Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name:
Karen Workman

Comment:
What happens to the items in a bag of holding if you slice it open? We had an instance where a player character placed a bag of holding over an enemies head and sliced it open.


Gamer Forge Response:

Inside this issue of The Gamer Forge...

It's our bag, baby! DCR says:

1. There's two ways this can go. Either the dimensional space is negated and everything inside the bag is simply expelled, or the space is destroyed and everything in the bag is winked from existence. But which one is your GM's call, not ours.

2. However, we have to ask: why would you do that to someone? That's just mean, man! Suppose you had 50,000 gold pieces in there; that poor fool had better be Scrooge McDuck, or he's getting a very expensive Texas funeral. On the flip side of the coin (get it?), the person's head suddenly ceases to exist, leaving the body flopping around like a chicken. Grisly!

3. As always, be prepared to explain why it happens. Nothing kills your credibility more than resorting to telling your players, "It's just magic, go with it." Lame!

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name:
Roger Smithfield

Comment:
Hey guys can you help me out. I'm wanting to use the optional Armor as Damage Reduction rules, but there is nothing listed as how it interacts with rules based on AC such as touch attacks and the like. I know that touch attacks still go against touch AC but does this change "nerf" the characters that use touch attacks as a perk?


Gamer Forge Response:

It's either Nerf, or nothing. DCR says:

Nope, damage reduction doesn't raise, lower, or interact with armor class. It's being able to decrease damage is just the perk of having damage reduction. Mind you, it does make the player's job a deal harder by giving them even more math to figure out, rather than playing the game. That's the trade-off you make when incorporating alternate or optional rules to enhance gameplay.



*Bonus XP: Don't have a Bag of Holding and want to have your enemies driven before you? Take a look at some of the finishing moves of video games like Mortal Kombat. For a more realistic(?) look at finishing someone off, look no further than pro wrestling's most dangerous finishers. Watch these examples and you'll be hearing the lamentations of the women in no time!

Are you ready?

We said....

ARE YOU READY?
Good. It's time for the Gamer Forge.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Spork the King

Comment
You know maybe this one is just as simple as it sounds and I am just making it far to difficult then it really is.

So let me explain my problem, you've got, let's say, an air elemental you want to kill, and it's basically made of air. How do you kill it? Simply by hitting it with any weapon seems a little bit illogical to me - it's air and you can't kill it with a nonmagical spork... Or can you?

Gamer Forge Response:

We put the "mental" back into "elemental". DCR says:

1. Seek alternative solutions. What sorts of things can you do to air to neutralize it? Carry a bellows as part of your standard adventuring gear. Just suck that air elemental into the bellows and throw it wherever  you wish. Use Teleport Without Error to transport it directly into the freezing vacuum of space, where air doesn't exist. If you wanna go extra "meta", freeze the room to zero degrees Kelvin. Now you have the molecules frozen completely solid and the air elemental good and truly trapped.
2. Magic weapons are the more practical solution. As it is mostly incorporeal, magic weapons are needed to damage it reliably, circumventing (get it, venting? Air? Har, har!) it's damage reduction.
3. Beware shrapnel. Loose objects laying about the room become instant weapons for an air elemental, and nothing is more humiliating than getting your day ruined by a shrimp fork to the eye.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Harold Johnson

Comment
I’m unsure how poisons work in Pathfinder.

For example: black adder venom. From the frequency of the poison, am I required to make a saving throw per minute for every six minutes? Each time I fail a save, do I take 1d2 str damage? Or do I take all the strength loss once all failed rounds are finished/frequency is over? It just looks like quite a chore referencing each round for ability score drops and I am really unclear on the rules.

If I succeed at rolling a saving throw, do I no longer need to check? And to remove the poison effect (strength loss) I will need to be cured through the various tools offered?

Another type is this:

Sting—injury; save Fort DC 10; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect sickened for 1 round; cure 1 save.

I just really cannot seem to figure out how poison works. Does this sting/sickness stack each round I fail a save?

Gamer Forge Response:

When picking your poison, DCR says:

1. Yep. The poison runs its course through your blood for the length of time stated on the stat block. So each minute, you make a saving throw against it. Each time you fail, you take the strength damage indicated. If you lose all your strength, then you die. If the poison says it's cured by making even one saving throw, then that's when it ends. Your body is strong enough to fight of the effects.

2. Reality check: The venom of a Black adder is <expletive deleted> deadly! The only reason you get a chance to survive it is because your character is exceptionally tough. Heroically tough. Count your blessings for being heroic.

3. The great equalizer. The benefit (or gamble) of using poisons is twofold. Success means you've crippled a stronger opponent and made him/her flush for the kill. Failure leaves you vulnerable to counterattack. More so, venom can be a cost effective way for a cutthroat to do his job. Simple venoms and toxins can be crafted from plants and animals. Rattlesnake venom and mandrake root are great starting points.


*Bonus XP: To give your elementals an air of extra mystique, describe them without using the word elemental. An earth elemental could be called a "golem". An air elemental can be a "will-o-wisp". A water elemental should be depicted as King Triton in "The Little Mermaid". Make the effort to not use the clinical definition so your players can be a little more immersed into the world you've created. Besides, "elemental" as a description is lame. Lame with a capital "Twilight".

