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!

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name:
Henry Bronson

Comment:
I'm confused about Rogues and Use Magic Device. I've searched the core book and the Internet for the past 4 hours and can't find the answer to my simple question.

Since a Rogue doesn't have any spells, a spell list or caster level, do you have to emulate a class feature in addition to all other necessary checks to use items like scrolls and wands?

Gamer Forge Response:

This one doesn't need a witty intro, or a long, drawn out answer! Hooray for simplicity! When faking it until you're making it, DCR says:

Wands (unless otherwise specified) don't need any skill, feat, or ability to use it. That's the whole point for wands: anyone can use them. The "Use Magic Device" skill, however, IS a class feature. The "Rogue" is one of the very few classes that can use it. The skill requires nothing more than succeeding on a check against the caster level of whomever created it. In making the check, you effectively fool the item into believing that you meet the prerequisites for using it. Handy for use on scrolls, weapons, and anyone who decides to be a douche to you. This skill opens up a whole new level of prankery.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name:
Travis Johnson

Comment:
Pathfinder seems to have a few varied ways of identifying magic items and their properties, though some are used only with specific types of items.

What is, if any, the default way of identifying such items? What are the specific cases ?

To make this as complete as possible, other methods giving partial information about magic items (knowing it's magic but nothing more) are also welcome.

I have attempte to answer this question myself with what I've found so far but I have no idea if I'm right or have covered everything. Please let me know your thoughts?


Gamer Forge Response:

You don't need to be a super-sleuth to figure out magical items! DCR says:

The "Identify" spell is used to figure out the specifics of magic, mysterious items. Each round spent observing or meditating on the item reveals more of its abilities. Sometimes a magic sword just has a simple glowing enchantment on it, and some things have abilities that our puny human brains can't comprehend. But each round reveals something new, if there's something new to learn. The "Detect Magic" spell merely reveals the presence of a magical aura. It's not as awesome and catch-all as it sounds.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name:
Malcom Haverstock

Comment:
How does water affect Mage Hand? I know there are rules regarding disorientation with ray spells, and use of fire under water. But if a person wanted to, for example, grab some keys from a well, would there be obstacles to overcome for using mage hand?


Gamer Forge Response:

Give the mage a hand. Ha Ha! Get it? DCR says:

Not really. A Mage Hand spell can reach the item, provided you can see it. The real problem is, once you have the item. The hand is incorporeal, but the item is not. If you're trying to pull it out of a thorn bush or between prison bars, it still MUST be able to fit through and not snag on something. We only bring this up so you can be a total dick at all the right times. We love you, too, Internet.


*Bonus XP: When you're short on ideas when describing magic items, look no further than Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. The television show has, bar-none, the most exciting and still practical descriptions of magic and how it relates to people. Plus, you can explore a time before vampires sparkled and werewolves weren't required to go shirtless.

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".

On this week's episode of "The Gamer Forge"...

Gamer Forger Listener Email:

Name
King In Need

Comment
I'm running a D&D 4e campaign. IN the game 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:

1.Going into his towns treasury and looting all the gold and buying everything in the D&D manual.

2.Rolling his army out to do quests for him.

Furthermore, how do I challenge a king intellectually and in battle. A personal army would be very annoying for me to maintain and or fight. Imagine rolling 20 times per turn.

Any thoughts at all would be appreciated.

Gamer Forge Response:

Confuscious says: "A king in need is a king who isn't very good at PR". When you hand the keys to the kingdom over to the player, DCR says...

1. Just because its listed in the book, doesn't mean the players have access to it. Take into account geographic, political, and economic boundaries when determining what players have access to from vendors. The new king may have enough money to buy a ballista that shoots whales, but if you're not near an ocean, then you can't have it.

2. The game of politics becomes a story in and of itself. This new king now has to deal with political coups, assassination attempts, bribery, and romantic triangles as a matter of course. If the player wishes to still have the keys to the kingdom, then make these the new "normal". If, after a while, the player doesn't like these story arcs, then make him relinquish control of the throne. Give him/her a fair chance to back down, because he/she may have bitten off more than they chew.

3. If it all seems like too much, then make the player also handle all the mundane tasks of managing his kingdom. It's kind of a dick move. No, it's actually a big dick move, but you do what you gotta do to keep the action of the game moving. Treat it as SimCity: Home Edition. If the player was smart enough to get the keys, then he should be smart enough to take care of the car. Turnabout is fair play.

Gamer Forger Listener Email:

Name

Maverick Johnsen

Comment
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 against the insanity DC.

However, things don't play out as I expected, in-game:

1.the paranoid cleric will cast a cure spell on a paranoid PC.

2.The paranoid PC will attempt a will save to accept healing and fail, as per the insanity's effect.

3.the paranoid PC then argues that they should get a saving throw against it, because the cure spell is harmless. But by failing, the PC 'suffers' the effects of receive the cure spell.

