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Dinos and Druids, A Tasty Romp through Table Top Games

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Posts

  • Albino BunnyAlbino Bunny Jackie Registered User regular
    Straightzi wrote: »
    I would love to play a game that relied on having an adventuring party that actually did like, formation fighting and maneuvers

    I've toyed around with the idea of Roman fantasy stuff a bunch before, although I've never actual run anything of the sort

    Shadowrun has an advanced combat rule where a squad leader can call a tactic with a dice roll and then anyone following it (which sometimes required a dice roll to be in sync/do it correctly) got a bonus provided their behaviour matched close enough.

    That combined with a blades style stress meter to represent readiness (the generic war game catch all for integrity, ammo, morale and formation) that you wanted to hold together but got spent when things went wrong or you need to force a formation change could work pretty well.

  • StraightziStraightzi Here we may reign secure, and in my choice, To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered User regular
    edited January 2019
    Straightzi wrote: »
    Hmm

    Now I'm trying to figure out what an RPG where every player is by default controlling three characters would look like

    Whoops I'm having a slow day at work, I did the thing:

    Character creation
    Because you are going to have three characters who primarily function in the same role, there are two parts to the character creation - the unit, and the three individuals.

    The unit is defined by their commonality - their shared creed or ethos. This is mapped along several different axes - it's similar to alignment, but less good/evil. Additionally, maneuvers chosen will be on the unit level, not on the character level.

    The individuals are each defined based on what they're trained in. That's it. They have personalities, of course, and those can be roleplayed, but the point here is creating your unit, and your unit will be different from other units because of who is in it and the maneuvers that you have learned as a unit.

    Maneuvers
    As a basic comparison, maneuvers are attack actions. You perform one maneuver a turn in combat, and each maneuver requires a specific numbers of people (and potentially specific classes or specific equipment) in order to be performed. If you have any extra individuals who are not involved in the maneuver you are performing, they don't get to perform maneuvers of their own, but they can chose to contribute to allied maneuvers from other units in the party, or perform non-maneuver combat actions (this might include things like drinking a healing potion, reloading a heavy weapon).

    So your list of maneuvers might include, for instance, 2 1-person maneuvers, 3 2-person maneuvers, 1 3-person maneuver, and 1 4-person maneuver. At very least, that 4 person maneuver you would need to borrow at least one other person from another unit to use (or more if you have lost party members or not all of your party members qualify for the maneuver in some way).

    There's some inspiration derived from 4E here, in case you didn't notice. The 1-person maneuvers are essentially basic attacks - something to do if you have literally nothing else to do. The 2-person maneuvers would be more along the lines of your at will powers, the 3-person maneuver an encounter power, and the 4-person maneuver a daily. Without those limits, of course - the limit is more based around getting the exact right positioning and timing in order to actually pull it off. Which does mean that combat would need to be fairly punishing, lots of damage and not a lot of hit points, so it's frequently more beneficial performing triage instead of contributing to one of the big maneuvers.

    Some of the maneuvers would also have some built in defensive ability - stuff like dealing 5 damage and defending against 5 until your next turn. This is partially just to simulate all the shield wall stuff this is inspired by, but it would also serve the useful game purpose of getting yourself set up for bigger and more powerful maneuvers.

    Straightzi on
  • SleepSleep Registered User regular
    Straightzi wrote: »
    Hmm

    Now I'm trying to figure out what an RPG where every player is by default controlling three characters would look like

    My d&d campaigns

  • StiltsStilts Registered User regular
    Okay, so, this took a little longer than usual, partly because I got distracted, and partly because I was waiting on one more person to respond to break a tie

    Round 5 of the 2019 SE++ Class Clash is now complete!

    Results can be seen here:
    https://challonge.com/2019semartial
    https://challonge.com/2019seexpertise
    https://challonge.com/2019sespellcaster

    Cleric v Sorcerer and Archivist v Inquisitor were both extremely close, with the Cleric and Archivist winning by just one vote (the Archivist's final winning vote is the tiebreaking one I mentioned I was waiting on).