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Sam Workman

Comment
Is it possible to hit an incorporeal creature with a spell that requires a melee touch attack without the use of any magical ability that allows one to make contact with incorporeal beings? Put another way, does using a melee touch attack spell grant the innate ability to hit incorporeal beings with it?

The most typical example would be the use of a Cure Spell, or potentially the Lay on Hands supernatural ability, as used on incorporeal undead such as Shadows or Banshees (Undead and Incorporeal tend to go together more than any other monster type, and all undead, physical or otherwise are harmed by healing magic). Would attempting to cast a healing spell on such a creature using only your bare hands be possible? I see three possible interpretation, with two possible answers:

1) Yes, because a magic spell is being used, and all magic grants the innate ability to bypass incorporeal creatures as per its definition.

2) No, because in order deliver a spell as a melee touch attack, one must first make the touch attack, which is impossible on such a creature. The magical nature of the attack does not come into play until after the mundane contact is made.

3) Yes, because even though #2 is true, one can release the spell simply in the general vicinity of the creature (such as sticking one's hand through them and releasing it inside them) without having to strictly feel the target.

The only reason this comes up is because I am concerned that the second one is correct - that such an attack is impossible because delivering such a touch attack does not count as magical until after it hits, which it never will.
 
Gamer Forge Response:

Intangibility, or tangibility? That is the question. But DCR says the answers are:

1. Incorporeal creatures are a nasty little cheat to beat magic and spells. Almost on a Turbo Tunnel level to make a creature impossible to beat. Our argument for saying that incorporeal creatures can NOT be magic-ed up would be along the lines of "you can't touch it on the shoulder, you can't deliver a touch attack." Your hands pass through the being, so touch attacks are impossible.

2. However, the flip side of the coin would be more "meta". If the being is to be considered on the material plane (or whatever plane of existence you might be on), it must have a tiny bit of tangibility, and have at least some small chance of touching it. Otherwise, how does it interact with anything? You can quantify this by giving the creature in question the bonuses to defense similar to being blind or fighting in the dark, or complete cover. The odds are very against the heroes, but the chance is still there.

3. The cool part: this opens the door to make heroes question their reality and sanity. Use this scenario sparingly. If all the enemies they face are incorporeal, then it becomes mundane and/or impossible to deal with, and you lose their interest. But once in a great while, pull out the see-thru stuff to mess with their mind.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Henry Stevenson

Comment
Can demon lords read minds in D&D 4th edition?

If they cannot, would it be a stretch to say Graz'zt (a demon lord I'm depending on heavily in my campaign) can perform this feat?

Gamer Forge Response:

Demonic presence? You can totally handle it! When it comes to the leaders of the damned, DCR says:

Sure. There's no reason they can't. Do your players know enough to question your authority? That's a trick question. It doesn't matter. If you think your demon villain would be better with telepathy, then go for it.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Robert Cole

Comment
Does a weapon thrown with Giantkind Gloves gain weapon benefits?

Giantkind Gloves possess the following power:

Power (Standard Action)

Strength + 2 vs. AC; ranged 6/12; you throw an object 30 lb. or less; 2d6 + Strength modifier damage.
Level 14: Strength + 4 vs. AC; ranged 8/16; 50 lb. or less; 2d8 + Strength modifier damage.
Level 24: Strength + 6 vs. AC; ranged 10/20; 80 lb. or less; 2d12 + Strength modifier damage.

Since no standard weapon weighs over 30 lb., every weapon would be eligible for throwing using this power.

When throwing a weapon with this power, does this attack benefit from other bonuses?

Essentially, the questions that I think need to be answered are:

•Does throwing a weapon with this power count as making an attack with that weapon?
(e.g. weapon properties, magic weapon)
•Is this considered "throwing a weapon" for the sake of counting as a thrown weapon attack?
(e.g. class features, other passives)
References
The following examples are provided as a reference for what I am asking about.

Weapon Proficiency
This seems pretty straightforward but worth mentioning. Since the attack does not list the Weapon keyword, I do not believe it can benefit from weapon proficiency bonuses:

Proficiency Bonus: Gained from proficiency with a weapon, this bonus applies to attack rolls with that weapon. An adventurer gains the proficiency bonus only when wielding the weapon and using powers that have the weapon keyword.

Class Features
The Seeker's Spiritbond class feature grants two different bonuses to thrown weapon attacks:

You also gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with both light thrown and heavy thrown weapons, and when you make an attack by throwing a weapon with which you have proficiency, the weapon returns to your hand after the attack.

Magic Weapon Returning
Would throwing a magic weapon with these gauntlets benefit from the rule that states magic weapons return? The power says ranged 6/12, which I am guessing makes it a Ranged attack- otherwise one would argue it does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Any magic light thrown or heavy thrown weapon, from the lowly +1 Dagger to the +6 Dragonslayer Javelin automatically returns to the wielder's hand after a Ranged Attack with the weapon is resolved.

Magic Weapon Properties
For example, when throwing a Weapon of Long Range, which has the following properties:

This weapon’s long range increases by 10 squares.
You do not take the penalty to attack rolls for attacking at long range with this weapon.

It seems the power would not benefit from the first property, but might with the second.