My problem is that this approach seems to reward PCs who have low Will saves by having a failure on the spell's saving throw become a success for them. Is this just how it is, or are we handling this scenario wrong?

Gamer Forge Response:

The saving throw vs. a saving throw against another saving throw makes a saving throw? We spent more time figuring out the wording than we could find an answer. DCR says:

1. Too much dice rolling. Cut it down to one saving throw to keep things moving. This paranoia is making things much too complicated and stalling things out.

2. The easy way to answer this is to ask: "what are you saving against?" If you, the controlling player, wish to receive something like healing, then you must resist the influence of the mental state. This is one of those times where one must turn off the "meta-game".

3. Also, phrase your questions better, please. We have to be able to understand what it is you are asking so we can actually provide an effective answer. Otherwise, you are wasting your time, and ours. Thank you.

*Bonus XP: For a more in-depth look at what happens when politics become super convoluted and dramatic, take a look at any point in the television show, 24. Next, start moaning about the scene with the mountain lion. Then, play your game as the king of your evil kingdom, and worry about Jack Bauer coming for you, because that's what he does. Congratulations! You successfully became the villain of your own game!

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.

Previously, on Catacombs Talk Forum...

Gamer Forge Listen Email:

Name
Simon Donovan

Comment
Gentlemen,

My gaming question is this. When playing a wizard and creating magic items in 3.5 D&D is there a way to create those magic items without having to burn up experience points or if I have to atleast do it in a way that I don't have to burn a lot to do so?

Thanks

Gamer Forge Response:

Oh, Oh! It's Magic! But it's also gonna cost you. When you're making items, DCR says:

1. Nope. It will always cost you XP.
2. But...it doesn't necessarily have to cost your own. Your DM may allow you to find a way to sacrifice someone else's XP. It's very evil, but it may be worth asking about if you're desperate to not cash in your XP.
3. If you can't sacrifice someone else, the cheapest route becomes making scrolls. They cost the least amount of your experience to make. That's why wizards begin play with the feat to do so.

Gamer Forge Listen Email:

Name

Rick Richards

Comment
I'm starting to play Star Wars Saga edition and I don't want to play a Jedi or a sith. What is a good class to play and why?

Gamer Forge Response:

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...DCR says:

1. The SW Saga Edition features five (and only five) core character classes, each balanced out so as not to overshadow each other. Jedi, Noble, Scoundrel, Scout, and Soldier.
2. Scoundrel features the most commonly used skill set, along with special Talents that negate frustrating penalties, suppress enemies' bonuses, and enhance your defenses and skills. As an added benefit, this class is rounded enough to fill in gaps that may be left open by the other, more specialized classes, like Soldier.
3. However, Noble is the underdog, here. They're not supposed to be the front line fighters, nor the "caster" specialties of the Jedi. But the special Talents will help your allies in almost any scenario. Also, the "Wealth" Talent straight up gives you money just for being alive. Just so that it's clear, let's put it on it's own line in bold, italic, underline:

Free. Money.

Gamer Forge Listen Email:

Name

Steven Broadbent

Comment
We are starting a world of darkness campaign. Any advise on how to run the game since this is my first time running this system?

Gamer Forge Response:

"World of Darkness" doesn't mean "World of Confusion". When taking on this scary world for the first time, DCR says:

1. Commonality. It doesn't really matter how much you love vampires, if nobody else in the game cares about vampires. Find the level where everyone meets as far as familiarity. If your gaming group is familiar with the movie "Monster Squad", then start in a world similar to that. When giving descriptions and examples, draw from that pool of knowledge as well. On the flip side, if a player isn't connecting to what you're offering, that player has every right to not play. Respect the player's decision to show up or not.
2. Learn the core mechanic. This would apply to learning any new game system. Before you start running, you've got to understand the core mechanics. All the nuanced stuff will come with time. If you have to look in the rulebooks just to find out how to determine success at an attack, then you quickly lose the trust and respect of the players. A GM should be regarded as an authority on the subject.
3. World of Darkness is filled to the brim with it's own lore. Tap that like you would a keg in college. Each book in the system is somewhat connected, so finding lore for you campaign setting is a breeze. It looks like a mountain when put next to each other, but remember that you can just take one and leave the rest. You've gotta put on training wheels before you can ride the ten-speed.

*Bonus XP: To help get players psyched up for playing a game set in a universe closer to the real world, start with the music. If you've got a half-decent laptop loaded with music, try loading that puppy up with some tunes that might help fit the mood. Get some player input about the sorts of things they would hear in a supernatural thriller. To give that extra kick in the pants, try creating several playlists to reflect radio stations, so when characters hop into a car, have a radio station turn on and start playing. It's a little more effort to put it together, but so worth it once players begin to "get it" and feel more connected to the world that they are helping shape. For help in getting started, just turn on your radio in your own car, and scribble some quick notes on five or six random stations. Also, playing the classic Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a great way to start. The music makes for a more personable, if not perfect, immersion experience.

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