tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post8270645819164772805..comments2024-03-28T15:10:21.797-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: A Tale from the Dark SideJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-36255634697930587192010-03-04T15:05:47.218-05:002010-03-04T15:05:47.218-05:00Yeah, the AEC is really nice. I see the emphasis ...Yeah, the AEC is really nice. I see the emphasis more on "Companion" than "Advanced", in regards to the never released companion set for Moldvay/Cook B/X (as opposed to Frank's BECMI).Grumpy Old Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11087904102183244773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-84008737584560501622010-03-03T21:38:51.989-05:002010-03-03T21:38:51.989-05:00You rock, James. Thanks for the story.
Thanks. I r...<i>You rock, James. Thanks for the story.</i><br /><br>Thanks. I really do appreciate the kind words.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-75526860963137581602010-03-03T21:37:51.812-05:002010-03-03T21:37:51.812-05:00What do the familiars do in your campaign or are t...<i>What do the familiars do in your campaign or are they just pets?</i><br /><br>The precise details of what familiars are beyond "magical animals employed by magic-users" is unclear at this point. I have some vague ideas that go beyond the way they were handled in <i>AD&D</i>, but I've yet to implement them. Time will tell.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-78045231670654931182010-03-03T21:35:45.076-05:002010-03-03T21:35:45.076-05:00Stop over thinking things. I think you done good.
...<i>Stop over thinking things. I think you done good.</i><br /><br>Don't misunderstand me: this was more a rhetorical question than anything else. I'm quite happy with my solution and wouldn't change it. I do, however, have a tendency to lean heavily on "prior art," so to speak and one of the principles behind Dwimmermount was to explore new avenues and approaches where possible. So, whenever I decide to do something in a way that's already be done, I consider whether or not it's the best possible solution given the circumstance or if I'm just being lazy :)James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-47508284118135789092010-03-03T21:05:28.974-05:002010-03-03T21:05:28.974-05:00Since there is a very good existing option in the ...Since there is a very good existing option in the Familiar spell, why worry about remaking the wheel yourself?Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04732052814850525574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-54484930694274306062010-03-03T19:01:33.863-05:002010-03-03T19:01:33.863-05:00I'll be honest, I didn't read the entire p...I'll be honest, I didn't read the entire post. I pretty much got:<br />Your daughter plays in your group, and she wanted an owl familiar.<br />You gave her an owl familiar.<br />That was all I needed, best gaming story I've heard in a while. A lot of these discussion forums and blogs related to gaming get so bogged down in theory and stylistic debate that I get really fatigued. <br />A story about playing rpgs with kids and "bending the rules" for the sake of fun is just what we need more of.<br />You rock, James. Thanks for the story.tedoponhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18390659501629920232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-31792657381563680542010-03-03T16:41:54.829-05:002010-03-03T16:41:54.829-05:00What do the familiars do in your campaign or are t...What do the familiars do in your campaign or are they just pets?<br /><br />Personally I don't care for pets or intelligent animals that are only used as scouts but I do like demonic familiars in animal shape. Wizards should have a sinister/diabolic side to them and spell-teaching familiars which are ultimately loyal to their outsider masters are perfect for underlining that.<br /><br />CAS's stories have good sinister familiars (like Malygris' coral snake or the ferret-demon in Naat).Pekkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13104355467265113471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-37150062747887905622010-03-03T16:03:16.023-05:002010-03-03T16:03:16.023-05:00I've never gamed with kids before, but aren...I've never gamed with kids before, but aren't you worried about your daughter's reaction the first time her "pet owl" goes up in flame when an evil wizard casts Fireball?<br />My wife, who is very attached to pets (both real and fictional!), wanted her character to have a small puppy, but also wanted it to be immune from harm--a deal I could make only because she agreed the dog could never have any in-game advantages (it could never bark when danger approached, serve as a distraction, etc.). <br />Anyway, just an odd question I thought I would bring up . . .<br /><br />Jeremy Patrick<br />TorontoJeremy Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11398438801903631183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-34583876122943240252010-03-03T15:21:21.905-05:002010-03-03T15:21:21.905-05:00But James, you *did* make up your own answer. And ...But James, you *did* make up your own answer. And it was to pull the spell out of another book. That was the answer you came up with, and it was the right one. Stop over thinking things. I think you done good.Ross A. Isaacshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03130248059505536194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-60003459513719514142010-03-03T14:50:00.763-05:002010-03-03T14:50:00.763-05:00I find "do what works" a bit vague to be...I find "do what works" a bit vague to be useful advice much of the time. I'd rather say: "are you dissatisfied with the canned solution?" If not, then you're good: someone poured love into it, and you recognised its utility. If you are, why? That question's the basis of all great inventions.<br /><br />Secondary advantage of using the canned solution: someone's already documented it. If you made something up, then the next time someone wanted a familiar you might have to remember what you did.richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-60560936679149389192010-03-03T14:15:33.045-05:002010-03-03T14:15:33.045-05:00I'm curious. What other solutions might exist...I'm curious. What other solutions might exist for acquiring a familiar/pet?