Quick Note: The Complete B/X Adventurer will be back in stock this week...the new print run should be ready by Thursday. Had some issues with my printer misplacing the files for the book, but they've got 'em now. The button on the side of the blog has been updated.
Second Note: Wow, Seahawks. Just terrible.
Russell Wilson was awful yesterday (and the last three weeks). But the Jamal Adams trade is looking worse and worse as the season goes on. Despite making the occasional spectacular play, the defense is even more terrible when he's on the field...and that is saying something. Giving up three draft picks (including two first rounders!) plus Bradley McDougall (an adequate cover safety) just to get a guy who can make flashes before giving up big pass plays and passing on opportunities to tackle? Garbage.
Here's his Blood Bowl profile:
#33 Goblin: MA 7 ST 2 AG 3 AV 8 Skills: Dodge, Stunty, Right Stuff, Dauntless, Durable*, Leader, Pass Rush*, Strip Ball
* These are new skills pertinent to my NAFL version of the rules (yet unpublished...sorry about that!). Durable allows casualty type to be rerolled (kind of like a personal apothecary); it may not be used in conjunction with an apothecary. Pass rush allows a player to pass block (move three spaces when an opponent announces a pass) even when engaged (in an opponent's tackle zone) but only downfield (i.e. towards the quarterback).
Such a player IS an asset to the team...he's fast and can take on players that are bigger than himself (there's a reason Adams isn't a linebacker, despite wanting to play like one). But it's not enough. Not when you have 2nd and 3rd string lineorcs playing cornerback and free safety and you're playing against an offense competent enough to respond to the blitz. Just...rough.
And for the record...can I just say I really dislike the Rams? And have since the days of Marc Bulger?
[***EDIT*** Having now seen the full season play out, my assessment of the Jamal Adams acquisition remains pretty much the same (garbage) and would, in fact, remove the "durability" skill from his profile seeing how often he was hurt...so much so that he became a total liability on the defense in the playoff game, allowing a backup QB with a broken thumb to do just fine en route to a 30-20 point game that wasn't even THAT close. And, yes, part of that was a pick-six and a short field from a fumbled punt return. But when YOU are the guy that allows a walk-in touchdown with no attempted hit/tackle and YOU are the closest defender in 78 out of 79 passing yards, and YOU have no sacks despite being a "great blitzer"...well, sorry, I'm going to judge you harshly in the biggest game of the season. ALSO: still really dislike the Rams.]
Finally:
Played some Dungeons & Dragons this weekend, specifically the Advanced (1st edition) version of the game. It's...been a while. And I'm taking it slow...not only because of my own rust, but because I'm teaching the game to my children.
 |
| Cool monster. |
And honestly...who has the time?
Well, perhaps someone does, but I am (at this point) unwilling to do so; I'd rather just play.
So, I'm not (remaking DL, that is). Instead, I'm settling back into AD&D. Very, very slowly. Right now, that means using (or repurposing) pre-written adventures. There really isn't much out there for 1st level characters, but a short scenario from issue #1 of Flipping & Turning (I'll have to talk at length about Grogtalk some time) was sufficient to start the ball rolling. We are now on the two part Alderweg series (UK2 and UK3), though I'm modifying it somewhat (mainly adjusting Fiend Folio monsters. Why the heck do we need xvarts? They're just goblins (if blue). And ogrillons aren't anything more than strong orcs, really...), and I'm just hodge-podging the world together in an eclectic fashion. That's good enough for now, while I get my feet back under me.
[hmm...just by the way, Xak Tsaroth IS kind of a crumby dungeon. And the map is very hard to read on a PDF. Skullcap, however (from DL3) is pretty groovy, and that's an adventure I have in hardcopy. Perhaps I'll change out the shadow dragon for a black. I really do like black dragons]
All right, that's all. Hope everyone's doing well. Later.
My players have been avoiding the ruins of Xak Tsaroth recently. Early on (while we were still using 5E for the West Marches game), they discovered it, and two PCs died there (yes, even in hard to die 5E). More recent excursions had more luck, but when they found out there was a big black dragon at the bottom by talking to some residents, they decided not to bother despite the rumors of a magical armory.
ReplyDeleteOf course, most of the characters have magic weapons already, so maybe I need some new treasure rumors to get them there.
It is a pretty neat dungeon.
Where'd they get the magic weapons? I find there's a lot of undead in the (DL) setting, and not a lot of places to get proper armaments (unless you have a way to get past the undead...a catch-22 kind of deal).
DeleteMy game isn't set on Krynn, I just borrowed Xak Tsaroth into my West Marches campaign. Also the Caves of Chaos, Quasqueton, The Moathouse, the Steading of the Hill Giant Chief, White Plume Mountain, and a few more yet to be put in.
DeleteSo there are plenty of other places to get magic weapons in my game.
If it helps - OD&D, B/X, etc modules are totally compatible with AD&D1 characters. IIRC the stat blocks don't go through super dramatic changes until The Big HP Increase in AD&D2
ReplyDeleteOh, I agree. But the B modules that I own (or have access to) aren't really what I want to use.
DeleteAnyway. The kids have already advanced a level (to 2nd and 1st/2nd) which opens up most of the low level AD&D content.
Glad you are back to playing (running) rather than thinking. There are some wonderful rabbit-holes one can dive down (Well, of course I need to look up aging in dogs to run Pugmire...) They are probably good once the game is going; I suspect most games have clever bits retroactively added in.
ReplyDelete