Feats
•Power Throw allows you to deal extra damage for a -2 penalty to attack rolls when making a "ranged attack with a heavy thrown weapon".
•Arcing Throw: "When you use a spear as a thrown weapon, the target doesn’t gain cover from its allies."
•Brutal Bludgeon: "When you hit with a club or a mace ... Reroll any damage die result of 1 until the die shows 2 or higher."
Other Passives
What about other passives, such as the one found on Dwarven Throwers?

Gamer Forge Response:

We asked for more specific, and we got it. DCR says:

1. Revan and Flagoon say yes, because it's a thrown weapon, provided you are proficient with the weapon being thrown. However...

2. Guy Named Joe believes that he is always correct. His logic is flawless. He says, "no", because when using a magic item to make an attack, the bonus for the attack are generated from the glove, not the weapon. The item being thrown is a random, non-specific item, like a dumbbell or a kettle, and not the character's specific items. Your proof is right here.




*Bonus XP: For even more references to awesome demons and telepathy, check out the movie Scanners here and the movie Legend here. Both are old movies, but are totally in line with the sorts of themes involved in a fantasy epic. Yes, even Scanners, believe it or not. You gotta demonstrate just how awful a power like telepathy can be when in the hands of evil, right?

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Nathan Robinson

Comment
I feel somewhat silly asking this, but the Wild Talents 2E rulebook keeps likening heavy armor as a "really thick eggshell" that is "all or nothing".

I was under the impression for quite awhile that Heavy Armor and Interfering defends powers really were all or nothing.

For example, I thought that if someone had 5 heavy armor, and an attack of width 5 hit it, nothing would get through, but if an attack of width 7 hit it, the person wearing the armor would take the full seven damage. Reading through again however, I can't find anything to support this, so it makes me think that a person wearing heavy armor 5 hit with an attack of width 7 would take 2 damage.

Which interpretation is correct?

Gamer Forger Response:

You want our badge? You got it! DCR says:

1. A paladin, we get. Druids are a different beast altogether. In fairness, the second edition as a whole was so very different from its predecessor. But the heavy armor can be most easily compared to what the modern system would call "damage reduction" or DR. For instance, an armor rating of 5 would subtract 5 points of damage directed against the character, and the remaining two affect the character. Whereas the ThAC0 (to hit armor class zero) is the scale used to determine if an attack actually hits.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

George Bennett

Comment
I don't recall seeing anything about caltrops obtained from a Bag of Endless Caltrops disappearing. Does that mean you could in theory stockpile these caltrops by regularly removing them from the bag, storing them separately, letting the bag's supply regenerate, and repeating?

Gamer Forger Response:

Holy caltrops, Batman! DCR says:

Yes and no. Sure, the caltrops stick around. But, why? You can't exactly build a business empire out of caltrops. Think of it as a deus ex machina of needing a quick escape. It saves the character from needing to carry 50 pounds of caltrops and just carrying a five pound bag, used only when the situation calls for it.


Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Sarah Jorgenson

Comment
In the Redbox starter game, when you choose to be a Rogue, it says that your damage is 1D4+4. When I rolled the dice, it had all three "4" symbols facing up. Did I do 4 damage, or do I add them up to 12?

Gamer Forger Response:

We are so very sorry, Sarah. We tried our best not to laugh. DCR says,

Its a four. The highest possible result of a die roll is the number of sides of the die. Thus, the highest roll on a d6 is a 6, the highest on a d20 is a 20, and so forth. Do not multiply any numbers that appear on the die unless your DM says otherwise.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Need Your Help

Comment
Dose the Back-stab Rogue Utility (from Heroes of the Fallen Lands) and Sneak Attack Rogue Class feature damage stack? If so, does Back-stab also get the die boost from the feat Back Stabber?

If so, then this combo for a 3rd Lv rogue with Back Stabber is possible.

Round 1: Preparatory Strike a target to gain CA next round.

Cha mod + Int mod in damage.

Round 2: Repeat Round 1 with additional Sneak Attack and Back-stab damage

Cha mod + Int mod + 2d8 SA + 2d8 BS in damage.

Round 3: Repeat Round 2 because in Heroes of the Fallen Land say Lv3 rogues get an addition use of Back-stab in the same encounter, but not in the same turn.

So technically by turn 3 a rogue could do 3x Cha mod + 3x Int mod + 4d8 SA + 4d8 BD damage.

Is this correct?

Gamer Forger Response:

Ahhhhh! So much math! DCR says:

Yes, but you're over-thinking it. The whole point of the "backstab" and "sneak attack" is that its a great equalizer. An effective sneak attack incapacitates an enemy in one blow so the fight is over quickly. Rogues, thieves, sneaks, etc. aren't meant to fight over long periods of time. Leave that to the tanks. You're over-thinking it by lumping all the math together. It's more accurate to create the equation as a turn-by-turn breakdown.



Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Kevin Jacobs

Comment
OK, I'm building a Changeling ranged DPS Rogue (Thief) for a standard 4e game starting us off at level five.

I have the following feat chain: Two-Fisted Shooter + Distant Advantage + Quick Draw

I want to be able to dart around the battlefield and be a mobile sniper. Do you guys have any suggestions to make this build deal heavy damage and still keep his mobility?

