Difference between revisions of "Current events"

Revision as of 04:54, 18 October 2008

This page is for discussion of stuff related to the game coming up this week, no matter when that actually is. For instance, we can all assume Nate isnt coming for some lame reason and that Ed is sick of pizza and is bringing teriyaki or some other crap. They can post something here if that happens to be untrue.

Schedule

Date...........game................Location..........(Advanced attendance)
8/29/08......OAAAA...........BnD...............Matt gone
9/5/08.......OAAAA...........BnK...............Brandon gone (HONEYMOON!)
9/13/08 SATURDAY 6pm......Super Heroes?.....Gabe's..........Ben Gone, Brandon gone
9/19/08......Super Heroes.....BnK..........
9/26/08......OAAAA.....BnK..........Matt here!
10/3/08......OAAAA.............BnK..........Matt and Brandon gone
10/10/08.....OAAAA.............BnK..........
10/17/08.....OAAAA.............BnK..........Dieter gone to Canada
10/24/08.....Supers..................BnK..........Ed gone, Brandon likely gone
10/31/08 ....CANCELLED.......BnK..........Ed gone, Matt gone, Brandon gone
11/07/08.....Supers..........BnK..........Dieter probably gone
11/14/08.....Supers..........BnK..........
11/21/08.....Supers (?)..........BnK..........
11/28/08.....Likely CANCELLED (Thanksgiving)
12/05/08.....OAAAA...........[BnK]............

BEN: ok, it sounds like we are going OAAAA this week. Given that, the next FOUR sessions will be at Matt's disposal for Supers, so that we keep things fair and balanced (like your mother and a sperm whale, for instance). That does NOT include the 31st weekend, which as far as I can tell is going to be a CANCEL. We can discuss in the coming weeks (based largely on Matt and the material he has ready) if we want to switch back to OAAAA before December.

Attendance and Food Preference

10/17/08

--Gdaze 02:36, 18 October 2008 (MST)Yeah that was a bit sudden wasn't it? I got a call from Noelle and she had this sudden stomach pain at work (worst ever), so much so she couldn't walk, ended up throwing up all over the place, pale face, loss of body heat and all that. So I had to go to the hospital where her work sent her (which happen to be right by my work!). Did some tests, figured it was most likely caused by dehydration and a uranary infection. She is all okay now, and actually was looking fine after awhile at the hos. Hope you guys kicked some ass!

Friday 10/31 or Saturday 11/1

--Dieter the Bold 11:46, 4 September 2008 (MST) Alright lads. We're gamers, so we're lazy by definition. I am lazier than most. But Halloween is a holiday I always feel bad about for not coming up with an awesome costume. I hereby forward the motion that we make that session a costumed session. Two months to come up with something awesome and wear it to the session. Bonus points to be awarded for those who come as their characters.

--Gdaze 11:00, 5 September 2008 (MST) I'm pretty sure I will be busy on said day. If I'm not, I will come in costume... but one it is over 2 months away so I have no idea, and two, yeah, typically I got out on that holiday.

BEN: as far as halloween goes, and as long as we've opened the can of worms that is switching sessions from friday to saturday or vice versa, the 31st of october may be an ideal candidate for saturday, as opposed to friday, gaming. Either way, I still think people should come dressed as their characters.

--Edmiao 14:24, 8 September 2008 (MST) Definitely will be gone if Friday 10/31, might be able to make Saturday 11/1 but won't be able to tell you until the day o

--Brandon 22:53, 12 October 2008 (MST) I doubt I'll be able to make gaming either Friday or Saturday at this point.

Ranting and raving or other random comments

Edmiao Jason, i have some old comics, you in the business of buying still? or trading for magic cards? i have a bunch of spawn and the angel spinoff from the late 90s, and then a bunch from the late 1980s of a big DC crossover event, where the green lantern corps and the guardians got their ass kicked by manhunters, and some other random stuff, including the Maxx. kind of just sitting around in a box in my house forever for no apparent reason.

JASON: I do buy comics, but that kind of stuff is really common. I could trade for Magic cards, but it would have to be commons and uncommons. I will look at them though, and if there is something exceptional in there I could possibly give a little more.