    Meanwhile, Druid v Psion was barely even a contest, with Druid winning 31-8.

    Eliminations this time were:
    Hexblade
    Monk
    Alchemist
    Inquisitor
    Psion

    Thus marks the end of all the Psionic classes.

    CLICK HERE TO VOTE IN ROUND 6

    We've got three rounds of Losers' Bracket to get through. However, I'm not keen on having the winner of each Losers' bracket face off against their Winners' bracket counterparts, since it seems like in most scenarios the results would be a repeat of the Semifinals. Instead, I'm considering having the three Winners and three Losers finalists face off, and then the overall victor of Winners' bracket and victor of Losers' get to fight 1-on-1. Or I could just throw all 6 of them in a ranked vote. If anyone has suggestions, I'm happy to take alternative ideas.

    IKknkhU.gif
  • BahamutZEROBahamutZERO Registered User regular
    yay death to psionics

    BahamutZERO.gif
  • StiltsStilts Registered User regular
    yay death to psionics

    :(

    IKknkhU.gif
  • Metzger MeisterMetzger Meister It Gets Worse before it gets any better.Registered User regular
    Solar wrote: »
    Solar wrote: »
    I personally feel that probably one side broke extremely quickly. However one article I read suggested that you might not know you were in a push of pike until it was happening, because they fired a segment of the artillery and arquebuses that were on part of a battle line in some German conflict somewhere or others, and found that after a few volleys, you couldn't see anything at all. If they had marched pike up, you'd only see other pikes when they were yards away!

    But yes personally I feel like they fled because most reenactors think that more than a very short push would have resulted in casualties that just don't match the reports.

    oh yeah, after the first few full-line volleys a battlefield could be almost completely obscured. given the right weather conditions the smoke would even linger and cling to the ground like sulfur-scented fog. dust in the air from artillery impacts would worsen the effect, sometimes even to the point where entire battlefields would be shrouded in like this thick gray-brown miasma.

    sometimes you'd fire without the intent of even hitting the enemy (though hey it's musket warfare you probably won't anyway) to conceal troop movements to the rear! that's fascinating! adapting what was seen as a drawback of the technology into an asset! classic!

    edit: by a lot of accounts pike-and-shot warfare wasn't really all that deadly, compared to earlier and later periods. armies would often break after even just a few volleys, like you said, simply because it was already obvious who'd won the positioning battle.

    then you get back to camp and die of cholera like 40% of the rest of the army.

    If you haven't read Furies: War in Europe 1450-1700 by Lauro Martines you absolutely should, I think you'd love it. Fantastic book on the nature of warfare and it's impact on people, soldiers and civilians, at the time. The statistics are staggering! I read it while laid up post surgery and it definitely helped get the day by!

    ooooh i have amazon cards from christmas... it's been a while since i bought a for real book.

  • SolarSolar Registered User regular
    I proper recommend it mate, it's really good. Very readable but extremely well researched and sourced. Really does give you a sense of the transition between the late mediaeval and early modern military and how that came about.

  • never dienever die Registered User regular
    i

    love

    pike formations.

    hedgehogs, pike rings, squars. spears and pikes ruled the battlefield for millenia and there's a reason and they're rad. lots of my d&d characters have been spear-and-shield types.

    In my first campaign I ran ever was a Pathfinder Campaign where the final boss was a group of Drow Noble Phalanx Soldier archetype Fighters who all had teamwork feats, the magic Ray deflecting feats, and hit like Mack trucks. It was a super fun final fight.

  • Virgil_Leads_YouVirgil_Leads_You Proud Father House GardenerRegistered User regular
    What's the sell on Archivist?
    They like books?
    Got more memorized spells than Wizards?

    VayBJ4e.png
  • RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    A Paladin/Rogue/Cleric final

    smh

    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • BahamutZEROBahamutZERO Registered User regular
    What's the sell on Archivist?
    They like books?
    Got more memorized spells than Wizards?

    at will they can use Lorenado, a martial maneuver that causes papercut elemental damage over a wide area

    BahamutZERO.gif
  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    Warlord lost to Paladin? What is this foo-foo-rah?

