OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edited2)
 

Blabber blabber blabber...anyway, I was thinking of running an Online D&D 3.5 game using OpenRPG because I'm interested in learning how to GM and that's the only RPG I own. Time: Well, wednesday from 5:30PM PST to 8:30PM PST is out, because of the other game. Other than that, any day from monday to saturday, 8AM to 9PM PST is ok.

Game will incorperate players suggestions, wether they get in there or not will be based on things like my ability to do so, time, how easy or hard they might be...Yell loud enough for something and you'll probably get it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

All of the following 'no guarenteed' are simply because I have no experience GM'ing, however, I have an idea of how to add plot (Simply add population centers to the caverns) and some plot ideas and will try to make it an interesting game. I simply really don't know how interesting a GM I might be.

Plot not guarenteed. Originality not guarenteed. Players will probably find themselves locked in a cavern complex, current section generated by a random dungeon generator. I'll try to have more than 'kill the monster' in there, but that's not guarenteed. Edited a random dungeon, took me 2-3 hours. Pretty easy to do, no idea if it's good or not.

Plus side: Epic levels ok, anything in PHB, DMG, MM 1+2, Complete Warrior and Dragon magazine #323 is ok, as well as other stuff as I get them. Feel free to have your character wander off in between adventures and introduce a new character as long as you post first, with no loss of level. Any race/class combination is ok. Dead characters can be replaced next session or the current session if the need is great enough, although you will loose a level each time you die, regardless of when you generate a new character. Your XP will be the same percentage on the lower level as it was on the higher. In other words, if your level 3, 4500 XP (Half-way to the next level or 50%), and you die and choose to create a new character, your next character will be level 2, 2000 XP (Also half-way to the next level or 50%). Resurection spells are in full effect and any loss in the characters stats will be according to the resurection spell used, if any is, otherwise, level loss as above.

Character generation will be whatever people want most. Arguements for systems which will generate 'ultimate' stats will be met with flying trout. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Hope that was coherent.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM...(RP
 

Still seems like a good idea now that I'm awake, so I edited it for coherency, completeness and to include some new developments. Please post times in PST. The game will start when we have a minimum of 4 people or 3 people and desperation.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

You know my usual answer: I would like to play, but probably cannot. I am available from time to time during the nights (local time), but my planning is quite unstable, so. Unless you do want a character present during every other battle? (Me? A craven? Bah!)

Could you please confirm your own time Narf? Simply write a post by saying your time, and I will do the maths myself (I think it is more or less ten hours, but do not know the exact figure).

Perhaps I should lobby for a crazy GM to do something board-based instead... *Looks at Narf, stares at mousetrap, and starts making connections*

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

According to this site and my clock: http://www.csgnetwork.com/timezncvt.html

I'm on Pacific Daylight Time and GMT-7. It's 12:26PM now, if that helps further. The time limits listed in the first paragraph as of the Last edit still stand and won't be changed by any foreseeable circumstance.

As for board-based or PBEM...'Yell loud enough for something and you'll probably get it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif '

I'm not sure how that would work, but I could probably figure something out. Me figuring out how to GM is part of what this is all about. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

So we are nine hours apart (well, for now; I think I will go off Daylight Saving Times one week earlier than you or something. Or perhaps it is only when going on DST in Spring).

I should be available from 11 AM PST to 1 PM PST without too much hassle, and possibly for a longer while. The most convenient days for me would be Friday and Saturday within this frame of time. That is, barring the unexpected, which is simply impossible.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Ok, thanks.

1! 1 interested person!

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

2 people! 2! :-P 19-22 gmt+2 which should be... mmm... 7-10am pst and all sunday and saturday

lets make it swatch @time http://www.csgnetwork.com/csgbmtcvt.html

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Yep, 2!

Update I should have posted already: Racial alignments are out the window, in part because I'm allowing any race/class combo as previously mentioned and in part because I don't like them.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

We even have somewhat comptabible times! (Only one hour sets up apart)

Are the racial alignments you speak of the ability changes/favoured class, or something else? (Yes, it has been a while since I Last got into D&D rules)

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Most of the races that aren't normally considered player races, ie, anything other than humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, half-elfs and half-orcs has a racial alignment that is considered near-constant for that entire race. In D&D, alignment is outlook along two axises, Lawfull, Neutral and Chaotic; Good, Neutral and Evil, resulting in 9 basic outlooks, LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN, LE, NE, CE.

Um, does that explain it?