Edmiao i'd trade it for uncommons and commons. it's just sitting around not doing much. i'll bring them the next time i see you. this weekend, hopefully for some magic?

JASON: Rumi and I would like to get together to do something. My magic decks really need an overhaul, which is strange considering I have so many damn cards now. I just havent been taking many for myself. I can only justify using 50 cent rares or the commons and uncommons usually. I have about 25000 cards you can look through to find a trade for your comics. We can make this work.

GABE: when did the X-Men start killing so many people... jeez.

Edmiao what? who did they kill now? and did they stay dead, cus they killed magneto like 10 times and he keeps coming back. Phoenix too.

GABE: Well Phoenix is like a force that has been around since the begainning of time so you can't kill it. I dunno if they will stay dead, but they've just been killing each other. A lot of the younger mutants have been killed off, they fought these people called Childern of the Vault, killed almost ALL of them. Crazyness.

Edmiao i've been steadily going through every x men comic ever made (that the library purchased). there are a lot. i just got done with End of Greys, where the Shiar murder all Jean Grey's relatives because they were related to the Phoenix. that was kind of brutal.

Edmiao jason, how would you make a power or martial art in hero system that was "take the blow"? you dive in front of someone and take the hit for them.

JASON: There are rules for creating your own martial maneuvers, and this would just be Flying Dodge with the special effect that instead of dodging away you dodge in to the attack, consult the list to be sure. Another possibility is to use Missile Deflection, usable by others or to buy any defensive power usable by others. This last possibility would not have abort, however, so you would need to save a phase to do it and thereby save the intended victim. I would need to read the powers descriptions to be sure there isnt a better way, but there is a way to do it for sure.

--Matts 22:10, 14 October 2008 (MST)The dive for cover maneuver in 5th specifically permits this.

Other RPG or Non-RPG or Monthly Board Gaming Day gaming Events

October 19/20

Edmiao so anyone up for some something this weekend? Jason, from your note above might be interested?

GABE: Big maybe for me, bro is in down which means I may even miss parts or all of gaming, we shall see.

GABE: Would Sunday work for anyone?

BEN: I could do sunday afternoon/evening.

Edmiao totally down for sunday. any time. what time good for yall

--Gdaze 02:37, 18 October 2008 (MST) Thats 3, any chance Matt could stop being a pussy? Or Brandon?

Weekly Magic Whining/Complaining/Smack Talking

Shards of Alara

--Gdaze-- So I iz bored at work and found these cards while trying to find another...
http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=8875

What fun!

And these ones... funny as it started out as joke card then become real. I'd love to see these used in a sky swallower deck.

http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=9773
http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=136048

Come on Matt, you know you wanna try that out.

JASON: I have 2 of that Barren Glory!

--Matts 15:35, 14 October 2008 (MST)I dunno how well that would fit into a sky swallower deck, but let's face it: Sky Swallower is more about being more determined than your opponent. Whether that's determination to lose or win isn't clear. So maybe it's got a place.

--Gdaze-- Sweet Jason, made, don't watch Matt play then, he loves to shuffle high $$$ cards, including revised duel lands, the wanker.

SO, I tried out magic workstation... its alright, I like it as a database more then playing online, which is kinda annoying cuz I have to keep clicking on all the cards. Does magic make any kind of offical database with their cards? And Ed, is there a way to search for specific powers?

I DID enjoy the fact that I can say stuff like "Your mom is a whore" "Ok?" And just take all of Brandon's cards when I loose.

Brandon gets an award for saying the best thing ever "I find your whining much more enjoyable when playing online."

Yes Jason, I had a lot of tokens.

--Brandon 14:43, 15 October 2008 (MST) Wiki Blocker! (The following was funnier before you added the above.)

Is it hard to click on cards? Maybe you're lazier than I thought. I mean, in MWS the computer even shuffles for you! You sound like this whiny, first-time Magic lol looser I played online last night.  ; )

In answer to your questions, as far as I know Magic makes no official public database except for Gatherer (in fact, they are rather nonplussed about the existence of the MWS databases), but tons of people have databases of all of the cards, and all of the sets. You can find them really easily if you hunt online. I could probably even throw all of the cards (w/pics, at least for the newer sets) on a jump drive for you. If you bring a drive, I could transfer them over to you on Friday. And, yes, you can easily search for powers. The "find card" option allows you to search via multiple parameters, including text on the card. The card filter is really helpful, too.