Gamer Forger Response:

John Woo! DCR says:

Sadly, crossbows don't get much love. Historically, the crossbow was made for ease of use, even amongst unskilled soldiers. Where the bow and arrow required actual training and a level of expertise just to be bad at it. There are only a few feats out there that can apply to crossbows, such as Weapon Specialization, Rapid Reload, and Dead-Eye. If you're absolutely hard-up to get more from a hand crossbow, invest in magic augmentation to boost your damage. Otherwise, you'd be better off focusing on accuracy and reliable damage, similar to a magic missile. On the darkness.

Bonus XP: If you're thinking about crafting a finer fencer, try catching any of the film versions of The Three Musketeers. Groan all you want, geek nation, but you won't be getting the combination of "tank" and "striker" without giving up something. Start with a "fighter" class to get the stronger start in martial prowess, then sprinkle in a few levels of "rogue" or "duelist" or "assassin" or "whatever" to get at least a few heavy strikes in. Once you see how futile it is to bend your game system into impossible shapes, you can stop watching the John Malkovich version.

With a little help from our friends at SLC Nerd, DCR took on three great questions from real gamers. That's YOU!


THE GAMER FORGE
EPISODE 2
ELECTRIC BOOGALOO


Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Devin Carlson

Comment
I remember reading once about gauntlets that had an effect that somewhat worked like Monkey Grip (Complete Warrior feat). The thing was that the wording was off just a bit.

How I read it, and my DM agreed, was that you could use this with the Monkey Grip feat, and your player would be able to wield a weapon as though it was two sizes larger.

I think it was in the Magic Item Compendium. What are the gauntlets called? I loved them, but now I cannot find them.

Can you guys help?

Gamer Forge Response:


When you actually want to have a monkey on your back, or more accurately, in your hand, DCR says:

1. First, why would you want to do that? Are you trying to mimic a specific character, or are you trying to break the system?
2. The items you are looking for are called Strong Arm Bracers. We like the name Bracers of Dr. Zaius better. You should call them that.
3. The bracers allow you to wield a weapon a size larger than you without penalty. They stack with the feat Monkey Grip, allowing you to wield a weapon two sizes larger. For instance, you can literally use a giant's club as if you were a giant. Or using the Bracers of Dr. Zaius, you can create a fighter along the lines of a popular anime or video game franchise.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Seattle Gaming Group

Comment
Gentlemen,

It has been some time since our little gaming group up here in Seattle have had to write you regarding any issues. We love the Gamer Forge and the show itself is just amazing. Keep up the good work!

Now for my question. I was recently asked what are the benefits of role playing and I was at a complete loss for words or a reasonable answer, I didn't have anything solid that was based off of any facts. I know that there are benefits to roleplaying but at the time I couldn't come up with anything solid.

My question is this What are the overall benefits to RPGs and playing them?


Your faithful listeners,

The Seattle Gaming Group

Gamer Forge Response:
 
What are the bennies to the RPG experience? DCR says:

1. Three words: essential life skills. Inventory and financial management, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, problem solving, applied mathematics, compromise, and diplomacy are just a few of life's great lessons that are learned from the Role Playing Game. More importantly, these lessons are reinforced. The best adventures are won and retold by a group that learns and understands these.
2. You are a legend. In comparison to say, an MMO, you can actually do something that no one else has done and have a story that only you can retell. An MMO, while worthy in it's own rights, cannot give you that achievement. When you slay a dragon in an MMO, you are, at best, the first one to do that today. In the pen and paper RPG, you are in almost every respect the only person to have done that, period.
3. No limit, baby. Sure, the video game looks cool and may help spark you imagination. We aren't necessarily trying to knock the video game, but one flaw we must point out is that they still have limits. There is only so much they can show you. The only limit to an RPG is how much imagination you're willing to apply and how much you're willing to talk about it. Just start talking about the small nuances of your new character's kilt collection, and listen to the discussions that come from that. If you need more convincing, consider this: The characters on The Big Bang Theory play RPG's, and they are some smooth operators.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Noobie Complete

Comment
I was directed to your website by some friends and I was looking over your gamer forge posts. but didn't see anything that could help me so I thought I'd write in.

We're a completely new group of people and none of us have any experience. We drew straws and I ended up assigned as the DM, which I think is a good idea, and could be fun.

But we don't know where to start, or what to buy to get started on our noobish adventure.

What should we buy, what should we do our first few times? Any tips? thanks :)

Gamer Forge Response:

This is one of the few questions that gets the easy answers, but there can be so many. When you are starting a new game or picking up your first RPG book, DCR says:

1. Lord Flagoon recommends to just roll with it. Throw a few things into your pack and go. Part of learning is making mistakes, and everything about playing a game is having fun. There isn't a wrong way to play, but you won't know what works for you, until you find out what doesn't work for you. It's more important to get the game moving. Don't over think it.
2. Revan says it's best to start simple. Just grab the initial player's handbook for whatever game you choose, disregard all the supplements for now, and start from the starting line. You can always add supplemental material later.
3. Guy Named Joe decrees that you don't gain anything by trying to tackle it by yourself. Don't worry about your pride as a geek by not being able to recite all the rules from memory. If you don't know, ask a friendly employee at Epic Puzzles and Games in West Valley City or Lehi, Utah...or whatever your closest game store may be. There really isn't a perfect kit that can be put together for an adventurer, because every adventure is different, and every adventurer approaches it differently.


