OOC Chat

[Kafen]

I think it is one of the first lessons men learn in the lower grades - how to make the girls mad at you.

[JadedDM]

OOC : is anyone proficient with two-handers?

or failing that, eligible to get another proficiency slot?

Tanis, Sturm and Tika are all proficient with two-handed swords.

Nobody has any blank weapon proficiency slots right now.

[Nuke]

WOOT! We HAVE WYRMSLAYER!!!!!

[Jenara]

This is where the rules confuse me, we walked really slowly, Riverwind told us something was there, so we are were being really cautious, so how the hell did a 30ft long Giant Slug manage to surprise us?

[JadedDM]

In the same way that a level 18 warrior can still fumble his weapon...by rolling a natural 1.

Under normal circumstances, the party is surprised on a roll of 1, 2, or 3 on a 1d10. If the party is suspicious or anticipating an attack, they get a +2 bonus to their surprise roll--which means they can only be surprised on a natural 1. Which is what I rolled.

[Jenara]

I know what the rules say, I was just asking what you thought.
And hey, lets move on then.

[JadedDM]

What I thought?

Well, I guess I think that, like many of AD&D's mechanics, 'surprise' is an abstract concept that doesn't necessarily mean someone is literally surprised. But rather, just reflects that one side of a conflict got the jump on the other and moved first.

In this case, the giant slug, who had the advantages of home turf and of seeing the party approach long before they arrived (due to Goldmoon's light), was prepared for them, and thus, able to make its first move before anyone else could have reacted.

That's my take on it.

[Jenara]

See that makes more sense, much of 2E's concepts say one thing, but mean a whole load of other things!

[JadedDM]

Yes, it can be puzzling. I find everything makes more sense if you take it as an abstract.

One question I get asked a lot, for instance, especially by people new to the game, is about missing an attack. "How can I miss?" someone will demand, after rolling a 3. "The enemy is 20 feet tall!"

And then I have to explain that 'missing' an attack doesn't necessarily mean you don't hit at all. It can also mean the attack is blocked or parried, that your weapon is unable to pierce the enemy's hide or armor, that the opponent dodged or sidestepped it, etc.

I once had one player who just could not wrap her head around that idea. For a long time, I started calling misses 'failed attacks' just to settle her down.

But anyway, yeah, abstractions. Like HP. That's probably the biggest one of them all. You can get shot with several arrows, stabbed, bashed, crushed, burned and electrocuted, but as long as you still have 1 HP left, you're still capable of fighting, running, climbing or any other feat of strength!

But...

Without abstractions, the game would be ridiculously more complicated (there are rules, for instance, for specific injuries, like broken bones and such; and that's why I don't use them, they really slow things down). So, I've just learned to roll with them.

[Kafen]

Right, Tas picks up enough stones to get him through the next fight, then.
\
Hmm, I know we have a few people on vacation, yes?

[JadedDM]

Yeah, looks that way. Breila is gone until the 9th (I think?), Jenara/Jerrard are gone until Tuesday, apparently. Nuke hasn't posted since the 30th. Horizon's been sick the last few days.

So yeah, consequently, all of Planet has kind of screeched to a halt here.

[Nuke]

sorry, been knee deep, but a little lull doesn't bother me. will post...

[Jenara]

Maybe its because I am tired, or have been really busy of late, or maybe because I am stretched too thin... But I am having trouble getting motivated for this game. It will pass, just letting you know in advance.

[JadedDM]

If it was a matter of being tired, busy or stretched too thin...would you not feel that way toward all of the games you are involved in, as opposed to just this one, specifically?

[Jenara]

Frankly I feel less... well "connected" to this one, maybe because Laurana is a pre-gen, no matter how well i know her character this one feels like more work.

The other characters I made them up, I know how they think.

And you do realise I have 6 games here, a total of 5 at KoM as 3 more that are being run over Google docs? I take one weekend off and have to spend the whole evening catching up!!!

But Like I said, it will pass.