Dungeons & Dragons

Darendor · Post by **Darendor** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:37 am

The Bard's Tale, and virtually any/all computer role-playing epics, are descended from the classic tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons.

I've decided to resurrect my hobby from 15+ years ago and start up a local D&D campaign.

I'm going to be running version 3.5 of the game, because apparently version 4 is horrible.

I went to the local stationary depot and stocked up on graph paper, pencils, erasers, lined paper, a few binders, etc.

I have a copy of the Player's Handbook. I need to get the Dungeon Master's Guide and the Monster Manual, then I need to start designing a game world and populate it with towns, dungeons, towers, monasteries, oceans, mountains, deserts, subzero climates, and so on.

Wish me luck.

dulsi · Post by **dulsi** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 2:59 pm

4th edition is different not horrible. Every edition has good things and bad. I run 4E because I find it easier to DM.

The DM who ran a 3.5 game before mine never bought the DMG or MM. We just made due with the SRD. Good luck.

I started writing about my 4E world on my site but only have a handful of blogs about it.

Darendor · Post by **Darendor** » Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:47 pm

Armed with graph paper, I start designing my game world. I intend to use multiple sheets to represent the world with each square representing 5 square miles.

Darendor · Post by **Darendor** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 12:43 am

Which leads me to ask...

Anyone here ever hear of a 3D dungeon aid that was magnetic? I knew someone in Toronto years ago (like 1996 or so) that had one of these and I desperately wish I had bought it from him....

ZeroZero · Post by **ZeroZero** » Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:00 pm

Like this one?

Darendor · Post by **Darendor** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 1:55 am

Yes! That is it!

Any clues on how I can get it?

ZeroZero · Post by **ZeroZero** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 1:59 am

I think the company doesn't exist anymore and noone took over the production, so the only thing I could think of is to get a second hand from platforms like ebay and the like.... I suggest you try to google it yourself

ZeroZero · Post by **ZeroZero** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 2:10 am

Besides.... why not make your own tiles from wood, glue magnets to them, get a metal plate, paint all and make your own set?

Darendor · Post by **Darendor** » Sat Dec 21, 2013 4:01 am

ZeroZero wrote:Besides.... why not make your own tiles from wood, glue magnets to them, get a metal plate, paint all and make your own set?

Sure, because I'm a skilled woodworker, painter, and machinist. I also rebuild engines in my sleep and run an airline conglomorate on my days off.

Darendor · Post by **Darendor** » Wed Dec 25, 2013 8:28 pm

dulsi wrote:4th edition is different not horrible. Every edition has good things and bad. I run 4E because I find it easier to DM.

The DM who ran a 3.5 game before mine never bought the DMG or MM. We just made due with the SRD. Good luck.

I started writing about my 4E world on my site but only have a handful of blogs about it.

You wouldn't happen to know where the rules for water (i.e. naval) adventuring are located for 3.5?

I plan to have an abandoned island outpost used by pirates as part of a storyline involving the PCs and they will need to travel to this island from the city (and visit submerged shipwrecks).

dulsi · Post by **dulsi** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 2:26 pm

Darendor wrote:You wouldn't happen to know where the rules for water (i.e. naval) adventuring are located for 3.5?

Here is the Aquatic Environments. Stormwreck probably has the most complete rules. I don't have it so I can't say how good it is.

Darendor · Post by **Darendor** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 6:35 pm

That doesn't cover being on board a ship and using it to traverse a lake, it just skims over characters themselves being in/under water.

dulsi · Post by **dulsi** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 4:56 am

Darendor wrote:That doesn't cover being on board a ship and using it to traverse a lake, it just skims over characters themselves being in/under water.

I don't think they have any in the SRD or the main rulebooks. They have the movement rates for some ships but I think that is it. Either you need to make it up or use rules from another book. There are some 3rd party books or Stormwreck which cover that. I don't see any info on the Grand OGL Wiki but you might be able to find suggestions on other sites.

Darendor · Post by **Darendor** » Fri Dec 27, 2013 11:25 pm

I've managed to have a peek at Stormwrack and it seems that that is the resource I need to get my hands on.

Avast, ye maties! Swab that deck! Unfurl them sails! Damn the torpedoes!

Darendor · Post by **Darendor** » Sun Jan 05, 2014 7:48 pm

So I'm going to be starting the game on February 1.

I'm a little daunted by the combat aspect. It looks horribly complicated.

Envision the following scenario, if you will:

A party of five first level characters has managed to hitch a ride on a fishing boat near a group of four small islands. The characters are a fighter, a cleric, a wizard, a ranger, and a druid.

The party decides to rowboat ashore to the island from about 110 feet away. The island is inhabited by a small tribe of ogres and one ogre mage.

I imagine I'll need to make spot checks for both the monsters that are near the shoreline and the party as it rows closer to the island. Supposing that a couple of ogres or their sentinels (say, a harpy) spots the party rowing ashore, they might decide to wait until the party lands and then surprise them, catching them flat-footed.

What would the order of combat be, exactly?