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Ah, that abomination. *Wards against evil*

I will keep on with my list of dumb questions: are you allowing for other races besides the usual? (I gather it is so from your Posts) If so, do you have something looking like a list? I only have the Player Handbook available, and my Planescape knowledge, and so cannot check the books you mentioned. No, I won't ask to be a mouse. I promise. Honest.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35

Just the basics, but nearly all the basics, of D&D. Free, legal, including monsters.

Anything that has an Int score of 3 or higher(Sentient) that has a level adjustment(Number that is added to your character level if you play that race) can be played. And if you make a good case for it, you can play something with an Int score of 2 or less. See the 'If you yell loud enough' rule. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Perhaps I should expound a bit...If you want a halfling barbarian paladin wizard, go right ahead. If you want a half-dragon, half-celestial vampire monk, go right ahead. If you want a human fighter, go right ahead. If you want a pixie barbarian, go right ahead. But some of those will have to wait until you have a character with a high enough character level to trade in.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Very interesting. I will be looking at these articles (mainly the monsters) to seek someone to incarnate in. Thanks for the link!

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Your welcome.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

i want chaotic/good elven fighter/wizard
name: eorg http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

what else do i need? download something?

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Well, you'll start out level 1, so you'll have to start as either a fighter or a wizard. Experience to next level is calculated by adding your level in each of your classes together, then adding any level adjustment from race. In D&D, that final level number is called character level.

So, you'll have to start as either CG elven fighter or CG elven wizard, then multiclass later. Since wizard is a perfered class for elves, you won't have an XP penalty if the levels are to far apart. (Side note: I'm thinking of throwing perfered classes for races out, as well as XP penalties for differences between class levels, so if you want to yell about it, you won't have to yell much. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif )

The SRD I linked to should provide all you need. (Side note: Add the SRD to the list of things that you can use anything from, since I have it.)

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

*Gives Narf a vote of confidence*

After all he has the only wizard in three multi-verses that can shoot with and occasionally out-shoot 2 rangers.

cannot play though... dont have room to add more commitments.

Rasorow

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Traps! That's what I need, traps!

/me starts digging pit traps around the thread.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

On a sidenote, do you need us to give our levels of "desperation", should we fail to lure someone else within this thread?

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Desperation is climbing...If we do go in with two players, should I:

1) Give everyone a free level that won't affect XP gain

2) Give both of you a second character

3) Run a character myself

4) Wait some more

5) Wait a lot more

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Sounds like something I might have fun with, but I can't seem to figure out which file the character creation method is hiding in. I'm finding racial descriptions, class descriptions, and whatnot, but I'm not quite finding the character creation mechanisim. Any idea where it's hiding?

Also, a thought on multiclassing as a monster type: dormat genes - the character has demon/draconic/fae/whatever blood, but for now, the normal genes are dominant, and the monster genes (and all the nifties, such as special abilities and extra hit dice); however, enough stress (experience) could bring them out. Until then, it's just a special effect.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

The character creation process _is_ all of those files. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif I am not certain about how the SRD is organized, but when you have the book in front of you (Player's Handbook), you just go through the chapters in the order they are presented in the book to create your character.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

all 5

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

You'd think so; but it doesn't appear to be so. It's got descriptions (along with the class skills and their effects) for the classes; it's got descriptions for the spells; it's got descriptions for the races (along with their special abilities and modifiers); it's got descriptions for the stats, and listings of what rolls they modify. However, it seems to distinctly lack notes on, say, if the vital statistics need to be rolled up on 1d20, 3d6, or 5d4; or if they need to be "purchased" with some form of points in such a way that you always have X number of stats total at the start, starting cash, and the like.


Umm, could you be a little more verbose? There's 86 files in 6 different categories; such a simple statement doesn't tell me where to look to, say, find the rules for generating the character's strength, intelligence, wisdom, dex, et cetera that are mentioned as getting mods in the different categories by race & class.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Eorg was answering to Narf own five suggestions, and basically said to go with the five ones.

Narf wrote earlier than character creation will be done with whatever system we want to use; I must admit I have no clue about which system will be used (I could probably produce the basic character creation process as described in the Handbook, but do not know anything about alternative systems).

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Base D&D character generation is to roll 4d6 and discard the lowest die; do this 6 times and put the scores wherever you want in your stats. Your base scores are rarely actualy used for anything themselves; they produce modifiers that, well, modify things like stat rolls, skill rolls, how many bonus spells you get if you have a spellcasting class. Your modifier for a stat is (your stat - 10) / 2.