*Bonus XP: There may be no perfect kit for everybody, but there are items that any good kit should have. Author Jaleeta Clegg recommends that every good kit include plenty of clean underwear. You just never know. The McManus brothers say you should have rope. John Rambo would (probably) tell you to bring a survival knife. Tallahassee (probably) recommends a heavy, blunt object and a sweet jacket. Don't try to be prepared for

Gamer Forger Listener Email:

Name:
Sam Hutchinson

Comment:
I've got a character who needs more melee weapon damage. What kind of things can you do to increase the damage?

Gamer Forge Response:

When it comes to putting that extra force behind your swings, DCR says:

1. A nasty combination of getting a ridiculously high melee damage output would be combining the feats Improved Initiative, Death Blow, and Improved Trip, along with a weapon called a Ghost Head Broadsword, can raise your muscle to its upper limits. Improved Trip states that a successful trip attempt results in the character NOT having used the attack action for the trip attempt. Death Blow states you can make a coup de grace as an attack action, not a full-round action. The GHBS features a 1d10 damage with a times 3 critical multiplier and an 18-20 critical threat range. So, quick math reveals (1d10+STR+magic+feats) x 3 x (z) = OMG! Where z=number of attacks per round. A coup de grace is considered an automatic critical hit. Who says junior high math doesn't pay off?

Another option requires a significant purchase or, alternatively, a great deal of looting. The epic items, Gauntlets of Relentless Might, and Headband of Perfect Excellence should get you licking your chops. The Gauntlets give you a boost of +6 to STR and CON, while the Headband give you a whopping +6 to STR, CON, and WIS. Great for monks! Because, twinking your characters, that's why.

....and players wonder why some of this stuff didn't transfer from one edition to the next.

Gamer Forger Listener Email:

Name:

Louis Christie

Comment:
The Player's Handbook states that you can get "bonus spells" for certain ability scores, but does that mean more spell slots/spells per day, more spells known, or both?

Gamer Forge Response:

Can you spell slots? Get it? Spell? Slots? Yeah, us neither. DCR says:

1. Bonus spells gained through a high attribute do NOT grant additional spells known. Only spells per day. A "wizard" can know any number of spells that they have in their spell book, but only that many. They can't spontaneously know more. Conversely, a sorcerer has innate knowledge of spells, but cast via force of personality, not knowledge. Making a sorcerer smarter won't change anything. Also, bonus spells also doesn't grant you access to spells of levels you don't know yet. Example: a first level wizard who has bonus spells up to third level, doesn't start off knowing third level spells. Once they can cast a third level spell (at level 5, if memory serves), then they can utilize the bonus spells (per day) for their high intelligence score, thus casting more spells per day than the standard wizard.

...again, none of this grandfathered in to the fourth edition.



Gamer Forger Listener Email:

Name:

George Stevenson

Comment:
A lot of the time I find that my players are using their knowledge about the game to there characters advantage even when the character would have no way of knowing certain information.

Here is an example. Trolls do not regenerate when struck by acid or fire damage. A lot of times I find that my characters always carry around a vial of acid or a fire spell just in case they meet a troll. When they have never faced a troll ever in the life of their character.

Another example would be when the characters find a portal that is blood red, a player will say, "That portal will take us to the Abyss!!" and BAM the surprise is gone.

There's more but I'm not going to make a huge list of examples. I mean I'm really glad that my players take the time to read up on this stuff but sometimes it ruins the suspense and belief of the game, I mean how would a half Orc barbarian know that a certain marking on a wand means its a Wand of Burning Hands?

My question is this: How do you get players to use character knowledge instead of player knowledge?



Gamer Forge Response:

The ultimate thin red line between playing and cheating: metagaming. DCR says:

1. Describe monsters as if you don't know what it is. A very common (and very easy) pitfall of gaming is players like to spend time immersing themselves in the lore of the world in which they play. It isn't good or bad, it's just something everyone does. Counterbalance this by no longer assigning the common name for the enemy the first few times they encounter it. Don't call a "gnoll" a "gnoll". Getting the players in the spirit of the world starts with the Dungeon Master getting in the spirit of the world. However, once the characters have been around for a while and survived a good deal, it's cool to let them know aspects of creatures, especially commonly encountered creatures.
2. If you feel that the metagaming crosses the line into cheating, the next step is to not let the players assume the have the advantage. Remember the old adage about "assume"? It makes an "ass" out of "u" and "me". The moment someone makes the assumption they have the advantage, they will behave as if they do. Another easy pitfall. At the early stages of the game, players assume they know exactly how to entice the goblin king out of its cave? Put the kibosh on that by saying, "Roll me a (insert relevant lore check here), please." If they succeed reasonably at the check, then they can know some of the information on the goblin. Otherwise, they don't know, and can respond with something like, "Find another option, please." Certain aspects of logic are enforceable!
3. You will never fully be able to curb it. You can't make players forget what they learned about the game unless that player is Homer Simpson, or you have a fondness for causing head trauma. But we don't judge, either way.


