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2 years ago ::
Nov 09, 2011 - 10:34AM
#41
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Date Joined:
Sep 21, 2007
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Back when I was running a 1e Dragonlance campaign using the DL series of modules, Raistlin was trying to blind a hill giant (I think it was) with a Light spell, but fumbled. Consulting our fumble chart we determined that the spell instead affected the giant's right ear. The fight continued and when Tasselhoff's turn came up, the player playing him said, "Ooooo! Look at the eary light!" Well for kids in our early to mid-teens that was waaaaay funny, so we laughed about it uncontrollably for several minutes. After the fight Tass cut the giant's ear off and put it in a lantern so he could take the eerie light with him.
That's pretty gross but I love the humour of it  "Eary light"....love it.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 09, 2011 - 1:17PM
#42
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All this talking about the "rules" of DnD and how "Oh, that person can't do that because..." "That can't happen because..."
PELOR BAHAMUNT AND LOATH! Its a game!
If a player has an interesting idea and the target of said interesting idea is not central to the plot, in other words, it is a mook, then let them do it!
For a famous case, I present to you, the chandeler swing.
Just because things aren't in the rules, doesn't mean they can't be fun. Please stop the debate and only put stories of CREATIVE things you or your players have done.
Promote creativity in your games. Nuff said.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 09, 2011 - 1:46PM
#43
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'Not in the rules' and 'against the rules' are two different things. Creativity is fine, if it's legal.
Another day, another three or four entries to my Ignore List.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 09, 2011 - 2:04PM
#44
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Date Joined:
Mar 10, 2011
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Okay, first, the OP has a name. 
Second, all I wanted to do was post a simple little story about a fun moment in my game. I wasn't looking for a rules debate, or a DMing debate. In fact I could not care less about what anyone else thinks about this. Wait lemme try.....hm....nope can't do it.
I'm sick of reading the trolling here so I'm unsubscribing to this, and you can all argue until the end of the world.
good day.
I hope that you re-consider.
For what it's worth (and because I've seen it cause trouble before), "OP" means "Original Poster", and is not mean disrespectfully or as an insult. It doesn't take long for any internet discussion to run on long enough for people to forget the name of the person who started the original topic (OT), especially if the original poster hasn't added more than one or two replies to the discussion.
I don't recall seeing any genuine trolling in the thread; it's possible the ORCs pulled some out that I missed, or some happened that I forgot about, but in any event even that would be only minor trolling in the scheme of things. The vast bulk of the negative replies to this thread have been in the form of disagreements on specific points of DMing style - a difference of opinion is hardly trolling. The easy response to a difference of opinion is "my group had a blast and are pleased with the results, my off-the-cuff judgment call hasn't Ruined The Game For EVER, I'm not going to sweat some bent rules in this case, and I'll be sure to ask you guys first the first time I do run across a rule question that causes a problem for me and my group."
And finally, heated rules-lawyering is a time-honored and fun tradition of the game, and it's bound to crop up any time a game mechanic or system gets discussed - it might not be something you enjoy reading, but don't let it spoil your fun when it happens. I know I've learned to appreciate rule and system Holy Wars for what they are, and sometimes I learn some fun and useful things from following them.
New DM Tips
Show
- Trying to solve out-of-game problems (like cheating, bad attitudes, or poor sportsmanship) with in-game solutions will almost always result in failure, and will probably make matters worse.
- Gun Safety Rule #5: Never point the gun at anything you don't intend to destroy. (Never introduce a character, PC, NPC, Villain, or fate of the world into even the possibility of a deadly combat or other dangerous situation, unless you are prepared to destroy it instantly and completely forever.)
- Know your group's character sheets, and check them over carefully. You don't want surprises, but, more importantly, they are a gold mine of ideas!
- "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." It's a problem if the players aren't having fun and it interferes with a DM's ability to run the game effectively; if it's not a problem, 'fixing' at best does little to help, and at worst causes problems that didn't exist before.
- "Hulk Smash" characters are a bad match for open-ended exploration in crowds of civilians; get them out of civilization where they can break things and kill monsters in peace.
- Success is not necessarily the same thing as killing an opponent. Failure is not necessarily the same thing as dying.