Rolling will probably be on the honor roll, unless anyone wants to be paranoid, in which case rolling will be done on openRPG with people watching.

I don't really care if you cheat, gamewise. If you make characters who can take on anything, that's what you'll get. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif Out of the game, I'll think your a greedy pig. But I don't think we have to worry about cheating. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

If the sum of your modifiers is 0 or less, you scores are considered to low for an adventurer and you may reroll. Same if your highest score is 13 or lower.

If we go with point buy, I'll probably go with standard point buy, 25 points and the following chart:
<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre>
Stat | Point cost per level | Total
9 | 1 | 1
10 | 1 | 2
11 | 1 | 3
12 | 1 | 4
13 | 1 | 5
14 | 1 | 6
15 | 2 | 8
16 | 2 | 10
17 | 3 | 13
18 | 3 | 16
</pre><hr />
After that, there's the base saves, which are Fortitude, Reflex and Will and run off Constitution, Dexterity and Wisdom, respectively. These help with surviving poisons and disease, avioding traps and some spells and resisting mental and some spells effects, respectively.

If you need anything else, just ask. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

As for hidden racial genes, sure. As long as the confusion of realizing their hidden talents keeps them from properly focusing on their class(not gaining levels) until they have enough enough unused levels to meet the level adjustment of their hidden genes. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Not sure if that's what you meant.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

The first chapter of the Player's Handbook covers all of that. I think the SRDs are meant solely as a reference, not as a complete guide.

edit:
Basics and Ability Scores seems to be what you need.
http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/Basics.rtf

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

It would seem to be - if all you do is skim it. If, instead, you actually read through it, you will notice that it is solely concerned with things during gameplay - the bonuses or penalties the different statistics yield, how an action is rolled, how multipliers work, how fractional results work, descriptions of the stats, and the like; it does not cover deciding on the stats of the character to begin with, nor starting capital for purchasing basic equipment, or any other pre-game stuff. It's possible that it is a deliberate omission on the part of Wizards of the Coast, either as a marketing ploy or as a method of not limiting the game master.

Narf: Yeah, that's pretty much what I meant. Also pretty much what I was looking for, although the starting cash portion still needs to be addressed.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Cash, right, cash. In-game, until we get to a town, ie, while I'm still figuring out what I'm doing, shoping will be done in between adventures, with the 'explanation' of shops being scattered through the caverns, rogue-like style. Strangely enough, those shops will probably dissapear once a town is encountered. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

As for starting gold, Barbarian(4d4*10gp, average 100gp), Bard(4d4*10gp, ave 100gp), Cleric(5d4*10gp, ave 125gp), Druid(2d4*10gp, ave 50gp), Fighter(6d4*10gp, ave 150gp), Monk(5d4gp, ave 12gp, 5sp), Paladin(6d4*10gp, ave 150gp), Ranger(6d4*10gp, ave 150gp), Rogue(5d4*10gp, ave 125gp), Sorcerer(3d4x10gp, ave 75gp), Wizard(3d4x10gp, ave 75gp).

As with stats, you can roll yourself, on the honor roll, unless anyone wants to be paranoid, or take the average.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Side note: Don't everybody create fighters. There are traps...

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Huh. Tricky bastards. The attached word document is the section that preceeds chapter 1 in the PHB (and no I didn't type this up...).

There is a table for starting money in the Equipment chapter. Was this ommitted as well? Just for completeness...

TABLE 7–1: RANDOM STARTING GOLD
Class Amount (gp)
Barbarian 4d4 x 10
Bard 4d4 x 10
Cleric 5d4 x 10
Druid 2d4 x 10
Fighter 6d4 x 10
Monk 5d4
Paladin 6d4 x 10
Ranger 6d4 x 10
Rogue 5d4 x 10
Sorcerer 3d4 x 10
Wizard 3d4 x 10

By the way, this is a much nicer SRD site, as it has everything in HTML rather than files to download (handy for web browsing anyways): http://srd.pbemnexus.com/home.html

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Fyron:
Yep, that was also omitted.

Well, I've got a character rolled up with the 4d6 drop lowest method; a Neutral-Good Half-Elf bard (will be able to cast Cure Light Wounds after a level or two)

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Ok, we have three players and I presume Jack's looked at the times listed and can make it. So:

No free levels, would make three characters to powerfull. Please pick one from collumn A and one from column B or one from column Z.

Z1) Go in with 3

Z2) Give everyone another character and re-work the map.