*Bonus XP: Still feel like you're not doing enough melee damage? Try this little tidbit: the D&D 1st edition rules on an assassin sub-class allow for a special attack that can kill an enemy outright, regardless of how many hit points they have. The player has a percentage chance, based on level, of successfully using the attack. Even better, if the attack fails, he/she still deals normal sneak attack/backstab damage. A little house rule can transfer this into a more current rule system. The assassin starts with a small percent chance of killing the target, say 25 percent. Then every other level thereafter, that percentage goes up. So, around 10th level, they may have a 50 percent chance of assassinating the enemy. Now, if that doesn't whet your appetite for destruction, then maybe you start seeing a shrink. Just saying.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Calvin MacDonald

Comment
Gentlemen and the lovely Firebird.

I first want to say thank you for putting on such a great show. I've been listening t for the last year and I have to say you have had an amazing line up of guests!

I'll be honest I don't get to see to many of the guest you've have on the show over here in Perth, Scotland.

So with that said greetings from across the pond! And I'd like to know where Lord Flagoon has a plot oh land and when he plans to come across the pond and have a pint with us!

And now for my gaming question.

One of my players wants to play an unarmed fighter. What I need to know is; do spiked gauntlets count as weapons or as armor for the purposes of enchanting?

I hope you can help me out and Lord Flagoon we'll always have a pint wait'n for yah!

Gamer Forger Response:

This one was easy. When you gotta have spikes on them fisteses, DCR says:

Spiked gauntlets make you armed even when you aren't holding a weapon. When enchanting spiked gauntlets, they count as weapons, not armor. Enchant accordingly.

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Jack Reynolds

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My question is quick and simple.

Could an undead in 3.5e D&D such as a skeleton benefit from wearing magic items like rings of protection?

Gamer Forge Response:

We don't always give our skeletons magic items, but when we do:

Sure. Rings of Protection count as a deflection bonus, thus can stack with different bonuses that a skeleton or other undead may have. The only similar bonuses that stack are "dodge" bonuses. So a deflection bonus stacks with a natural armor bonus, which stacks with a luck bonus, etc., to calculate an Armor Class. Stay armored, my friends.

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Steven Rostenberg

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Can a Rogue (D&D 3.5) use sneak attack on both the first and second attack?

I know this seems like a question you can simply Google but the answers vary and my clan is under the impression that I can only use it on my first attack (once per round) and not on my second attack.

From Googling, I've understood that as long as the monster / enemy is flat-footed, flanked or caught off-guard, I can apply sneak attack on both my first and second attack in a round.

Is this correct?

Is it normal if the clan simply decides that that gives me an unfair advantage in combat and gives me only one sneak attack per round?

Gamer Forger Response:

Sneaky, sneaky! When getting your sneak on, DCR says:

1. If for some reason you get multiple attacks, you get to apply the sneak attack bonus damage to each successful hit. Here's the justification: sneaky types (typically) aren't gonna be wielding the large weapons and (usually) don't have access to powers and special abilities that enhance their normal damage output. They're just not built that way. But they have to get an edge somehow. With that being said...
2. Full-round actions. Multiple attacks can only be taken as part of a full-round action, meaning if you move or do anything else during your turn, then you only get the one attack. A lot of what a sneaky type does, is move and juke and jive around the battlefield, so getting multiple attacks in a round is usually out of the question. If for some reason, your sneaky type manages to stay still and have an enemy back up into him/her, well, then that means you don't have to move, and can take multiple attacks, dealing full sneak attack damage on each successful hit. It sounds like a lot of work, but that's part of getting the most out of your sneaky type.
3. Know your role. "Rogues" aren't really known for carrying the giant swords and battle axes. It's just not their bag, baby. Besides, "rogues" should be focusing their efforts into filling in the gaps that might be missing within the party. Every adventuring group needs a resident pimp. Just saying.

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Raz Dragon

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Okay so I really need you help because my last game session didn't end up so well and I am just not sure what to do here?

Let me explain what happened.

My player which I will call Steven rolls to attack during a big encounter that progresses the story and he, rolls a 1. Next round, rolls a 1. Round after that, rolls a 1. Fourth round, rolls a 2.

I'm serious this really happened all night his rolls were never higher than a 6 or 5 and he was going back and forth between two different dice too.

It just so happened that this whole encounter had outrageously unlikely rolls and all the players seeing more low single digits than they had any right to, while I ended up rolling four d20s all at once for an area attack and getting four 20s.

At some point or another, all the role-playing in the world doesn't save you when the dice are just not in your favour. What is a DM to do in such situations where players are getting frustrated at the dice and, as a result, are getting upset with the game?

Gamer Forge Response:

Lastly, when things are looking grim for the group, DCR says:

1. It's just a game, and a game can be put on pause. It's cool to take a break, get a breather, grab a drink, make a corner-store run, something. Everybody, and I do mean everybody, has a bad night of dice rolling. That's what happens when you play with probability. Law of Averages says you will encounter times like this. Oh, well. No matter how awesome you have yourself set up to be, you will fail every once in a while. The only piece of advice regarding this would be : "cope with it". You will not be awesome 100% of the time.
2. Beware of escalation. It may be tempting to offset a bad night of rolling by permanently enhancing the characters with magic or other means. Don't do it! There is no substitute for probability. Part of playing the game is rolling the die and risking not winning that night. To cheat probability like that is to miss the point of playing a game, period.
3. So everyone ended up dying? Is that really the end of the world? DM's take a lot of time to come up with cool stuff to happen each week, and it stinks when it gets shelved due to a TPK (total party kill). There's no reason bits of what you had planned can't just be transplanted into a new story. Don't let a bad night of rolling wreck your whole experience of Dungeon Mastering, or playing an RPG in general.


