OOC I

[dmw71]

OOC I

[dmw71]

It is Monday, October 28, 2019.

I sent a PM to all players previously in the game and inquired about their interest in resuming it. Of the eight original players:

• Five Six have reconfirmed their interest;
  One will not be returning;
  Still awaiting response from last player.

I have dusted off the cobwebs and unarchived the old campaign: Dave's 2e Campaign. I've given it a refresh; archiving everything from the previous start except for the action threads, and recreated everything else.

The plan, seriously, is to update this game once per week. Maybe twice. I have been busy re-familiarizing myself with all my old notes, and the previous progress the group has made, and I'm thinking I should be able to kick things off again here shortly. When last we left, it was the morning of day three on your trip from Red Larch to Westbridge and the group elected to push on and not seek out the lair of Vizug, the apologetic ogre.

I need to award experience points to the group. I'm still debating a change to the amounts (increasing the value of overcome monsters instead of using the actual value), but I also need to wait to hear from this last person to know how many surviving party members there.

Finally, even if they were using non-core rules, I have just now decided to grandfather in any previous characters that were already in play. I think the only player affected by this is Rex, who was controlling Unna. She has been unarchived and is now found in the list of 'Character Sheets.'

Speaking of characters, please take a moment to re-familiarize yourselves with them. Also, while it's not required, it would probably be helpful to read through the previous action threads:

• Session 1: Red Larch
  Session 2: Red Larch to Westbridge

There's only like 10 total pages so it's a quick skim. I did it myself last night, and will definitely need to go through them a second time, making notes along the way.


Any questions? Now is the time to ask.

Again, expect for things to kick off again here soon. Like potentially later today soon.

[Zhym]

Hooray! I'm looking forward to playing Roderick again. Although even having read through the game threads, I'm not sure whether I'll be able to recapture his personality right away. I imagine some of you would be okay with that.

[Rex]

So will I be using Unna or creating a new PC?

[Storm11]

Hooray! I'm looking forward to playing Roderick again. Although even having read through the game threads, I'm not sure whether I'll be able to recapture his personality right away. I imagine some of you would be okay with that.

We can but hope

I am reading the action threads already to refamiliarise myself with what’s occurred and to get a feel for everyone again.

Whenever you are ready to begin buddy I am. It could be a really cool campaign so am hoping we gel and it all goes swimmingly. Bravo for bringing it back. What happened with 5th Edition by the way. I thought that was your fave? Not that I am complaining at all. It’s brill to be back. So thank you

[dmw71]

So will I be using Unna or creating a new PC?

I'm saying you can use Unna if you want to. If you would rather create a new character, you're welcome to do that as well.


However, once the game kicks off again, it will be a core-material only game. I still might be willing to consider some non-core material, but, instead, it will be something that I add to the game as an official house rule. Upon request. Or re-request.

I previously requested that you create multiple characters. Many of you did. This grandfathering exception will not apply to any secondary characters created but not used.

So, in a nutshell:

• You can use your old character as-is.
• Any new character will be created using only core-materials.
• Any exceptions will be reconsidered upon request and, if approved, will be made official house rules to allow in the game going forward.
  Do not expect as much leeway along the lines of special kits, etc... Stuff that was commonly found in 1e that was omitted from 2e (e.g. half orcs) are, however, more likely to be allowed.

[Zhym]

What's the campaign ID? It looks like the one that Roderick used to be on is no longer valid.

[dmw71]

What happened with 5th Edition by the way. I thought that was your fave?

Nothing happened to it, per se, and I still very much enjoy it.

I think, when I lost my enthusiasm for D&D, the spark started to return to me once I started to think back on the previous editions. My whole brainstorming session on ability score generation one day late last week really started to cement it.

I'll almost certainly stick with 5e for any live, in-person games I participate in. But, for now, online, my plan is to definitely jump back in and focus on an "old school" game.

After re-reading the start of this one, I liked it. I thought it had a pretty strong start (which my games don't alway do) so I'm excited to dive back in and see where it goes.

[dmw71]

What's the campaign ID? It looks like the one that Roderick used to be on is no longer valid.

I apparently deleted the old campaign I set up in the die roller so I created a new one last night. It's added to the top of the 'Table of Contents' post, but it is: 787.

[Zhym]

Thanks.

Now let's take a moment to think of poor Jane, missing all these months.

[dmw71]

Hooray! I'm looking forward to playing Roderick again. Although even having read through the game threads, I'm not sure whether I'll be able to recapture his personality right away. I imagine some of you would be okay with that.

I will admit, I was relieved when you said you wanted to continue to play him. He was challenging (in a good way), and I definitely remember your portrayal of him. He was/is a big part of why I feel the game got off to as strong of a start as it did.

Now let's take a moment to think of poor Jane, missing all these months.

Ha!

[dmw71]

He was challenging (in a good way), and I definitely remember your portrayal of him.

• DM: I'll just have the NPC offer the group 150 gold pieces to finish this task for them.
  Roderick: I use Detect Evil on him. I need more than money, what's the cause?

His interaction with Samdarag was classic paladin.

Even later, after the orge was eliminated. It may not have been popular, but Roderick did what I feel a paladin would have done -- questioned the need to attack first.

[Zhym]

Well, Vizug, the apologetic ogre, made that second part easy. I admit to Google translating what he said after the combat was over, and the whole scene is something out of vaudeville, but with death. Clumsy ogre stumbles into a camp full of adventurers and even before he can say anything the adventurers are up and attacking. "Oh no! Ogre! Kill it!" The ogre fights back and his last words before being extremely killed very quickly are, "Vizug sorry."