    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • PlatyPlaty Registered User regular
    If anyone wants to bring Roman combat into their game, De re militari (a Roman military manual) is a good source

  • RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    Matev wrote: »
    Warlord lost to Paladin? What is this foo-foo-rah?

    Iconic

    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • BahamutZEROBahamutZERO Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    They should add Loxodon to the core races
    and replace Halflings with Kobolds
    and have Kobolds be dog-like instead of reptilian
    Scottish-Terrier-4-645mk062811.jpg

    maybe a different family branch of koboldia, whose scales changed into fur/hair

    BahamutZERO on
    BahamutZERO.gif
  • ElddrikElddrik Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    Straightzi wrote: »
    Hmm

    Now I'm trying to figure out what an RPG where every player is by default controlling three characters would look like

    It's pretty common in old-school D&D to have players controlling their character + their henchmen in combat, and possibly hirelings as well.

    One of the benefits of having lower complexity and customization to characters is that it's feasible to actually control multiple of them, which you can't really do in newer-styled RPGs.

    Elddrik on
  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    What's the sell on Archivist?
    They like books?
    Got more memorized spells than Wizards?

    They are divine wizards.

    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    Zonugal wrote: »
    What's the sell on Archivist?
    They like books?
    Got more memorized spells than Wizards?

    They are divine wizards.

    So a cleric?

  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    Rainfall wrote: »
    Zonugal wrote: »
    What's the sell on Archivist?
    They like books?
    Got more memorized spells than Wizards?

    They are divine wizards.

    So a cleric?

    Not really.

    Imagine a wizard but instead of studying/preparing arcane spells, they get access to every divine spell in the game.

    In 3.5 they were mega-powerful (check them out here).

    Zonugal on
    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Rainfall wrote: »
    Zonugal wrote: »
    What's the sell on Archivist?
    They like books?
    Got more memorized spells than Wizards?

    They are divine wizards.

    So a cleric?

    Not really.

    Imagine a wizard but instead of studying/preparing arcane spells, they get access to every divine spell in the game.

    In 3.5 they were mega-powerful.

    Why would you even make that

  • BahamutZEROBahamutZERO Registered User regular
    I guess for the couple people who really want the wizard spellcasting mechanics but with the divine spell list instead of the arcane one

    BahamutZERO.gif
  • A duck!A duck! Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited January 2019
    Zonugal wrote: »
    What's the sell on Archivist?
    They like books?
    Got more memorized spells than Wizards?

    They are divine wizards.

    On the Theurge Wizard side or the Arcana Cleric side?

    Edit - ah, okay.

    A duck! on
  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    Rainfall wrote: »
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Rainfall wrote: »
    Zonugal wrote: »
    What's the sell on Archivist?
    They like books?
    Got more memorized spells than Wizards?

    They are divine wizards.

    So a cleric?

    Not really.

    Imagine a wizard but instead of studying/preparing arcane spells, they get access to every divine spell in the game.

    In 3.5 they were mega-powerful.

    Why would you even make that

    Someone needs to step up against the wizards.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L53gjP-TtGE

    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    but cleric was already more powerful than wizard.

  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    Melding wrote: »
    but cleric was already more powerful than wizard.

    In 3.5? I wouldn't support that claim.

    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Melding wrote: »
    but cleric was already more powerful than wizard.

    In 3.5? I wouldn't support that claim.

    from what i recall, power structure went: druid, cleric, wizard, sorcerer

    cause druid could do all their shit while being a dinosaur or a young red dragon, and then cleric had a shit ton of options and spells, good to great saves, armour (though high ac stops being worth while at a point) while wizards just had spells.

    granted, it has been a bit since i looked at the cleric spell list, but i seem to recall the right domains could get you the best wizard spells.

  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    In actual play, that mostly holds up. In backbreakingly overcomplex optimization, wizards will always rule unchallenged

  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    Melding wrote: »
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Melding wrote: »
    but cleric was already more powerful than wizard.