- Failure is always an option. And it's a fine option, too, as long as failure is interesting, entertaining, and fun!
"Broken or not, unbalanced or not, if something seems to be preventing the game from being enjoyable, something has to give: either that thing, or other aspects of the game, or your idea of what's enjoyable." - Centauri
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2 years ago ::
Nov 09, 2011 - 2:32PM
#45
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Date Joined:
Jul 21, 2004
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If a player has an interesting idea and the target of said interesting idea is not central to the plot, in other words, it is a mook, then let them do it!
I don't think a person here would disagree with that. If the wizard could cut the enemy down or finish them off with a magic missile, then it really doesn't matter how the enemy is taken out.
Other times it might matter.
I wish I could be more like iserith here, but I'm afraid I can't let go of my jadedness when it comes to this "trick." I wouldn't say No outright, but I would put myself through all sorts of gyrations not to let Light itself work in this way. I'd change it to a full-blown skill challenge before I just let someone cast Light this way, or Shrink someone's helmet (or cod piece), or use Ghost Sound to distract someone in combat.
[N]o difference is less easily overcome than the difference of opinion about semi-abstract questions. - L. Tolstoy
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2 years ago ::
Nov 09, 2011 - 10:37PM
#46
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Date Joined:
Jun 22, 2008
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Best use of light: light up a skull. Add ghost sound, and prestidigitation for 'flying' and you have a fake demilich.
My colors and decks
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Where's the fun in that?
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2 years ago ::
Nov 10, 2011 - 5:26AM
#47
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Date Joined:
Apr 21, 2011
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Back in 2nd, my bard used it on his teeth...So, when he smiled, it would brigthen up the room!!!
I'm playing:
Abin Gadon, Halfling Bard
Winston "Slurphnose", Gnome Sorcerer
Pasiphaé, Minotaur Shaman
Eglerion, Elf Ellyrian Reaver (Ranger)
DMing:
Le Trésor du Fluide (Treasure from the Fluid)
Un Royaume d'une Grande Valeur (A Kingdom of Great Value)
La Légende de Persitaa (Persitaa's Legend)
Une Série de Petites Quêtes... (A serie of short quests)
Playtesting:
Caves of Chaos
We're building the greatest adventure ever known to DnD players!
Also playing Legend of the Five Rings and Warhammer Fantasy.
Sébastien, Beloeil, Qc.
I am Neutral Good and 32 years old.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 12, 2011 - 11:27PM
#48
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A drow's rapier or shield or armor would definitely change the tempo of an encounter if it were suddenly illuminated.
As far as the debate, call it a one-off and set a fair table judgement for the future. Lighting up the goblin's crossbow would have distracted him, giving the new player an advantage. But trial and error is part of the fun of discovery. Finding what works and what doesn't pushes players to think outside the box as long as it's balanced. Trying and failing consistently will shut down their 'try this' attitude, but succeding all the time just sets them up for a fall.
As long as it's fun for everyone,within the reasonable scope of the rules, I say DIE cannonfodder goblin Die!!!
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2 years ago ::
Nov 12, 2011 - 11:49PM
#49
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Date Joined:
Dec 25, 2009
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I wish I could be more like iserith here, but I'm afraid I can't let go of my jadedness when it comes to this "trick." I wouldn't say No outright, but I would put myself through all sorts of gyrations not to let Light itself work in this way. I'd change it to a full-blown skill challenge before I just let someone cast Light this way, or Shrink someone's helmet (or cod piece), or use Ghost Sound to distract someone in combat.
I agree with most of this....but Ghost Sound is a standard action, so I'll usually let someone try things with it, since the penalty for failure is so high and most effects that you can pull with it are weak.
Except in extraordinary situations, the best you're going to get is 'grants CA for a round', and that's pretty weak for a wizard's standard action, so I'd usually allow it. Especially since it reminds players that there might be extraordinary circumstances where it can do more than that (perhaps the kobolds know that the dragon they're serving is a light sleeper and gets very angry when awoken, so they're predisposed to believe a bluff [backed up by ghost sound] that the dragon is awake and pissed. Of course, it would also require a successful Bluff/Intimidate check, but I'd give a bonus for using Ghost Sound properly.)
The difference between madness and genius is determined only by degrees of success.
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