Kind of made me feel for the big oaf, y'know?

[dmw71]

The ogre fights back and his last words before being extremely killed very quickly are, "Vizug sorry."

Kind of made me feel for the big oaf, y'know?

That was the plan.

[dmw71]

I need to award experience points to the group. I'm still debating a change to the amounts (increasing the value of overcome monsters instead of using the actual value), but I also need to wait to hear from this last person to know how many surviving party members there.

I have added an 'Experience Points' house rule which details the new xp system this game will use.


Feel free to let me know if there are any questions or concerns.

[dmw71]

Also, please familiarize yourself with the 'House Rules' as there have been a few modifications made to what existed previously.

Offhand, the most significant changes were:

• The posting frequency was updated in the 'Posting Rules' rule;
• The 'Levels and Training' rule was noted as still being tentative;
• I added a bit about rations near the bottom of the 'Dying, Death, and Healing' rule;
• What happens on a natural 20 in the 'Natural 20's (and 1's)' rule has been revised;
• The previously mentioned 'Experience Points' rule was added.

Thoughts?

[Zhym]

There won't be any experience points awarded for treasure (coins, gems, etc...) or magical items

Roderick fully supports this rejection of crass materialism.

As for me, I'm happy with whatever system makes it easier for you to run the game. Treasure accounts for a major portion of XP in old-school AD&D, so I'm not sure how eliminating treasure XP while increasing moster XP will affect overall XP totals, but it doesn't really matter. We level when (or if) we level.

(the XP value shown on the treasure tables is the number of XP a character earns for making that magic item)

I think this is the first time I've seen this. It's right there in the 2e DMG, now that I look, but it's a surprise because it's a big change from 1e, where the XP in the treasure tables is the XP gained by keeping an item.

[dmw71]

Treasure accounts for a major portion of XP in old-school AD&D, so I'm not sure how eliminating treasure XP while increasing moster XP will affect overall XP totals, but it doesn't really matter. We level when (or if) we level.

My 2e is very rusty, but I don't remember experience being awarded for treasure, which leads to...

(the XP value shown on the treasure tables is the number of XP a character earns for making that magic item) awarded)

I think this is the first time I've seen this. It's right there in the 2e DMG, now that I look, but it's a surprise because it's a big change from 1e, where the XP in the treasure tables is the XP gained by keeping an item.

In full transparency, today was the first time I noticed that rule myself.

I'm definitely not opposed to making revisions as needed (e.g. progress is too slow), but I'm thinking the increased awards for overcoming a monster will help speed up progress.

I can't even tell you the last time I was involved in an AD&D game where a character leveled up, but I do remember advancement is pretty slow. I'm thinking the increased xp value for overcome monsters will make it less of a slog.

As things stand, the party has defeated 6 bandits (I'm saying their "1-6hp" will translate into 2/3 HD, or 75xp each) and 1 orge:

6 bandits = 450 (75 * 6)
1 ogre = 425
----------------
Total: 875xp

I'm still waiting to hear from one player, but the party size will be either 6 or 7.

• 875/6 = 146xp each
  875/7 = 125xp each

Honestly, there was only minimal treasure so one of those will be the totals.



Man, it's going to take a LONG time for you guys to level. You'll get there, though. All I can say is we'll see how things go, and adjust accordingly, as needed.

[Zhym]

I may be thinking in 1e again. Removing treasure from XP awards must be another of the changes from 1e to 2e.

Leveling in PbP tends to take forever unless the DM makes some pretty dramatic adjustments to compensate. Given the different rates of play between table top and PbP, a tenfold increase in XP might not be completely ridiculous. But it's all about how fast you want PCs to advance.

You could always just decide when you want PCs to level and give out awards accordingly.

FWIW, here is a comparison of book XP value vs. Dave XP value for the monsters you listed (book XP first, then Dave's):

Kobold: 7, 25
Brownie: 175, 50
Orc: 15, 100
Stirge: 175, 125
Bombardier Beetle: 120, 250
Hippogriff: 175, 375
Gargoyle: 420, 500
Ogre: 270, 425

Your XP are often higher, especially with low-level mook monsters (kobolds, orcs, etc.), but are actually lower for creatures with special attacks and defenses. Check out the stirge and brownie, for example. Or consider an adult green dragon: 13 HD, 14,000 XP BtB, 1,300 XP by your system. That's an extreme example, but it highlights what I think are two issues with your system: (1) it undervalues special abilities, and (2) it scales linearly, while XP BtB scales geometrically.

None of that may matter, of course, especially the XP for higher-level monsters we'll probably never face. If we mostly fight orcs, goblins, kobolds, and the like, your system will award much more XP. But if we mostly face the likes of ogres and such, we'll still probably get more XP, but not that much more. And if you throw monsters at us with more than a couple of special abilities, we'd probably lose out in the bargain.

[dmw71]

Your XP are often higher, especially with low-level mook monsters (kobolds, orcs, etc.), but are actually lower for creatures with special attacks and defenses.

This is something I (obviously) didn't consider. I think I assumed any special abilities would have been built into the higher HD itself, but apparently not.

There's a 'Hit Dice Value Modifiers' table that modifies the HD based on abilities. I'm not sure why those abilities aren't already factored in, but I have no problem adding them when appropriate.

Like when you need to fight a 13 HD green dragon.