--Gdaze-- Well of course it is hard to click on the cards when your mom's head is bobbing up and down infront of me knocking the desk all around. I do like the shuffle function. Hmm no offical eh? That is odd. I guess compaired to actually playing with people, MWS just isn't nearly as good for me. I'm gonna make a Thunder cats deck.

It is cool, and the card database is something I'm going to use, the only down side is it doesn't SEEM to come with anything saying which symbol means which set.

--Brandon 15:38, 15 October 2008 (MST) Battlegrace Angel is an awesome card, for sure, but does anyone else think the art makes it look like the angel is surfing?

--Gdaze 15:53, 15 October 2008 (MST) I don't see it... But I did get this guy in my packs the other day... http://ww2.wizards.com/Gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=174948

Pretty cheap and seems okay. The actual sigil card is just insane though.

BEN: he's a bad ass. I bought the foil version of him off somebody for 8 bucks cause it looks so cool.

Edmiao Rafiq is awesome. anything that gives double strike is awesome. i really enjoyed giving Nova Chaser double strike last week, dealing 19 trample damage and winning the game. that's just fucked up.

--Gdaze-- He is pretty cool, I mean for four mana you get a 3/3 who gives any creature attacking two buffs. And yeah Ben, I agree, he looks very cool, I love the detail on his sword.

Next step in Super Heroes

Edmiao I wonder if the suveilance cameras caught cortez and the battle on tape, could be good PR sort of the Guardians most wanted list.

--Gdaze 02:29, 21 September 2008 (MST) Yeah... except then we went to the park and fought the mutant kid... had to knock out a bunch of teens with Ash Berry's spores... and um... he got away...

--Brandon 12:37, 21 September 2008 (MST) I just want to say that that last battle had a lot of great moments. Silver Snake being thrown into the air and then transforming and swinging back down in mid air; Ashbury flying above the crowd of teenagers and releasing pollen everywhere; Elemental taunting Zeus, and then not budging when the counterattack came; Brimstone walking with Silver Snake as armor, dragging a line of fire through the air, and then teleporting inside of Zeus's shield. Good times, all.

Next step in Of Amor, Armor, and Alchemy

Current OAAAA XP: 75 base + 91 XP

Stuff we want to buy:

Horses for all plus one or two as pack animals
Winter clothing and sleeping rolls
climbing gear and rope
torches and lanterns
rations
dragon repellent
picks, shovel, other digging equipment to clear cave ins? dynamite?
Ketchup (if you can't beat 'em . . .)
carrier pigeons

BEN: Well, for only three characters to go head to head with Sky was quite something. But the characters played smart and kept their actions tight and well coordinated, and victory was theirs. I'd just like to commend a few highlights, and leave it to the players to provide the summary to their fellow party members:
1.) Aefra taking down Sky with a thrown daenerys dagger...right after the MT Tithe got taken down with a 68 stun hit to the head.
2.) Aetan heaving several goblins into the abyss...or just bashing them into goblin pulp with his hammer and sending the others running in terror.
3.) Aetan diving off a bridge (!), into the abyss, after an unconscious and falling Tithe, catching him in midair with a critical success dex roll, to completely save the situation.
4.) Aefra making a cool illusory wedding band for Grendel.
5.) Aetan declaring himself a vassal of Grendel.
6.) Matt prebuying luck to allow him to reroll the second of two 17 failures for a 15- roll, as an instant effect.
7.) Tithe getting dog piled by goblins and fighting his way out.

On account of numbers 1, 3, 4, and 5, but especially #3, the entire group (including Dieter, Gabe, and Nate) are awarded 1 bonus XP.

BEN: note here for DIETER: You intend to buy a +30 PRE for your character, and when I ok'd it, I was thinking you had a 10 PRE. But I now realize you have a 20 PRE. I just told Ed that it doesn't make sense for his creature to have a PRE above 40, and I think that upper limit should apply to you as well, for now. Even with the blessing of the gods, I have trouble believing you would get more intimidating than a greater dragon. So, take it down to +20 PRE, please.

