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Post by heavymetaljess on Sept 3, 2014 12:15:03 GMT -8
In reference to Brian's email: Combat Description Cards, available soon. I'm so excited for this to come out because I sometimes have the same problem. I'll probably use mine in every game session. The big exception is critical hits and misses. I always let the players describe these. They usually come up with really cool (and surprisingly fair) stuff. We have a house rule that for critical hits, there is a chance they do targeted damage (and I'm going to talk to them about increasing this chance). We use the tables from 2E AD&D which let you roll for intensity and location based on the weapon damage type. These are ALWAYS a big hit with the players. Glad everyone likes my icon. It cracks me up every time, too.
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Post by heavymetaljess on Sept 3, 2014 9:22:45 GMT -8
My query is how detailed do you get with your recaps? Do you do a blow-by-blow or just an overview? Do you add in the things the players discovered, or leave that to their notes? Eh, moderately detailed. I try to hit up the major events, anything particularly funny that happens, odd things acquired that might make a difference to the game (arctic cloak, magic items, etc.), and any extra awesome hits. Mine are mostly for my own use, and I'd probably include just the previous things if my players were going to read the recaps. I also include things NPCs are doing in the background (sometimes) while the PCs are doing their own thing - just so I can keep my timeline moving. link: Here's what I use. It's just an ongoing narrative labelled by session. I do a very rough draft of things to add during the game in a notebook and then type it all up right after the session so I don't loose track. I have a terrible memory. Feel free to look over it for things to include or to steal plot ideas.
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Post by heavymetaljess on Sept 3, 2014 7:34:09 GMT -8
I don't think a gimmick is necessarily a bad thing. It's a way to target a larger part of the fan base. Yes, it creates more sales and brings in more money, but it also helps to maintain marginalized parts of the reader base (non-white ethnicities, other genders, and other sexualities, etc.). I definitely agree that those changes should play into the story. It's just a fine line so if the writer doesn't share that ethnicity or gender or sexuality they tend to stay away from it to prevent offending people.
I'm not a comic book reader, but I make exceptions for things that really resonate with me: Tank Girl and Sandman. Both have strong female characters based visually on a subculture I identify with.
On the point about the article posted: non-binary gender wording is changing so fast that cisgendered people are REALLY having a hard time keeping up - even allies. They aren't exposed to this new wording the way people involved in building the vocabulary are and that puts them way behind. Wizards probably should have checked with someone who could advise, but they tried really hard and made the same mistakes that major news networks with trans allies also made.
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Post by heavymetaljess on Sept 2, 2014 8:29:01 GMT -8
I do think World Building would be a great addition to the podcast. I'd like to see it be a part of the Argument Phase! *ahem* So when are we scheduling a World Building episode of the Argument Phase? That would be a good way to kickstart that whole shared Happy Jack's world we talked about forever ago (see empty Wiki). khaymus: I've subscribed to your subreddit. I'll have to do some readin' before I can start sending things over, though.
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Post by heavymetaljess on Sept 2, 2014 8:25:02 GMT -8
Evelyn reminds me so much of my tiny, kid self. Thanks for sharing!
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Post by heavymetaljess on Aug 14, 2014 8:47:32 GMT -8
And an opportunity to bring a new horror to the game: labor relations problems. "Hi I'm Baldric the Cleric, healer and human resources rep." "The halfling house staff is threatening to unionize. Make a fright check." Plus interviews for new party members. No forced backstory needed just, "I applied and got the job."
