Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 29 Aug 2005 to 30 Aug 2005 (#2005-171) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 31/08/2005, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 8 messages totalling 329 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Mystara d20: Classes (2) 2. Winter War 3. Northern Reaches History? 4. Geoff (3) 5. Mystara d20: Vitality/Wound Points and Defense ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 09:16:29 +0200 From: Giampaolo Agosta Subject: Re: Mystara d20: Classes Dan Eustace ha scritto: > The Robrenn druids introduced in the dragon issue covering that realm had > rules for druids from 1st level. That issue also covered druidic knights, > similar to paladins or avengers. I'm not sure how much of that was retained > in the SC/Red Steel products that came out later, but I really liked the > unique flavor described in that article. I have it stored away somewhere... The later SC/Red Steel use AD&D rules, so there's no need for special rules for low-level druids. There are rules for Druidic Knights, though (called Druidic Defender in SC). Bye, GP ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 10:48:43 +0200 From: Knud Gentz Subject: Re: Winter War Thank you all for your comments. So I'll better wait for spring to launch my springattack on the characters.. How will I get them to far-off Akesoli again in half a year, I wonder? But that will be my problem. Ville, yes I read your Articles and plan to take your recommendations into my campaign. You mention that after your experiences you would even more changes. Would you care to share them, please? Has anybody revisioned the warmachine combat tables, which seem to offer some quite illogical results? Knud ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 03:22:06 -0700 From: la Volpe Subject: Re: Northern Reaches History? Ville wrote: > I made the Svartalven into > gremlin-like > demon-worshipping beings not at all related to real > elves. The PC > actually found that the > word "Alf" used in Known World was very old, and it > originally referred > to otherwordly beings - and only later on when > memories of those events > had faded, the word was transformed and used of the > newcomer elves, as > they > resembled the creatures of myth. Pointy ears and all > that. They realised > that some of the cultural suspicion against elves in > the general area > [common to Alasiyans, Ethengarians, Denwarf dwarves > and the Antalians > of NR] > had roots in ancient history! > A really cool idea! And it seems a great adventure and great fun! I am really glad that we can share ideas and help each other to increase our campaigns!! Giulio __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 03:50:48 -0700 From: la Volpe Subject: Geoff Sorry to use the list for personal matters --- I tried to get in touch with Geoff some days ago but he never answered me. Geoff, did you receive my mail? I'm not trying to put any pressure on you, just being curious whether you received it or not. Thanks and sorry for the nuisance to all list members!! Giulio __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 17:45:25 -0300 From: "Vinicius R. de Moraes - USP Solar" Subject: Re: Geoff What has happened to your crystal ball with clairvoyance, Giulio? :-) Cheers/Ciao. Vini At 07:50 30/8/2005, you wrote: > Sorry to use the list for personal matters --- > > I tried to get in touch with Geoff some days ago but > he never answered me. Geoff, did you receive my mail? > I'm not trying to put any pressure on you, just being > curious whether you received it or not. > > Thanks and sorry for the nuisance to all list > members!! > > Giulio > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > > ******************************************************************** > The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp > The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com > To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM > with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 19:35:05 -0700 From: la Volpe Subject: Re: Geoff --- "Vinicius R. de Moraes - USP Solar" wrote: > What has happened to your crystal ball with > clairvoyance, Giulio? :-) > Always been a fighter, sir... (and without multiclassing!) 