Edmiao appears i was wrong about END and active points. hero designer says 25 Active Points costs 2 END and 26 Active Points costs 3 END.

--Brandon 22:53, 12 October 2008 (MST) We should all think about strategy for dealing with ninja orc, especially if we are playing this Friday, but even if we aren't.

(1) I'm thinking about getting a hold person-type power, which is something I've been wanting to create for a while (I was thinking about it last week with the Suppress) and is something I think could help. Take a look at Tithe for my possible powers. I'd love feedback since you guys know the system better than I do.

(2) I'm also thinking about simply trying to skirt the stupid orc and get past him into the cave, so that we can just continue on our way without dealing with him. I can now silence all of us, I think, if we stand really close together. So, one thought would be to sneak on past him while giving him a wide berth. Seemed like he had a good orc nose, though . . .

Edmiao my character will be open to more sneaky suggestions, but restrained by her player who wants to kill ninja orc. Brandon, you should try Entangle powers if you want something like hold person. if it is a mental entangle, you could make it "based on ego combat value" such as the following:

17 points Entangle 2d6, 2 DEF, Takes No Damage From Attacks Limited Group (+1/4), Works Against EGO, Not STR (+1/4), Based On EGO Combat Value (Mental Defense applies; +1) (50 Active Points); Spell (-1/2), No Range (-1/2), Cannot Form Barriers (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Knocked Out (-1/4)

if you buy the vs ego it will be hard as heck to get out of for most characters, i think. they roll ego/5 d6, so an ego 10 would roll 2d6 and count the body. average 2d6 roll is 2 body, which would be soaked by the Entangles 2 DEF, and no one can help them. so they are pretty fucked. a 15 ego character should get out in two turns. to escape they must do body damage to the entangle equal to the body you roll on 2d6 (average will be 2 body).

I think you may need GM permission to take a spell without a magic skill roll, though. buying a magic skill roll costs a fuck ton of points. 3 for 11-, 4 more to get 13- and 8 more to get 15-. at 15- your spell only works on a dice roll of 10 or less (skill roll penalty is active points/10 thus minus 50/10 = 5 to your roll).

it might be eaiser to buy a real Net or something for a real weapon entangle. look in the equipment book. it might look something like this

8 points Net (2 nets): Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF (30 Active Points); 2 Charges (-1 1/2), OAF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1), Real Weapon (-1/4)

--Brandon 00:37, 13 October 2008 (MST) I should've been more clear that I've got some sample powers on the Tithe page (under Questions for GM). Thanks, though, Ed. Those are some helpful thoughts. I've got to get a weigh-in from Ben about the magic skill roll stuff.

Edmiao what about buying some martial arts and including Martial Grab. or combat skill levels with normal Grab. literally Holding Person

GABE: Yeah, as Ed said, spells cost an assload to use at even an okay level. With a 13- you will fail quite often and most spells unless they are 20 or under active points. Although it may be cheaper to buy some spells at a -1 per 20 points, but I'd rather improve my ability to use all my spells instead of one. Remember any skills over 14 points is double cost.

Have you thought about giving Tithe a buff up ability? Like he aids his speed and str? With perhaps charges, once to three times a day?

I could just make a potion of running and we leave him in the dust. Though really I see no reason to fight him.

BEN: any skill over 13 points is double cost.
nice "outside the box" thinking on the running potion. LoL. regarding that, you probably remember that his run was 11".

Edmiao you should totally do a potion of movement. give Aeten a strength potion and move of 12 and he will kick some living ass. Gabe, if you are into buffing others, Aefra would appreciate a potion that would provide resistant defense. not sure how to rationalize it, but a potion of force field would be sweet. also, she would like a potion of preening, so you could just drink it and all the dirt and grime would fall off you and your clothes and your hair would get done up nicely. Minor transform: dirty person into clean and primped person.

--Matts 12:29, 13 October 2008 (MST)I'm thinking of dumping 6 points into PD so that I don't keep getting stunned, though it won't help immensely on the not-getting-knocked-out-cold front.

