arms whether you are a veteran or still serving. I got nothing but love for ya.
As for me, I choose to believe that an extinct thunder lizard is running a game of Dungeons & Dragons via Twitter!
Gmoat! Barlow! Thanks for serving! I regret not following my dreams to serve, every day. But I have mad respect for all those who did. My grandfather was navy, my two uncles were both Army. My roommate is ex army, medical discharge. Two of my good friends from high school are both still Army Reserve.
Anyways, just wanted to express my thanks to all before, and all that come after for their service. Thanks for allowing my son and I to lay down at night in a country free from harm both foreign and domestic.
Edit: Auberginian, don't know how I missed you, mad respect, thanks for serving!
I feel like Vets bring an interesting flare to D&D. Tactical mindset (in and out of combat), enhanced dialogue regarding injuries, unique perspectives based on duties (medic, officer, infantry, etc.), and so much more. As much as I love my brothers and sister though, I feel like a game purely run with Vets isn't as fun as dropping 1 or 2 into a campaign to spread some madness.
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Unfortunately, I'm the worst combination of veteran, military historian, and fencer (German Longsword!!). When I come across a group of bandits, my mind starts running into overdrive:
Ok, there's 6 of us and 5 of them. We don't have 3:1 odds, so it's not a definite win (standard engagement criteria). They have short bows/swords, we have a wizard, 2 heavy melee, cleric, and archer, so we can not only out-gun them, but absorb the attacks. If the fighter and paladin charge, they can absorb the first round of attacks, then the cleric can medic the wounds. Wizard can either kill or disable 2 of the targets in the first turn, so our odds are effectively 2:1 (6 vs. 3).
It gets even more fun when I roll with my Battle Buddy who thinks the exact same way as me. 2/3 of the first round is us strategizing how to move everyone's characters and anticipating the enemy. The last 1/3 is execution. Yeah, short of boss fights, we've NEVER been outmatched.
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Started playing in elementary school. Continued to play while in Army 2/505th P.I.R. 82nd Airborne Ft. Bragg, NC. One sixteen month deployment to Iraq. I also have PTSD from things early on when I got to Bragg and also during deployment. If you are struggling with it, I went through a research study here in San Diegof with the VA. It didn't fix everything, but my days are so much better. Prolonged Exposure therapy, it is just as fun as it sounds. It was worth it, I did one session a week at home over a secure video chat with the doctor. Home was comfortable and convenient.
Back to D&D! I am getting my minature's and terain painted so I can start my boys on adventures. It is also very therapeutic for me to enjoy my hobby!
Welcome welcome! Thank you for all that you've done and been through. I've known several of my soldiers who make it their mission to assist thosr with PTSD. By far the best people you could ever meet.
I would recommend the Play-By-Post section of the forums too. Being mobile-bound, it's a great way for me to stay active with the game and community.
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Former 1C6 checking in
Front End Developer for D&D Beyond by day,
Half Orc BarbarianGnome SorcererDuergar ClericAarakocra Barb/Rogue/Fighter (yeah yeah i know) by night.this has really gotten Adohand.
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Front End Developer for D&D Beyond by day,
Half Orc BarbarianGnome SorcererDuergar ClericAarakocra Barb/Rogue/Fighter (yeah yeah i know) by night.this has really gotten Adohand.
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
I did missile warning while I was in. It was fun, but I'm much happier now. Too many rules :p
Thanks for the kind words, we all really appreciate it :)
Front End Developer for D&D Beyond by day,
Half Orc BarbarianGnome SorcererDuergar ClericAarakocra Barb/Rogue/Fighter (yeah yeah i know) by night.this has really gotten Adohand.
Seriously...so many rules! And I can grow my beard out now...lol
And for sure, y'all deserve it!
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Front End Developer for D&D Beyond by day,
Half Orc BarbarianGnome SorcererDuergar ClericAarakocra Barb/Rogue/Fighter (yeah yeah i know) by night.this has really gotten Adohand.
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
88N here. I was a reservist with one deployment in 2009-2010. I ran a small game when we were overseas.