All Questions
3
votes
2answers
85 views
Which class is the Magical Knack more useful in?
The idea is 3 Knife Master / 1 White-haired witch / 1 Sorcerer [with a bloodline that grants many free feats* which synergize with a rogue], then X Knife Master & Scout. Originally the plan was 3 ...
3
votes
1answer
40 views
What attack rolls does a TWF 3 Rogue/1 White-haired Witch get?
The White-Haired Witch gains a powerful natural attack (that automatically grapples when it hits). How many attacks do a 3 Knife Master/1 Winter Witch I get for a full round attack, and what are those ...
21
votes
15answers
2k views
In D&D, A PC became king. How do I keep him in check?
I'm running a D&D 4e campaign. There, a player has worked very hard and somehow tricked me into becoming a king of an evil kingdom. Good for him; he deserves it. However, how do I keep him from:
...
2
votes
1answer
37 views
Is it an automatic crit if I hit with an extended threat range?
In 13th Age, like most D20 variants, you can have items or abilities that improve your crit range. However, in 13th Age, a natural 20 is a automatic crit hit (if I am not mistaken, you do not need to ...
2
votes
3answers
73 views
A system that models improved threat range of critical misses?
Have you ever fumbled with a flail? It sucks, especially when you are first learning it. It can happen very often; Sometimes in such a terrible way it far surpasses the risk of swinging a staff, hands ...
3
votes
1answer
59 views
Does blind-fight allow a rogue to use sneak attacks in dim light?
Without it when there's concealment (even just some wimpy fog, or dim light) you can't usually sneak attack, as you can't quite make out the cracks and gabs in the armor, the or exactly where "between ...
8
votes
4answers
177 views
How can I let players make more choices during combat?
When my players are in combat, they mostly spend a moment figuring out what the most effective target is for each of them, and how to attack it, and then everyone rolls until combat is over. They ...
6
votes
1answer
154 views
Technological warfare: how does Iron Man fight?
In Marvel Heroic Roleplaying, players construct their dice pools for an action by claiming any and all dice off their character sheet they can justify, one from each category. One of such categories ...
0
votes
0answers
35 views
Where can I find a tutorial for Pokemon Tabletop Adventures?
I recently decided to look for a Pokemon RPG, and I found Pokemon Tabletop Adventures, which was exactly what I wanted. However, as it's still a work in progress, some of the rules aren't very clear ...
10
votes
1answer
180 views
Ack! Where do I find the spell descriptions for casters?
I've downloaded the play test and the clerics' and wizard's spells are not on their character sheets. It is unclear from the character sheet where those are listed.
Where can I find their spell ...
2
votes
1answer
32 views
What is Gnosis? How is it calculated and what does it impact?
I recently started playing Anima: Beyond Fantasy and encountered a term not explained much in the book, Gnosis is a value which comes up in summoning as a restriction on what you can and cant do to ...
6
votes
1answer
36 views
What makes a Scene worthwhile in a game of Microscope?
We just finished playing our first game of Microscope and had a great time. Most of the elements of the game were handled very well by the group: periods, events, the palette, etc.
Scenes, however, ...
8
votes
1answer
51 views
How does resist all apply to an attack that deals two types of (non-combined) damage?
Resist all applies to all damage types (including untyped damage), reducing the damage by the resist amount. What happens when a single attack deals two different kinds of damage? Not combined damage, ...
23
votes
5answers
3k views
Where can I get fantasy public domain art?
I'm working on a series of NPC cards but I'm having trouble finding good pictures. Is there a good source for public domain/creative commons fantasy-themed art out there? Is there another good way to ...
2
votes
1answer
29 views
Where can I find a lot of d20 Modern mods?
There's a huge number of games that use the d20 System, including d20 Modern. I've been looking for mods that adapt d20 Modern, or just the d20 System in general. I feel there must be a list somewhere ...
20
votes
7answers
696 views
How to handle wealthy player characters as a GM?
One of the long-standing settings our group keeps returning to is classic medieval fantasy. (Examples are MERP, Rolemaster, The Dark Eye -- But this question is aimed to be system agnostic and is ...
2
votes
2answers
49 views
How can I optimize this Slayer?
