tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post5579128038505809925..comments2024-03-18T21:06:37.568-07:00Comments on B/X BLACKRAZOR: Goddammit, Gygax!JBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-36390450369136250042012-02-27T22:16:05.978-08:002012-02-27T22:16:05.978-08:00"...and both have veto'd the idea, saying..."...and both have veto'd the idea, saying my opponent is already aware of me."<br /><br />Really? No matter how many other friends and foes are maneuvering, how much noise there is, the blow they barely deflected, the fireball that went off and set the tapestry on fire.<br /><br />As a DM, I've allowed sufficient distraction to allow combat hiding. But they have to reroll every time they change location, and make a successful "Move Silently" roll to boot. And the enemy may just catch them out of the corner of their eye anyway.Jaysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03652611193354218021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-26080129133279071892012-02-19T13:25:28.104-08:002012-02-19T13:25:28.104-08:00The "discrepancies", opaque guidelines a...The "discrepancies", opaque guidelines and arcana are Gygax's way of always reminding you "DON'T BE A SLAVE TO THE #&@#*# RULEBOOK!"Brooks Rowndhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15446341807546945889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-36059673167528778162012-02-17T11:34:39.943-08:002012-02-17T11:34:39.943-08:00Although I can't place the reference, I've...Although I can't place the reference, I've also always played as though that 120' move assumes an attempt at stealth -- faster, and you lose all chance of surprise.Joshua L. Lylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03358762663581842879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-34755190526210728452012-02-17T09:44:40.254-08:002012-02-17T09:44:40.254-08:00Hey JB, Spoiler Alert:
.
.
.
.
.
Assassin is a poi...Hey JB, Spoiler Alert:<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />Assassin is a pointless class. ;)The Iron Goathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15839364742884404019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-38860471663820570552012-02-17T09:41:35.698-08:002012-02-17T09:41:35.698-08:00@ Antonio:
Yeah, well, I've tried playing the...@ Antonio:<br /><br />Yeah, well, I've tried playing the 'distraction' card in combat with my last two DMs (one a rank novice and the other a 30 year pro) and both have veto'd the idea, saying my opponent is already aware of me.<br /><br />That's what I get for playing an assassin, I guess.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-83966599525796119672012-02-17T02:02:56.668-08:002012-02-17T02:02:56.668-08:00For what is worth: the bit about "the time to...For what is worth: the bit about "the time to move takes into account lots of minor activities" etc. comes from Mentzer.<br />Also, Mentzer increases the amount of stuff you can carry for a given speed category.<br />Regarding the example in the PHB: I have always understood (and ruled consequently) that a thief can move into shadows in combat, as long as the enemies are properly "distracted" doing something else. This has often resulted in interesting tactical choices by the players.Antoniohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17258180992723371727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-79597520207250310022012-02-16T15:56:17.675-08:002012-02-16T15:56:17.675-08:00@ The Captain: I hear you, but there's a diffe...@ The Captain: I hear you, but there's a difference between walking down a fairly smooth 10' wide corridor and spelunking through the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth...especially if you've got a nice big globe of CONTINUAL LIGHT keeping things all nice and cheery.<br /><br />But I will definitely take your notes under advisement.<br /><br />@ Fumers and Red: Wow, I don't know why blogger keeps eating comments...and then keeps letting the spam ones through. Obviously, someone is slacking as a gatekeeper.<br /><br />@ Luke: Yeah, I hear you...especially the promise of QUINTUPLE DAMAGE. Knowing you, you'll probably feel my own take on the skill to be "nerfed." But hopefully it will at least be useful.<br /><br />(as if you'd ever play a thief!)<br /><br />@ Red: All I can say is it's tough, man. If I could I would. But no, no email even.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-21320882880410031402012-02-16T14:09:33.034-08:002012-02-16T14:09:33.034-08:00Just to add a little bit to this, FWIW:
#1 - I re...Just to add a little bit to this, FWIW:<br /><br />#1 - I recall some source, and I've always used, that the movement rate does reflect checking for traps, mapping and all the other stuff - that is part of why so slow.<br /><br />#2 - Walking 120' over broken pavement is completely different from moving 120' over slippery, convoluted, twisting cavern spaces - with dropoffs, balance issues, etc. Which of course is different from moving over nice level roads etc. I think 120' gives you a nice simple working number unless you want to get into the minutia of differing rates for differing surfaces.<br /><br />#3 - giving you this as a combat veteran based on reality. You move a HELL of a lot slower when you're looking at every possible turn & corner as a possible ambush or booby trap - and that's in daytime. When you're moving at night (particularly without night vision goggles/"infravision") in an unfamiliar area it slows to almost a crawl. I've done patrols in the jungle environment where moving 1000 meters in an hour was a good rate. Just a bit of perspective.Captain Tightpantshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13776345884480352979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-81523965881877366422012-02-16T13:03:43.894-08:002012-02-16T13:03:43.894-08:00Writing at work: since you do have a computer, is...Writing at work: since you do have a computer, is it connected to the internet? Even at the privacy conscious VA hospital, I was able to open a browser (Dropbox was blocked, didn't think to check Evernote) and email myself any writing I was able to do (usually clinical but without patient-id info).<br /><br />Encumbrance, the time it takes to calculate it vs the character building benefit (in the sense of building a vision of your character, not in the 3.x sense) : what we do is just start off play after buying the stuff. Every few sessions, before the game the DM announces an encumbrance audit. The players calculate all that before they get to the table and get that benefit of visualizing their character without taking time at the table. I think we stole the idea of audits from Hackmaster.redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600098550347299095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-86775890788635992042012-02-16T11:32:22.090-08:002012-02-16T11:32:22.090-08:00Game walking speed is in full equipment in an unfa...Game walking speed is in full equipment in an unfamiliar dangerous dark dungeon while mapping. I've always felt like I understood why the rate was so slow compared to normal real world walking speeds.<br /><br />In my experience, backstab got used 100x more in 3E/4E than in earlier editions when they made the requirement to simply be flanking an opponent. <br /><br />In older editions, it's an awesome-sounding class feature that every new-to-the-game thief wants to use continually, but DMs rarely allow it (by the book). It's a setup for disappointment.Fumershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14156302616243889562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-78637237635859917762012-02-16T10:33:02.209-08:002012-02-16T10:33:02.209-08:00I dare you to walk 120 feet in 10 minutes. Even we...I dare you to walk 120 feet in 10 minutes. Even wearing armor. You couldn't move your feet that slow.Roger G-Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08594440701279968693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-14001307035708470242012-02-16T09:58:54.448-08:002012-02-16T09:58:54.448-08:00@ IG: And you probably should! If all you're d...@ IG: And you probably should! If all you're doing is walking down a stone passageway (as opposed to scrambling through a natural subterranean cavern) the DM should just be checking every chance you might have found something, rather than just saying, "do you check this 10' section? How about the next 10' section? How about the section after that?"<br /><br />Dumb.<br /><br />In a room or chamber it would be different.JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-74920327322614885332012-02-16T09:01:03.655-08:002012-02-16T09:01:03.655-08:00yes, movement rules are nonsensical in anything bu...yes, movement rules are nonsensical in anything but a boardgamey way. In most editions, the fluff explains it away as accounting for careful mapping, etc... If that's the case, I should AUTOMATICALLY be getting my find traps, notice odd stonework, and secret doors checks.The Iron Goathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15839364742884404019noreply@blogger.com