    In 3.5? I wouldn't support that claim.

    from what i recall, power structure went: druid, cleric, wizard, sorcerer

    cause druid could do all their shit while being a dinosaur or a young red dragon, and then cleric had a shit ton of options and spells, good to great saves, armour (though high ac stops being worth while at a point) while wizards just had spells.

    granted, it has been a bit since i looked at the cleric spell list, but i seem to recall the right domains could get you the best wizard spells.

    In terms of class features & class chassis, you are correct.

    But wizards always pulled ahead because their spell list was insane.

    At the highest levels of character optimization in 3.5 it was effectively impossible to defeat a wizard.

    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    iunno, what if you have time stop and power word kill?

  • RiemannLivesRiemannLives Registered User regular
    Zonugal wrote: »
    Melding wrote: »
    but cleric was already more powerful than wizard.

    In 3.5? I wouldn't support that claim.

    Some of the cleric builds just dominated at lower levels (elf cleric-archer for example). Once you got up into the teens it started to even out. A level 17+ wizard would probably outdo a cleric.

    Attacked by tweeeeeeees!
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    it is wroth noting that in 4e cleric was at one point the strongest class in the game. they even had to erreta the entire cleric entry in the core rule book because it was a better wizard than wizard, and still one of the best healers in the game.

  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    Melding wrote: »
    iunno, what if you have time stop and power word kill?

    A wizard could create their own plane of reality, via Create Demiplane, and modify its own temporal traits (so that every round on the material plane equals a day in their personal plane).

    Doing so enabled them to teleport there in mid-combat, sleep & prepare a whole new set of spells, and come back into combat fully rested/ready.

    They were absurdly godlike in their power.

    That isn't even touching on spells like Clone, Simulacrum, ect...

    Zonugal on
    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    that sounds like something out of a non core book that happened when the person who even pretended to care about balance fell asleep.

  • ZonugalZonugal (He/Him) The Holiday Armadillo I'm Santa's representative for all the southern states. And Mexico!Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    If my memory serves me, the three most powerful classes in 3.5 were Artificers, Erudites, & Wizards.

    Zonugal on
    Ross-Geller-Prime-Sig-A.jpg
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    yeah, artificer was kind of extremely broken.

  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    so, i've been thinking more on dwelf, right now i have them as this.
    Dwelf.

    +1 Con, +1 Wis, +1 Dex

    Skill proficiency
    You have the choice of Perception, or History.

    Your parentage has left you with keen senses, however if that means you see well or have an eye for detail is up to you.

    Medium size

    movement: 30 feet

    Dark vision 60 feet

    Stout of Body and Mind
    You have advantage on saves against effects that would charm or poison you. As well you resist poison damage, and magical effects can't put you to sleep.

    Universal Good looks
    A dwelf captures the good looks of both the dwarf and the elf, leading them to be uniquely attractive. When making a Charisma check (Persuasion) that relies on your appearance you may add your proficiency bonus. If you're already proficient in Persuasion you may add double your proficiency bonus.

    but, while i like the idea of them being very attractive that it infers gameplay benefits, that is, super dangerous territory.

    I have been thinking about what if instead they pick up the old dwarf trait of being hard to move. 5e has half of the ability with dwarves not getting slowed down b y heavy armour but not making them hard to push around.

    So i am thinking like

    Unmovingly Nimble
    You have advantage on strength and dexterity saves to prevent yourself from being pushed, pulled or knocked prone.

    i'm not sure if that is too strong with the combined abilities of fey ancestry and dwarven resilience

    thoughts and opinions are welcome.

    Melding on
  • BahamutZEROBahamutZERO Registered User regular
    I think you're right to be leery of making physical attractiveness a tangible mechanical benefit

    BahamutZERO.gif
  • MeldingMelding Registered User regular
    listen, the idea is all dwelf are hot.

    all of them.

    but yeah, is the other thing over doing it? i'm trying to figure out a unique thing for them that other races can't do.

  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    Someones written a Warlord class for 5e. I wonder if it's worth $2.50 to see if it's any good.

    Call to Arms: The Warlord

    Steam ID: Webguy20
    Origin ID: Discgolfer27
    Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
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