OOC: out of character comments and questions).

[OGRE MAGE]

Welcome to the game, torkill!

[Rex]

Welcome aboard torkill!

[tarlyn]

Welcome torkill!

[sastaz]

Welcome!!

[Stirling]

Welcome, you're in for a fun ride that goes nothing like you plan. I hired a guide to take a group to the riverbank and search for some lost poachers and we're now acting like Dick Turpin to rescue a werewolf from the bounty hunting church militant.

I must say as an aside, though I don't post much I do read the other forums and there are so many wilderness rumours, side quests, interesting snippets of information and most of us haven't even seen the mega dungeon yet.

I suppose as its all ooc information, in play I don't know a thing so must start a village rumour thread.

[sastaz]

I re-read burning hands spell. In AD&D 1st ed it does a single point of damage compared to magic missile which averages 3-4. That's... so crappy? At first I thought "ok, it's an AoE", but no, not really, flames spurt a mere three feet? AD&D is usually quite balanced, but what's the reason for ever memorizing Burning hands? To set things on fire? In 2nd ed I'm pretty sure it's upgraded from 1 to 1d8+1...

It's not super important but seems like...a bug? A typo?

[Stirling]

Well it is 1hp per level in an arc which may cover several people or ignite items, oil, birthday cake candles, burning through ropes? No saving throw either so auto hit, needs no materials components and takes just one segment.

Get wrestled to the ground by a group of bullies then 'whoof'. Compare it to a warrior with a sword that needs to hit to score any damage. 1hp guaranteed better than rolling a 14 or more in hope. At 5th level you will guarantee 5hp to maybe multiple opponents, the warrior still has to roll to hit a single enemy.

[Urson]

And don't forget the surprise factor- low-level baddies might just cut and run when the mage singes their eyebrows off. It's less a combat-effective weapon and more of a diversion.

[sastaz]

Ok, sure, but at lv 5 BH causes 5 damage without save but MM causes 3d4+3 (avg 11) damage without save. And BH is a close combat spell whereas MM is ranged (i.e. without risk of the hobgoblin running his spear through the mages 10 hp brain). Sure, you could imagine an example where you catch more than one foe with your BH but that should be very rare as the range is a tiny 3 feet. That's like shorter than my arms.

My point is just: I think 99% would choose MM over BH.

[Rex]

Actually in 1e its magic missile that is broken, not burning hands. The 2 spells everyone tries to get are Sleep and Magic Missile as they are both significantly more powerful then other 1st level spells.

[sastaz]

Agreed on Sleep, aka "the nuke".

Actually, in games that are run by the book, where the PC have to run away at times, I've found Hold Portal a true life saver! As a young kobold I laughed at the inferiority of Hold Portal, but now at a respectable (well...) age I've come to treasue it

[Rex]

There are some very useful spells for sure, but in combat Sleep and MM rule. In fact I would rate both better then several higher level combat spells.

[Stirling]

Noted edits and xp level changes. Just have to kill a few more critters and rob a bank for the extra XP.

I think the fighting feat balances well as most thieves have a high Dex so wielding two daggers, even at a minus to hit, gives another option.

I do think the house rules are working well so far in my experience.

[Rex]

Getting there, just need 1 more expedition and I should level up. Assuming I survive of course. House rules seem to be working fine from my perspective as well.

[redwarrior]

I start driving from WA-WI on Monday, with a planned return to Wa on the 10th/11th. I should still be on at least a few times a day, but no worries being NPC'ed if action needs to be bumped. Isvand has no issues heading back out once we've rested, healed, and refitted. He likes this group of bigs.

[OGRE MAGE]

Gerdal follows the elf with her gaze as he moves away, curious.

"He didn't really tame that wolf..." she mutters to herself

[Stirling]

Subject to enquires regarding expeditions and missions from Helix, I am considering checking out Bogtown or Ironguard. Principally to make contacts and to appraise the ancient flail I found.

So can you detail a similar settlement: business threads for those places?

More work I know.

[Spearmint]

Sure. Give me a few days though as I will need to detail them.

[torkill]

Just an FYI - our youngest daughter leaves tomorrow to study abroad in the UK for the rest of the year and she turns 20 on Tuesday. So 2 of her sisters and their kids came in from out of state to celebrate and say goodbye. Been a busy weekend and will be driving 3hrs to to DC tomorrow to see her off then spending the night and Tuesday there with the wife. This is why my posting has been very slow. Should be back on pace late Wednesday.

[Spearmint]

Oh. Where in the UK? Stirling teaches at a University here in Leicester.

No hurries with the posting while Eldon is in the village.