8-) Giulio __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 23:22:15 -0700 From: Joaquin Menchaca Subject: Re: Mystara d20: Classes First of all, I must say there is a lot of great discussion. I love it. For clarity, I want to have just the "Known World" for now, later I can do another one on "Redsteel", which would expand the races and would not re-document humans, elves, etc. For half-elf, I am under the view as some mention that there is no half-elf. However, there is a unique race from Yavdom (spelling?) that has a unique race that is statisticaly similar to a half-elf. That would not be covered in the initial "Known World" Mystara d20. ((Maybe present half-breeds as optional in blue Mystara d20, but caution in using Mystara ADnD2e material, see below)) I want to present the material in similar fashion as red/blue/lime/black boxed sets. So the initial set will not have prestige classes, but it is important to discuss and layout a road-map. ((Thus Håvard, it'll be simple, but later editions will get more complex.)) I also want to have "racial" classes as detailed in Unearthed Arcana. I want to have generics, so that way if the DM wanted to delay choosing non-race classes or not, this would be optional ((as Giampaolo mentioned)). I'll also re-document the NPC classes, but expand it to show how to utilize as it relates to Mystara. DMs could also have their characters be a Commoner for instance if they like, but that's a personal campaign decision. Thus far I am thinking of Warrior, Priest, Rogue, Wizard, Sorcerer, Ranger. (thanx Jon and Håvard for your thoughts); I will detail what is common for races, but not restrict players from choosing race/class combination (I'll leave that one for the DM), but mention that there is no one to teach a Dwarf to become a Wizard per say. As for multi-classing. I don't want to say NO WAY. I want to make things flexible, but DMs can say NO TO MULTICLASSING in their campaigns. Note that a Hin is a Warrior/Rogue and an Elf is Warrior/Wizard, and the elves teach humans to be Warrior/Wizard. What's important is that there is a "class" that determines the amount of experience required for the next level. A player can buy race classes, character classes, or prestige classes to make their unique character. Nevertheless, I think it'd be wise to present an optional rule to allow it, yet restrict it. There aren't many multi-classes, but it's possible, perhaps there needs to be a trainer, or excessive experience costs, some mechanism that allows to have the best of both worlds... In regards to some canon material, I visualize Mystara in two categories: oDnD Mystara and ADnD-2e Mystara. I caution trusting ADnD-2e Mystara as the gospel, as they tried to adapt Mystara to 2e, rather than adapt 2e to Mystara (as they did in DarkSun and DragonLance, where 2e was adopted to their perspective campaign world). Lastly, slighty segue, as for Mystara 3E, I was not excited about material they were presenting. Forgive me if this seems rather harsh, but I felt they were adapting Mystara to be another generic brand-x DnD 3E campaign rather than having something rich and unique. Mystara d20, we don't have to obey the holy book of 3E, but take bits and pieces from the whole universe of d20 to represent Mystara, add simplicity and flexibility as never seen before... - Joaquin Menchaca __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 23:39:49 -0700 From: Joaquin Menchaca Subject: Mystara d20: Vitality/Wound Points and Defense Another thing I wanted to do is to not use the familiar Hitpoint and Armor Class, but use a system suited for both low-tech and more high-tech scenarios with Vitality Points and Defense. (They can still be called Hit Points and Armor Class). The advantage of this is that it allows a consistant system for all eras of technology: (1) ultra-high tech like elves in Hollow World or Temple of the Frog, City of the Gods. (2) steam-punk of Blackmoor (mixing magic/tech), or wild west thing I was talking about. (3) low tech - cannons, firearms of Red Steel (4) very low tech - swords, crossbows, arrows. Essentially, Vitality is the same as hit points for all intents and purposes. It's what makes your character super Xena-like, but visually isn't your physical damage, but rather how exhuasted one becomes as it approaches 0. The actual physical damage is equal to your constitution, and is called Wound Points. In this system, critical hits go directly to Wound Points, rather than do extra hit point damage. For armor class (defense), this represents your ability to dodge/deflect stuff soley. Armor doesn't augment armor class, but rather absorbs damage instead. This is called Damage Reduction. Now things like bullets (chemically propelled projectiles that travel faster than the speed of sound) will bypass the armor's damage reduction properties. Perhaps armor with special properties still reduces damage from bullets, e.g. mithril, magic, red steel. I wanted to throw that out there, to see if people were vehemently against this or support the direction. There's good rules presented for this in Unearthed Arcana on this topic. Lastly, having this would allow Mystara d20 to have something quite different that limited DnD3e campaigns like FR or GH. - joaquin __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 29 Aug 2005 to 30 Aug 2005 (#2005-171) ****************************************************************