[net.games.frp] AD&D--can Swede-burners write something better?

rkhs@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP (Joseph Bernstein) (06/07/85)

References: <5121@ukc.UUCP> <5122@ukc.UUCP> <949@ttds.UUCP>, <5209@ukc.UUCP>

> From: scifi@ukc.UUCP (I.P.Gordon)
> Newsgroups: net.games.frp
> Message-ID: <5209@ukc.UUCP>

> How can D&D combat be a thrill?
> It is totally to do with the luck of the dice roll and is only fair
> if your dice are.
> You would need a hell of alot of luck to slay a more powerful enemy
> or lots of nice powerful magic .He can hit you easier and take the
> damage you do without even blinking,while he can easily kill you
> just because you made a lousy roll on your hit points.

A) How can any combat system "be a thrill" to everyone?  It's a matter of taste.
B) I generally prefer to play with fair dice, don't know about you.
C) Last I heard "more powerful" [in combat] generally meant "harder to kill".
There are intelligent criticisms of AD&D combat to be made.  The fact that
Level 1 MU's can't take on red dragons isn't one of them.  

> It would help if the rules wre writen properly in the first place 
> then GM's would need to make up his own or alter the originals.

Typo there?  Anyhow, since I run my own rule system I really don't see a little
creativity in rules as so horrible.  I didn't know *anybody* who dabbled
outside The Standard did. . . I've seen games run awfully close to the letter of
AD&D, heard of games run completely that way.  So what if you wouldn't like
them?  Their players might not like yours or mine.

> UTTER BULLS**T!

If this had been posted to net.flame as well it might be (barely) excusable.
As it is we *are* in a net where mud does not equal intelligence.  

> Any GM worth his salt can create an interesting
> NPC with having to resort to silly and restrictive charachter
> classes.

I would find it easier to create interesting NPCs with character classes, and
creating interesting NPCs happens to be my strongest point.  Also, some GMs
are not 'worth their salt'.  That doesn't justify (by itself) the good ones
using AD&D--but don't call Mr. Euren's argument utter *anything* when it's not!

> No Kidding!
> You mean these vast and comprehensive set of rules that cover just
> about everything.Make your mind up either you wany rules to change
> so they can be played properly or you want a set to actually play by.

Ho hum, ho hum.  My rules have been changing constantly over a few summers
and lately some other DMs have joined in.  Seems to be a fair amount of fun.
Hasn't ruined my campaigns.  Are you implying that the categories of DM and
game designer are mutually exclusive?  Then I suggest *you* probably haven't
seen many DMs!
> Then you've either very lucky or you just haven't been in many games!

> THE REAPER

As someone who hasn't played AD&D for two years or run it (even a module) for
three, and who has actually written a system, whatever *its* quality, I have a
lot of respect for AD&D.  There are a *lot* of rules there.  Most of them are
of high technical quality.  There is more experience, subculture, etc. than
with any other set.  More playtesting too...  I don't like the kind of gaming
AD&D involves:  'adventurers' as a concept offend me.  (Some people say I have
no imagination.)  Nonetheless a game of that kind can be fun for me to play in;
just nobody in my area runs interesting AD&D lately.  Most people don't even
have *that* much trouble with it.  If you don't like AD&D, fine.  If you don't
think somebody who *does* has a brain, fine--you're being unfair to a lot 
of good people I've met, good gamers, too, but I won't convert a religionist.
But at least don't run around abusing those who do.  Even if you *were* right
you'd be wrong to go at it that way, & furthermore you'd be outnumbered.

					Joseph L. Bernstein
					Univ. of Chicago
					seismo!ihnp4!gargoyle!sphinx!rkhs
**FLAME ON**
I DON'T want to hear idiocy about any system, and if *anybody* out there 
thinks they have an *original* complaint about AD&D they can kindly keep
it to themselves--they're wrong!  Furthermore lots of AD&D players just don't
GIVE a damn about the stupid rules; don't cuss at them to feed your own ego!
**FLAME OFF**