New game

Maouse maouse at FULTON-NET.COM
Tue Sep 5 20:30:58 CEST 2000


Well, I think that both parts of the statement are true; it is the best rpg
out there, and flows smoothly (especially with a certain dos treasure
generation application).  I have always liked ICE's percentile combat
system, but found it to be too much with some thirty books now available.

Consequently I also agree with the "all in one box" idea.  I bought my
first three copies (of which I have one tatered copy left, having dispersed
the others to brothers and "the wind") for around $5.00 each at Boscovs a
LONG time ago.  They were on sale, so much so that we all could afford a
copy.  This has also helped out, since not every 16 year old back then had
twenty dollars.  We also bought AH's Gloranthia (oh what the heck was that
game called.. the other one that was a RPG, gloranthia was one of the
books).  Anyway, it lacked SERIOUSLY when it came to magic systems (it
never explained to MY satisfaction whether Clerical magic trumped "regular"
magic... that and you could "make"/summon a size 50 shadow creature to ride
and basically become invincible).  I did like the location armor
designations, but the HP allocation usually meant ALL combat was fatal
(arms and legs everywhere).  P&P is sooo much better than any of the
formentioned and trumps AD&D all to heck.  I have yet to find a DM who
didn't invoke "peanut brittle" walls or have to use some other way to keep
AD&D characters from wrecking their "master" dungeon.  Heck, half the
suppliments that ever came out for AD&D intentionally limit spells and
basically can make any mage a 1/2 hd fighter.  Not so with P&P.  All the
magic goes(as does all the hatred towards magic users).  Even a few new
spells and a few combinations.  I personally like the realism of it.  I
have had two very interesting things happen which I spun off and the
players enjoyed - YES ENJOYED! the way I did it. (as opposed to wanting to
reach through their character sheets and try to kill me).

The most recent instance was when Haus(a character) tried to timetravel
backwards within and through an area which had been timestopped.  He
received d6 damage per 10 seconds real time thinking while he figured out
he had better stop his spell.  My explaination went something like,"Ever
try to push a potato through a water strainer?  You were the potato."  And
these lessons can come in handy (for instance if at a future date he did a
TS and then cast a timetravel on someone in that area, they would seem to
simply explode on the spot... and yes I would allow it!).

Another incident was when Haus and Peol first met each other with
simultaneuos whirlwind spells...  guess who failed their dodge rolls.  Can
you say OUCH! They could.  This particular one has been used by them since
then on what they like to refer to as "smart a@@" trolls.  Both striking
from an opposing side.  (ps. invisibility and whirlwind are a devistating
combination also used by these characters, but started my May, a fearry
character with invis as an innate).

I like the fatality of the "real" magic as well.  That being that if
someone tries to kill you with something and you aren't prepared, you are
dead.  This is balanced well.  Killing light, fatal spear, elfshot, hand of
death, spirit wrack (or whatever it's called); they all have a fairly fatal
spell.  I also like that despite the website's listing them as seperate,
the "clerical" group already exists.  That would be shamanism.  Priests and
the like are all either shamans or mages if they use magic.  No biggie here
folks and I didn't see any reason to make it more involved.

THERE IS ONLY ONE THING THAT BOTHERS ME; and I have ever changed it in my
set of rules.

that being the base for shamans and elder aligned spells.  For some reason
unknown to me (and you also if you reason it out),  The Elder are supposed
to be Empathy based and shamans Will Based.  This is bass-ackward
IMHO.  "The most carefree, I'm going to do it my way, biteme if you don't
like it stupid human, we've been here longer so die "-Elder get EMPATHY?
come on folks.  That's wacked.  Especially when you consider that EM is the
base for familiars and such for Shamans and they are supposed to be "animal
loving, intouch with the universe, mana using, plant eating, supporters of
the natural world around them" types.  This is clearly Empathy.  Will would
be best used to describe those ancient races who do what they want because
they want to and can.  Does anyone disagree with this?

-Maouse



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