That said, I deeply resent this orc for making me spend points on this kind of thing. He seems like a nice enough fellow aside from the merciless beatings, but points in PD are not points in bridges, and that's a crime!

GABE: Oops, right, 13-, still equals expensive.

Matt, there are many kind of bridges, but you are a stone bridge, and a bridge must have a strong foundation less it be swept away from the very forces it is trying to cross. Or just buy some leather armor.

Yes, I can make a scale potion.

--Brandon 14:34, 13 October 2008 (MST) Hmmmm. Maybe I should just buy a bunch of points in Run (is there a characteristic Maxima for Run?). I seem to keep finding it character-appropriate to run places. It would help if I was better at it. Regardless, we should coordinate this time around so that we don't all, for example buy Entangle, or increased Speed. Or, you know, maybe we should just all buy the same thing so we can run circles around ninja orc-face.

GABE: Or just run past him. Why do we have to fight him? Its all a misunderstanding. Oh... I just came up with an awesome plan...

Edmiao does it involve your mom, a car battery and 60 pounds of jelly donuts?

GABE: Dude don't spoil it!

Edmiao my bad!

--Dieter the Bold 18:01, 14 October 2008 (MST) I could always swing a: Warding Hand of Aeron spell that essentially makes everyone temporarily invulnerable. Like Damage Reduction 75% usable by multiple people. Sorta' like a group buff that's really short in duration.

BEN: that's a really cool idea for a power. I just like it conceptually, even while recognicing how utterly brutally nasty it is.

--Matts 18:45, 14 October 2008 (MST)I think I'm gonna change Aetan's Berserker Fury from an Aid to STR, DEX, CON, BOD to an Aid to STR, CON, PD, STUN, since it makes more conceptual sense and provides more bang-for-the-buck.

--Brandon 23:42, 14 October 2008 (MST) Gabe, I see how you could construct the "spear line" power that you were talking about it. I'll think on it some.

GABE: Cool, if your gonna take entangle I'm gonna drop mine for some other stuff.

--Brandon 09:46, 15 October 2008 (MST) Ok. Sounds Good. I'll let you know (soon) if I take the entangle. I think I'm leaning towards it at the moment.

EDIT: I did take the entangle, Gabe. So there you have it.

GABE:Cool, HEY, is it okay if I have a "mana potion"? It's an aid for END, only to restore to maxium value, goes away at five points per phase, 2D6 worth of END, which is actually a good amount. Figured some of our fighters and a certain wizard might find them useful.

Edmiao oh please oh please oh please, droool. Actually, gabe, how about HEAL END. probably cheaper. pretty much the same effect.

GABE: Can you heal other things besides Stun and Body? Becaue yeah, that would make more sense and I'd rather do that.

Edmiao I think you can heal any charactristic. thus the defense against DRAIN INT is someone who has HEAL INT. I think. just no one takes heal except body or stun usually.

BEN: yeah, absolutely. "healing" magical energy isn't really healing, so it doesn't fall under the priests only rule. sounds like a very useful potion to me.

--Brandon 11:51, 17 October 2008 (MST) Gabe, that potion sounds awesome. But, make sure you make it blue, so as not to confuse it with the forbidden republican healing potions. Also, put it in a pot.

BEN: also, don't label it "mana" potion: I think someone already has a copyright on that. and we all know a fictional setting is no barrier to DRM!

GABE: And these are Diablo potions, so you can just jam a key to take them! I'm actually gonna call them like Refresh Potions or Slave Driver Potion.

Oh yeah, Ben, I bought my guy mage sight, but how it works is that his left eye now resembles that of a raven, so very dark colored. It was like that upon waking up from being beaten. That isn't a disad is it? I didn't think it was worth one.

--Brandon 13:21, 17 October 2008 (MST) 'Slave Driver Potion' sounds awesome. Fantus could become the ultimate oppressive taskmaster. "Tired, slave? Think you are going to escape work by sleeping? Drink this [jitterbug potion] and this [slave driver potion]!" 24 hour a day, 365 days a year of (highly caffeinated) slavery ftw!

BEN: nah, I wouldn't consider that a disad. In this world, particularly with mixed-race peoples, slightly odd features probably don't count as distinctive.