*Bonus XP: To get a good grasp of what it means to be part of a team, try watching episodes of Leverage. Each member of the team has a distinct, specialized role and each one of them is specialized to the point that they are the only ones who can do it. Sure, what they do is usually illegal. Okay, almost all the time it's illegal. Point being, a "rogue" should be able to fill roles within a group that aren't being covered, and do it well enough that they won't be replaced anytime soon. That's one of many things that make a good team. Each member contributes in a unique way, and goals are achieved due in no small part to that unique help.

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Wax Eagle

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I'm currently working on a homebrew system and one concept I was intending to incorporate is that there is no in-game currency; items are traded using a barter system. The thing is, how do I set a 'base price' to measure the worth of an item against?

For example, how do I indicate that generally a sword is worth 3 skins worth of water but a dagger is only worth 1?

I had thought to have units of water as a base price for every item of equipment, but then that just seems to be changing one currency for another.

Are there any systems with a similar mechanic?

Gamer Forge Response:

This week, the DCR crew got an e-mail concerning the use of the barter system. Who runs Bartertown? DCR says:

1. Determine the most valuable commodity. Is it water? Is it metal? Wood? You need to determine the preciousness something that everyone wants. The Dark Sun game setting places metal as the high end resource. That effectively becomes that world's version of gold. In the Mad Max films, water and gasoline are more precious than anything. Value of commodities goes down from there. Don't worry about setting prices for something, because the barter system doesn't price goods, because the value of goods depends entirely on the individual needing them.
2. Just how willing are you to part with "X"? If your characters are desperate for that last box of Twinkies, they must be willing to part with something they have, because money doesn't exist. In the film, Book of Eli, Denzel Washington has to part with his material goods in order to get enough water for his journey. This is the very core of the barter system: personal value. So, in order to emphasize the need for such value, have the players keep meticulous track of their goods, because those goods are now their money. When situations arise that require them trade for new goods, take a quick peek at their sheets so a level trade can occur. Don't necessarily exploit that personal value they place, but keep it in context with the world in which they play. Just because a player values a magic shield, doesn't mean the trader wants the magic shield. Maybe that last skin of water or last day's worth of rations is way more appealing...
3. It works both ways. Players need to be able to examine the resources of the immediate area and the landscape. A dwarven city won't have much use for rough cut gems, while a river town may not have need for fresh fish. Just keep the descriptions of the areas your players visit so that the needs of the people come into play. This big detail helps breathe more life into your campaign world by showing just how the world revolves while they're not around. Lastly, the barter system is NOT an exact science.

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Devin Patchery

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Here's the situation. There's a locked door that prevents any further progress into the dungeon. There's a keyhole in the door and a message basically saying that the key needs to be wished for.

In the room with the locked door is a wishing well. Each person is limited to one wish, and successive attempts just inflict damage to the wisher.

It's very straightforward: someone needs to wish for the key and it will appear, and they can unlock the door. The intent was not to present the players with a complex puzzle or anything time-consuming. The intended effect was that all but one player get a free wish, but one person has to sacrifice their wish to get past the door (and later be rewarded for their selflessness).

But, as always, things did not go according to plan. Without even discussing the key, each character went ahead and made their selfish wish. Okay, no big deal. You can brute force the door or just break it down with an axe. But my players are terrified that something awful will happen if they destroy the door, even though I have done nothing to indicate this.

They've tried wishing for the key, but since they all expended their wish, the well just damages them and doesn't work. So they've now set their mind to solving this puzzle that doesn't exist. They are trying to find deeper meaning in the words on the door, trying to word the wish more precisely, taking unnecessary damage all the while. The last 30 minutes of our session was spent on this.

Now I'm all for causing a little party frustration. But it's starting to drag on. I want to explain to them that they've simply exhausted their wishes and need to find an alternative way to get past the door. I want to smack the fighter over the head and tell him to just bash it down. But that's not the way I roll (heh, heh).

I would provide subtle clues - the magic aura of the wishing well fades, or something along those lines, but the damage has already been done. They've inspected the well and the door and I've already told them that there is nothing different about it.

How can I get my players to overcome this obstacle without just telling them outright?

Gamer Forge Response:

We love this situation! We really do! When players are stuck between a keyhole and a wishing well, DCR says:

1. Well, duh! You gave players a free wish. Was any other outcome truly expected? Indeed, the DCR Ten Commandments state: Thou shalt respect the consequences of thine actions. Your players were given an open invitation to solve this challenge and they squandered it. But let's go back a bit. No, it's not too much to expect that adventurers will have a few moments of altruism and selflessness. The outcome of this situation can help illustrate the importance of thinking beyond munchkin-ing out their character sheets.
2. A funny consequence may be to have another adventurer NPC walk out of the locked room  holding some generic loot and show them what they missed out. Remember, that this is a moment of consequence, so they shouldn't even get an opportunity to mug the NPC and jank the loot, because that just bypasses the challenge. Also, don't get preachy about it. Once they see what they missed out on, just move on with the adventure. They won't hold it against you if you don't keep holding it against them.
3. The deep part: Does the rest of your adventure hinge on getting what's behind the door? There doesn't seem to be any reason why your story can't just move on somewhere else. Remain mindful, Dungeon Master, that you are running a game and are responsible for keeping things moving. If players make too much noise in the room, have something sneak up behind them and attack, or do something to get them moving along.