I am Creating a 5th level Charge Happy Slayer. Should I choose to do an extra 1d8+3 damage on each charge or knock the enemy prone on every attack? Our party is Cleric, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue & ...
2
votes
0answers
17 views
Sources for additional (summonable) creatures in Anima: Beyond Fantasy
I'm playing a summoner in Anima. I've gone through the book and there is a startling lack of things that I can use to summon - which makes me rather weak, as my main ability doesn't have many options.
...
10
votes
6answers
366 views
What can I do to improve as a player for Burning Wheel
For games of Burning Wheel, what do you consider to make a good roleplayer, as a GM? What are some things to avoid? Socially, what type of player makes it enjoyable to GM a game?
I'm mostly focused ...
20
votes
4answers
683 views
How much to bend “the rules” about populating a world?
All right, I have a question about creating a world and populating it with appropriate monsters, etc.
I created a world a little while back, loosely based off of the world found in Michael ...
8
votes
7answers
241 views
How can I run games in Shadowrun, without going overboard?
I've recently picked up my SR4 20th anniversary edition rulebook and I'm interested in running a game for some of my friends. The issue I'm facing is that....well, I don't want to spoil my players too ...
2
votes
1answer
46 views
Does the trait “Magical Knack” affect familiars?
With 2 or more levels in a different class and then 1 lvl in a familiar granting class (such as Witch) and the magical Knack trait (up to +2 trait bonus to CL) make the familiar abilities/level 3 ...
5
votes
4answers
76 views
What systems contain Multiple Caster or Combined Casting rules? [closed]
In the process of creating a homebrew system, I have run into the problem of my players wanting to be able to combine their spellcasting prowess in a show of superiority and might ( and perhaps a bit ...
44
votes
7answers
899 views
How can I make my game more “noir” as a GM?
I ran a couple of Shadowrun games at Dexcon, my first time GMing at a con. It's not my first time running Shadowrun; I based the games off of a couple jobs my players did in a then-ongoing campaign. ...
26
votes
11answers
906 views
Justifications for the existence of cyberpsychosis
Several games (Cyberpunk, for one) have an effect like cyberpsychosis (defined here as "a psychotic aberration suffered by excessive users of cyberware"). Others, such as Eclipse Phase, consider ...
5
votes
5answers
449 views
How to keep my mount alive/relevant as a fighter
I am relatively new to DnD, and the one or two games i've played before have ended at around level 4-5.
I am about to start up a campaign, and I am rolling a Gnome Fighter that is going to focus on ...
3
votes
3answers
932 views
Optimizing a Warforged Fighter/Artificer for Survivability
I'm designing a Warforged character for a new 3.5 campaign I'm playing in. I'm looking at going the 'sword and board' route to maximize my AC, as I'll be the party's tank. Fighter is the main class ...
8
votes
4answers
171 views
Messing with the Wild Die?
I'm planning on running a post-apocalyptic setting for my Savage Worlds campaign, and one thing I want to do is to make Wild Cards have less of an advantage over the average inhabitant of the ...
3
votes
1answer
99 views
What benefits do I get from sneak attacking a knocked out enemy with two-fisted shooter?
After having successfully knocked out a target, I use Coup de grace1 with Sly Flourish on the target. I hit, and automatically critical.
How much damage do I do?
I have the two-fisted shooter feat. ...
10
votes
1answer
132 views
What/how many different cities are officially supported by Dresden Files?
Obviously the main setting is from the books, but that's just one city. Are there any other cities or towns that have official support? If not, where's a good place to find fan-made settings?
9
votes
1answer
84 views
How does Phasing interact with the Z-axis?
The glossary entry for Phasing is rather sparse, and doesn't seem to address any specific issues that could arise while phasing.
Phasing: While a creature is phasing, it ignores difficult terrain, ...
3
votes
1answer
56 views
Optimized “Coordinated Charge”?
When an ally with this feat charges a creature that is no further away from you than your speed, you can, as an immediate action, charge that creature. You must be able to follow all of the normal ...
6
votes
1answer
114 views
Can a Paladin take levels of other classes?
In 3.5 D&D, paladins have severe restrictions on multiclassing:
Like a member of any other class, a paladin may be a multiclass character, but multiclass paladins face a special restriction. A ...