A2) Run a character myself

A3) Give one player another character

B2) Wait some more

B3) Wait a lot more

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Looking at the times others have listed (all times PST):

Narf: M-Sa 8A - 9P
Alneyan: F,Sa 11a - 1p
eorg: All day Sat/Sun, or 7a - 10a weekdays
The common overlap is Saturday, 11am - 1 pm, which I can usually make.

As for your list, I like A2 and Z1 (go in with 3 and Run a character yourself [although that would technically make it four....])

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

My vote is the same as Jack's; you pick one character, and the four of us go in.

I am thinking of going with a Sorcerer myself, and possibly a Sorcerer/Cleric later on. Or perhaps a mundane Wizard over the Sorcerer. I am still left quite undecided about my race though. Hmm.

On another matter, when do you make the switch off Daylight Savings Time Narf? I seem to recall that France switches to DST one week earlier than Canada, but I do not know if the same goes true when going back to "normal" time.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

I actually have no clue about when daylight savings time switches.

As for character, I'll just fill whatever slot is left over. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

If anyone's hoping for a session tommorrow, well, I stayed up late today.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

One other thing - where can I find the experience/leveling tables?

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Experience has been extremly simplified:

Level | XP total
1 | 0
2 | 1000
3 | 3000
4 | 6000
5 | 10000

The pattern simply continues to infinity, the same table is used for all classes. So no more AD&amp;D weird XP class tables.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Simple enough.

I was wrong; in browsing through the Online docs, I noticed a few other things that don't seem to be detailed in the docs, but are mentioned as existing:

• Base stats growing with level up
• Feat gains with level up
• Experience cost for multiclass characters (e.g., does a Cleric 5 / fighter 5 character cost the experience for (level 5) + (level 5), level (5 + 5), or something else?)

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

I seem to recall you gain one point in any statistic every four levels, and a feat every three levels (one at character creation level, then for Level 3rd, level 6th and so on), with bonus feats for humans and some classes.

I believe only your global character level matters when levelling with multiclass characters, and not the sum of the levels in these classes. But once again, it has been a long while since I came anywhere near D&amp;D rules.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

right on the first paragraph, not sure on the second. It's 5:00 in the morning and nope, I didn't just get up.

XP is determined by character level, character level is determined by adding all your class levels together and then adding any racial level adjustments.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Notice how I write my answers. I basically managed to answer Jack by explaining that "both character level and the sum of your class levels matter to calculate the xp needed for next level".

It should have been, had I been less obtuse, "your character level determines the cost to reach the next level, and is the sum of your class levels". So a level 1 Warrior/level 9 Mage will have a character level of 10, and will have to spend as much xp to reach level 11 as a level tenth full-fledged Mage/Warrior/Butterfly.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Thanks.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Keep in mind that there are experience penalties if you have multiple classes, based on the difference between the highest leveled class and the lowest (non-zero) leveled class your character possesses. Is this information in the Online SRDs?

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Whoops, forgot that. Also, each standard race has a favored class which isn't counted for XP penalties. Don't know if that's in the SRD, either.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Fyron: there's mention of it, but it doesn't seem to be fully spelled out (the amount of the penalty, the conditions under which the penalty applies, et cetera).

Narf: Yes, Favored classes are listed under the race descriptions.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

Here is a wee bit of info on multiclassing related penalties.

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

I have almost, but not quite, made up my mind. Would a Tiefling (found under Plane touched among the Monsters) be a suitable choice Narf? I am thinking of going the Wizard way, with perhaps some rogue tricks later on. I still have to make up one name though, among other slightly important matters.

Am I supposed to cast the dice myself, and to let you know about the results, or do you take care of this part? Do I have to give you all my choices at once (skills, race, class, feats and so on)? Or something else?

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

I'll be lazy and copy this message: http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif
And your character can have whatever hidden racial genes you want, as long as they are in either the PHB, DMG, MM 1&amp;2, the SRD or Dragon magazine 323. I didn't mention it before, but one thing I want to do with this is test out different combinations.

The purpose of the whole 'hidden racial genes' is that your character starts at level 1 and 'hidden racial genes' allows an explanable, in-game way of having your character turn into, say, a half-dragon. Other than that, you can start with anything you can cram into a level 1 character.

As for your character, if we are going to use openRPG, which seems logical since everybody can get together at the same time once a week, I'd perfer the file in that format. I don't remember how to get a character sheet up in their, but Fyron does. Fyron? Help please? And thanks for your previous help. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Re: OT: Narf has gone looney and wants to GM.(Edit
 

/me pokes Eorg. You awake? Havn't heard anything from you for two pages.