*Bonus XP: Most films and books that deal with an apocalypse or some kind of global context as part of it's setting are a great place to start looking at how a barter system works. Mad Max, The Book of Eli, The Road, The Hunger Games, and District 9 are all settings that involve the use of a barter system. Just find your commodity and transplant it into your game's setting. To get a very real look at bartering, imagine what it would be like on a deserted island with the adventurers. Money loses value quickly while resources and small, everyday contrivances take over as the new gold.

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Mark Jacobsen

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A friend of mine is planning for a campaign in a colonial/pirate setting, and is planning on re-skinning crossbows as firearms, (i.e. light crossbow = musket, hand crossbow = flintlock), but I was wondering if there were already rules for such weaponry.

Gamer Forger Response:

Catch-a-Gun! Uggghhh. That sounds bad, just typing it. When you a crossbow just won't cut it for your pirate, DCR says:

1. The DMG says 1d10 with a times two critical multiplier. Fantasy settings often don't give much love to firearms, even Renaissance-era flintlocks. So, unfortunately, that's all the official answer gives us.
2. However, D20 Modern gives a host of options with your firearms. The books Ultramodern Firearms and D20 Weapons Locker give all the deets about all the guns you will ever need, including the stats and damage for the game. If you were expecting some huge damage rolling because it's "from the future", then prepare for disappointment. most guns comes up as 1d10 with a times two critical multiplier. Just like it says in the DMG. Most game systems give all the rules for firearms, and most just carryover from setting to setting. You just won't get the ridiculous damage rolling no matter where you go.

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Walter Smith

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I’m just curious if any supplement out there includes an Animal Companion that is not, in fact, an Animal. As in the type.

I mean that just any Druid of sufficient level can take; there are probably feats that allow you to get nonstandard Companions from other types, but I mean just ordinary “Animal” Companions.

Bonus points if the Animal Companion in question is an Aberration, Dragon, Elemental, Magical Beast, or Plant, and thus qualifies for Rapidstrike.

Super bonus points if you find a Construct or Undead, because that would just be weird.

Gamer Forger Response:

Catch-a-Familiar! Okay, just had to try again. That's the last one, promise. When your run-of-the-mill familiar just isn't sitting at the cool kids' table, DCR says:

1. Familiars can often be designated as any commonplace animal. Part of the point of the familiar is that, by themselves, they don't stand out very much. Most familiars confer a small, one-time bonus at the start of game play. Usually a small bonus to a skill or a small, special attack the familiar can do. It's what the familiar does over time is what makes them special.
2. If you want a familiar that is not only different, but almost diabolical, try a humunculous. It's a familiar that is constructed from the master's own blood. It behaves in the same way as a normal familiar does, just more...gross?

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Rick Bosco

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Why are wizards and their ilk so restricted in their choice of personal armor in most fantasy roleplaying games? (...let alone novels etc.)

Sure, learning takes up a lot of time, especially about such an arcane and cryptic subject as magic - but this is just a stereotype. Games and worlds could both easily be designed otherwise.

Why is this stereotype so prevalent, and where does it come from?

Gamer Forger Response:

Does the clothes make the hero? DCR says:

1. Armor, in all actuality, is bulky and restrictive. There's nothing in the rules that says you absolutely cannot wear armor, it's just never recommended. A sorcerer's/wizard's movements are commonly the most important aspect of the magic. It's more dramatic that way, trust us. Also, mages become some of the most potent damage dealers around. So a heavy cannon that also becomes impossible to damage? Talk about unbalanced!
2. Lightning Rod! It's about the real-life repercussions of what you're doing. A fireball is very, very hot. When you wrap some meat in tinfoil and make it very, very hot, what happens? It cooks! Remember, a mage in heavy plate mail acts as a lightning rod when casting lightning spells, and becomes terribly frozen when using cold spells. However, you can double-dog dare a party member to stick their tongue to your armor right after casting "Touch of Frost" on yourself. Just saying.
3. Action heroes! Bruce Willis wasn't awesome in Die Hard because he was wearing heavy armor. Hell, he wasn't even wearing shoes! Star Wars Saga Edition best reflects the action hero mentality with an ever-increasing defense. So, we say NOT wearing armor has it's merits, so don't knock it. Unless, of course, you want to make a few extra coin by double-dog daring someone.


*Bonus XP: To go the extra mile, take a few minutes and give your familiar a bit of personality. A simple quirk to draw a little more attention to it and have a little fun with it. But remember that the character is the main focus, so don't stress the familiar too much. Archemedes from the animated Sword in the Stone is a classic example of a familiar. Not very exotic. Quirky. Understated. Relevant. All the makings of a great supporting character.