11
votes
3answers
244 views
May magic missile be energy substituted
Does energy substitution cover force damage type?
I'd like to fire flaming missile to exploit monster weaknesses and searching for a way to add fire description to the spell or replace original with ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
Combining Witches' Charm (Su) Hex and Diplomacy?
Can you combine the Witches' Charm Hex and Diplomacy to significantly change someone's attitude?
Can diplomacy be used at all on a subject under the influence of the Witches' Charm Hex?
Charm ...
4
votes
2answers
73 views
How can a character manipulate animals while magically speaking with them?
There are many ways to Speak with animals (for example the spell with that name). When you do...
You can ask questions of and receive answers from animals, but the spell doesn't make them any more ...
6
votes
3answers
161 views
What alternatives are there for replacing the D&D memorize and forget magic rules
I'm starting a campaign and will be the DM. We are basing our system off the D&D 3rd ed. Most of us (players and myself) don't really like the rules surrounding Wizards / Sorcerers when they have ...
25
votes
9answers
5k views
What set of books makes a complete game?
I've asked several questions about 4th Edition D&D because I may be able to start a game. However, I'd need to purchase (some) materials. I am aware of the 4 book set (core) and the expected ...
24
votes
6answers
449 views
How can I reward Cthulhu characters for going mad?
I like it when, in Cthulhu games, Investigators go mad. With that in mind, I'd like to give some reward for the first Investigator to go mad.
For example, perhaps, at the beginning of the next game, ...
3
votes
0answers
31 views
How does Extended and Sympathetic casting in Mage: the Awakening function?
I clearly understand how instant sympathetic casting functions, as sympathetic penalties apply in the same way that penalties are applied for changing the secondary Factors of the spell ...
15
votes
3answers
3k views
What are the major differences between Pathfinder and D&D 4e?
I'm really only familiar with D&D 4e. Could someone give me a rundown of the major things that would be different if I were to DM Pathfinder? (I gather it is more similar to 3.5e, but I only know ...
9
votes
4answers
214 views
What are the best ways to utilize Wisdom and Charisma?
This question primarily refers to a fantasy RPG called "One Step Beyond", published back in 1989. It had five ability scores: Strength, Mental Strength, Will, Agility, Health. These were essentially a ...
6
votes
2answers
79 views
Does there exist an application for tracking your library of games?
I'm thinking of something along the lines of Goodreads or LibraryThing... or even Steam. As these are both books and games (and some of them are free PDFs without even so much as an ISBN number), I'm ...
6
votes
3answers
115 views
As a DM, how do I handle PCs casting heals on other PCs afflicted with paranoia?
Right now, three of my party's members are afflicted with the paranoia insanity. One effect is that paranoid characters cannot willingly accept aid, including healing, without making a Will save ...
3
votes
1answer
53 views
How does Pyrokinesis work?
How do the mechanics for the pyrokinesis (bright wizard spell) card work?
If I pass all initial checks for casting the spell, do I get to control the fire every turn until my recharge tokens run out, ...
9
votes
1answer
183 views
Why does (A)D&D change so much between editions? [closed]
Most systems, as far as I know, stay mostly the same between editions. Yet Dungeons and Dragons has had major changes between almost every edition, with the skill systems, combat abilities/feats, ...
21
votes
5answers
443 views
How do I learn to become a good GM?
I have played and tried to GM games since I was in elementary school, beginning with games like Shadowrun, Earthdawn, and Champions. Recently, I've gotten dack into gaming with a variety of other ...
2
votes
4answers
126 views
Handling many modifiers on a probability curve
So I've been working on a 2d20 based system for a side project, and it's playing out as a hybrid of a roleplaying system and a simulation-heavy combat game. This means that the engine has quickly ...
41
votes
12answers
1k views
How do I make skill checks more than just sequences of die chucking?
I think I don't get skill challenges.
As I understand it at some point I break the narrative by proclaiming:
"This is a skill challenge. You need 5 victories before you reach 3 failures. Go"
And then ...
6
votes
0answers
28 views
Mutant Chronicles: Luna City and Moon physics
Okay, this is in fact a bunch of related sub-questions, but I'll try and sum them up in one:
How has the physical workings of the Moon -- home to the new central hub of humanity: Luna -- changed in ...
