richardt@orstcs.UUCP (richardt) (12/28/85)
<The Line-Eater is a myth... Yum. Yum. Fooled you!>
someone mentioned that playing two or more characters at once could
easily lead to hassles because one character would not know the same things
about the dungeon that the other did, and information would leak. This
brings up an interesting question: What do beginning characters know about
the world. One DM I knew had a very interesting solution to this; Your
character knew everything you did. Thus, "You want Napalm?? Go ahead.
find some petroleum and make it." This lead to interesting gaming. Of course,
the DM could then say "Now roll against your magic saving throw to see if you
blow it up while mixing the stuff!" or similar comment.
This also brings up another question. What about DM's running PCs through
their own dungeon. This can be accomplished by treating him as an NPC,
but keeping track of the character from adventure to adventure, and using
him routinely. The only (dubious) question that comes up is dying -- are his
rolls stacked. I've never had this problem. On the other hand, I usually
let players know what rolls they have to achieve and let them use the DMG
and screen to their heart's content. My response to "dungeon lawyers" is that
the Hand of God (me) strikes and they're stuck with my decision, unless they
can make a case that I'm unjustified -- Note: Not that I'm acting Outside the
rules of the D&D, Traveller, whatever universe, but that I'm being inconsistent.
I've found that (contrary to other people's expectations), my games usually
play as or more quickly than "normal" games.
{hp-pcd | tektronix} !orstcs!richardt
Richard Threadgill
1230 NW 23rd #7
Corvallis Or
And they come when they're summoned,
And they do what must be done,
And they live for the movement,
They take pride in being some
Of the lucky and the chosen
And the perfect men.
And the Strangers
Are with us again.
-- Planet P Project, "Pink World"