<br /><br />She could have bought it from a wizard.<br /><br />She could have found a ancient Eldritch ritual.<br /><br />She could have found it in the forest and coaxed it into friendship/service with tasty OwlTreats. (sorta like a henchman)<br /><br />I mean, maybe Summon Familiar is just the way of attracting the Owl. You could still embellish on it, if you so chose.The_Mythhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10621186404597424842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-69160430665519143592010-03-03T13:49:39.943-05:002010-03-03T13:49:39.943-05:00I have to agree with everyone else - it adequately...I have to agree with everyone else - it adequately met a need in your game and saved you time. What's not to like about a win-win like that?Keith Sloanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07319879076978887933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-77994844806398600222010-03-03T13:26:30.099-05:002010-03-03T13:26:30.099-05:00I often describe my AD&D 1st ed. to new player...I often describe my AD&D 1st ed. to new players as either "1st edition light" or probably more descriptive as "Somewhere between OD&D and 1st edition."Kevin Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-77364633627200585172010-03-03T13:22:34.807-05:002010-03-03T13:22:34.807-05:00This has little to do with your post, but I wanted...This has little to do with your post, but I wanted to mention that I am loving the AEC too. My favorite bit is the relaxed rules on multiclassing. You'd be amazed how many problems I have with AD&D that it solved.letsdamagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02145102722055581254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-3498588864268590492010-03-03T13:22:26.393-05:002010-03-03T13:22:26.393-05:00The only rule there ever was: use what works.The only rule there ever was: use what works.Witnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08436715843403046648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-55567456982937456702010-03-03T13:02:23.808-05:002010-03-03T13:02:23.808-05:00If a canned answer springs immediately to mind, th...If a canned answer springs immediately to mind, then it's probably just as good an answer as anything you could have thought up yourself. After all, if you didn't like the AEC <i>Summon Familiar</i> you wouldn't have thought that it was a good solution to the problem.<br /><br />Great artists steal ... repeatedly.Reverance Pavanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217657347160811310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-5994692099038882442010-03-03T12:27:26.389-05:002010-03-03T12:27:26.389-05:00Why reinvent the wheel? Better to save precious br...Why reinvent the wheel? Better to save precious brainspace for use on stuff you can't just pluck from another book.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04072272223837426211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-88247512353432922242010-03-03T12:27:06.677-05:002010-03-03T12:27:06.677-05:00AD&D was the only game that understood Illusio...AD&D was the only game that understood Illusionists (my favorite class -- I even have letters in the old Dragon forum opining on this class). Later versions of D&D never got what this class was about. The attempt to post-engineer a metaphysics onto Gygax's parenthetical descriptions (phantasm, conjuration, etc) totally destroyed that class. No matter how the specialization schools were sliced in later editions, the class was always missing key components that defined the 1st edition character.<br /><br />The Illusionist is a Controller(tm). As a rule, they don't do damage. They control the battlefield through glamours, enchantments, phantasms, and misdirection. It was this philosophy, not the metaphysics of their spells that defined that character.Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14039652384328042542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-25992305925724095092010-03-03T12:24:24.479-05:002010-03-03T12:24:24.479-05:00Yeah, just remember to slap your own wrist the nex...Yeah, just remember to slap your own wrist the next time one of your players asks how long he can hold his breathe underwater while trying to navigate an underground stream, and you find yourself reaching for that good ol' DSG...<br /><br />;-)Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15257633015186395791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-5648889842623309942010-03-03T12:21:23.855-05:002010-03-03T12:21:23.855-05:00My simple answer would be to do what works. No for...My simple answer would be to do what works. No formulas, no long examinations of intent, theme, etc. Just do it.<br /><br />The long part of this is that you shouldn't feel you are cheating or taking short-cuts by going with a canned answer. Good rules are there to make the game and the work fo the DM easier. You don't want to bog down on the ideology of a gaming decission.<br /><br />-EliEli Arndthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10445801567500822187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-12049837636717242012010-03-03T12:00:31.523-05:002010-03-03T12:00:31.523-05:00"If it ain't broke don't fix it"..."If it ain't broke don't fix it" <br />--Engineer<br /><br />As a DM it's not our job to be a miracle worker it's all about providing a story and environment for people to have fun in. If someone has a better idea on how to do what you want and it's already done for you then run with it. You'll speed up story line, the players will enjoy the lack of downtime, and everything is accomplished.<br /><br />Baseline for your answer is: <br /><br />a. Does it take more than 5 min to create? <br /><br />b. Has someone already done it betterer than me? <br /><br />If A is no then make your own<br />If A is yes and B is no then make your own<br />If A and B are YES then use the other version. <br /><br />Saving your time and effort better devoted to telling the story is more valuable than crafting something on the fly that others have done for you. Anyone can create stats/spells/stuff, only you as the DM can tell that particular story that your players want.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com