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Post by heavymetaljess on Aug 14, 2014 7:50:42 GMT -8
I'm way behind on listing the the podcast, so I just heard this one and had some last minute insight into the problem with murder hobos setting up camp in a cleared dungeon. I tried to do that in a game, and the DM was infuriated. We cleared out an old temple that was used by evil priest to make horrible human/demon creatures. It had everything my character needed to research her necromancy from cells for undead to a full wizard's laboratory with basic equipment. I honestly thought it was ON PURPOSE since we were a group of mercenaries who didn't have any permanent homes. He went to great lengths to explain that the town folk wanted to tear it down and that under no circumstances would be allowed to stay there. I really felt like this was a missed opportunity. The ruin would have given our characters somewhere to rest and receive business offers, would have provided the nearby town with some economic increase (we'd be spending a lot of money to refurnish the place for our use), and would have given my character a place to continue her education away from the general public. I don't necessarily see a downside to allowing players a "base of operation." As Stork mentioned, there is upkeep and things could go wrong (my necromancy attempts could have gotten loose). This gives you a way to get more gold away from the party and an easy source of short scenes between big plot events. It's a long read, but here's where someone talked about this concept on Reddit's /r/RPG. OP mentions a very useful book on the subject: Lord Flataroy's Guide to Fortifications.
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Post by heavymetaljess on Aug 4, 2014 6:30:00 GMT -8
The trailer had no premise. Shit blew up. Come see this movie because explosions. I also wish there was more about the movie's story. There seems to be something going on with those women dressed like oracles, but I can only guess at what it might be.
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Post by heavymetaljess on Aug 1, 2014 11:53:32 GMT -8
This is a fantastic idea. I'd be interested.
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Post by heavymetaljess on Jul 28, 2014 14:02:59 GMT -8
I can't even explain how excited I am for this movie. I was successful in staying away from anything related to it before this trailer and now I'm going to do my best to steer clear (HA!) of everything else until the movie is actually out...
...and can we get a what-what for cyborg, butch Charlize Theron?
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Tshirts?
Jun 24, 2014 15:15:21 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by heavymetaljess on Jun 24, 2014 15:15:21 GMT -8
So the logo, having all that shading, is causing an issue with the silk screening. There's a sublimation process they can use, but the shirts have to be 100% synthetic. To stick with a regular shirt requires some modification to the logo: Dear god, please no sublimation on poly. The updated logo is great.
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Post by heavymetaljess on Jun 2, 2014 5:06:32 GMT -8
I like the real estate tendency.
My characters are always misfits - they are also often a type of spellcaster. My boyfriend always plays characters with some unattractive physical or personality trait - they are also often sneaky. My girlfriend always seems to play someone with a sense of personal honor to uphold - they are also often fighters (even her cleric).
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Post by heavymetaljess on Jun 2, 2014 4:59:06 GMT -8
Well, life has reared its ugly head, we'll need to reschedule. Sooo, what works for everyone? Gaming as an adult sucks for scheduling. Sent from my Nexus 7 using proboards I know Forresst said she can only do every other weekend, so what about the 21st? I think that's her next available weekend. Works better for me too, actually.
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Post by heavymetaljess on May 29, 2014 5:32:16 GMT -8
I dont agree with the dont read the book statement but otherwise we are in agreement. What is wrong with them reading the book? It's actually a "DM Only" type of book. I think he wants to save all the higher level necromancy spells to be something only a cabal of magic users named The Untouchable Magi have access to since general magic is very taboo is our game world and necromancers are literally burned at the stake. That way, if I don't read the book, I'll be surprised by the interesting extra spells they have in their tomes. No one in our group has ever played a necromancer so we've never had a reason to read that particular splatbook in the past. I like the idea of trying to preserve some mystery. I kinda had someone spoil it for me a bit, though. I now know that there is a 2nd or 3rd level spell named Rain of Blood... so I'm pretty much on the war path to find access to it in our game.
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Post by heavymetaljess on May 28, 2014 5:49:05 GMT -8
...I never understood the hate and issue with splatbooks. ...You had your group with 'rules' established on what was in and what was out regarding splatbooks and that was that. I don't know how it is in 3rd and 4th edition, but in the beginning of most 2nd edition splatbooks it says to check in with your DM before using anything in the book to be sure they want it in their game. We've just always done this and never had any problems. If you really feel they're overpowered, you can always just use part of a splatbook: "I've printed out the 1st level spells from The Complete Book of Necromancers for you to pick from, but don't count on anything else being in the game and please don't read the book."
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