48fps combined with a 'no reveal' = a strange director's choice.

I saw the Hobbit on Monday at an IMAX screen 48fps 3D.

I went in wondering what I would make of this new technology. At first it was, no big deal what's everyone worrying about, and then it was very quickly - that looks wrong - now I see it.

By the end of the film I was in the world and it looked fantastic - best CGI ever - Gollum as real as Bilbo, fighting scenes in the dark at least were visible and clear, unlike most other movies.

But that beginning few minutes in Dale and Erebor. What in the end doesn't work, in my humble opinion Peter Jackson, is you show us a new technology which looks TV like on the big screen, and then because you don't want to reveal Smaug in movie 1, you resort to amateurish low budget TV tricks often seen in Sci-Fi. For example,  moving trees for Smaug flying over, people staring at the sky looking at nothing we can see; all as a way of conjuring a dragon attack. The combination makes the 48fps, even more noticeably TV like. And the combination doesn't work.

On a different note, PG-13 or 12A (UK) was disappointing, when I had read the Hobbit to my 8 and 6 year old in preparation for the movie. I wanted them to be blown away, like I was with Star Wars at a similar age. However, having been recently burnt as a bad parent (twice) showing Brave to my then 5 year old (everything else more appropriate on at the time, I couldn't stand), who then when I showed it to him again in a second cinema trip, thinking he would be better the second time, only to have him ask to leave the cinema. Anticipation of the scary bits made it worse for him. I decided no Hobbit for the kids if it was a 12A. They were disappointed and said if they couldn't see it, Daddy couldn't either. A £5 bribe each if it was a 12A, silenced that disaster! I paid up on Monday.

Final Hobbit verdict - when can I see it again? A three times cinema movie I am sure. And when I do go again it will be IMAX 48fps 3D, it's how Peter Jackson wants it to be scene, and who am I to disagree. Though I worry he has surrounded himself with yes men and women - Lucas like...

You're really smart Jovial, you must speak a lot of languages.

I speak English only, and even that with an Australian twang.

The more I live in England, and the more Continental Europeans I meet, the more I realise that linking intelligence to number of languages known is non-sensical.

What, every child in Continental Europe has an intelligence of 13 or above because they can speak English and their native tongue?

I think this reflects the ango-centric nature of the rules. Maybe in the USA (not Canada you lucky guys and gals), the UK and Australia you have to be pretty bright to be offered the opportunity to learn another language at school. But not so for vast areas of the world, where bi, or even try-lingualism is the norm. What everyone in Switzerland has a 17 intelligence (+2 languages) in their tri-language country?

I don't think it's even historical in England - French and English being commonplace in England during the middle ages, not to mention those that also knew Latin. Every vaguely educated person = 17 intelligence, I don't think so.

I suspect, assuming a basic intelligence, that number of languages spoken is cultural rather than intellectual. Perhaps languages known should be campaign driven rather than ability score driven? Social standing is probably a better guide to number of languages known, than one's intelligence score.

Intelligence might be used to modify speed of language learning?
You travel somewhere, how quickly do you pick up the lingo? Depends on your intelligence score.

Every week roll to advance, modifying roll by intelligence score. If fail, add +1 to roll for each subsequent week, until advance to the next level.

Level 1 = Tourist (starting level) Où sont les toilettes ?
Level 2 = Rudimentary (Requires 1 on a d6 to reach)
Level 3 = Conversational (Requires 1 on a d10 to reach)
Level 4 = Fluent (Requires 1 on a d20 to reach)
Level 5 = Native (Requires 1 on a d100 to reach)

Additionally, or perhaps, it is time to abandon the link between intelligence and number of languages known, and use it for XP bonus. 

You catch on quick: Only Intelligence gives XP bonus

Rolling more dice in combat, and making shields more fun...

We all know shields are underrated, even with such rules as Shields shall be Splintered and all the good comments here.

I'm interested in shields and their offensive capability and I want more dice rolled. I would like shields to be treated as if they are an off-hand weapon.

My house rules:

SHIELDS
If the player has a strength greater than 12 a shield not only grants +1 AC, but also can be used offensively using the following options.

Shield Bash
Roll a 2nd d20 'to hit' with the shield. If successful does 1-2 damage plus strength. Any shield magical bonus are applied to both the shield 'to hit' and the damage. The shields bonus to armor class is not effected.

Shield Overpower
Roll a 2nd d20 'to hit' with the shield. If successful it inflicts no damage but the opponent is -1 initiative for the next round. Strength bonus is additive as well as any shield magical bonus which is applied to both the shield 'to hit' and the penalty to initiative. The shields bonus to armor class is not effected. (I think this ability will prove very useful.)

Additionally a shield can be used by any character regardless of strength to cower.
COWER behind shield: – can’t attack, -2 AC (2 better AC), +2 saving throws. Any strength or magical shield bonus is additive.

TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
If the player has a dexterity greater than 12, a 2nd off-hand weapon can be used to attack. If the strength is also greater than 12, two medium sized weapons can be wielded, one in each hand, otherwise a medium and small weapon can be wielded.

Both weapons get a 'to hit' roll, without penalty.

TWO-HANDED WEAPON
If the player has a strength greater than 12, a 2nd damage dice is rolled when wielding a two-handed weapon, and the larger number is taken as the damage.

ONE-HANDED WEAPON
Umm, woops, power inflation. Any suggestions...

Waterborne Adventures : Random Events and Monsters Tool

One of my projects, long on hold was the creation of the Old School Adventure Guide.

Re-inspired by JB which allowed me to find Jeff's eXPloration 2009 post (my vote is for 100-600 XP per wilderness hex explored, shared by the party), and having abandoned any HP loss for overland travel mechanic, here's something to add into the mix. 

And don't forget, everyone likes choosing cards. Blanks left for you to suggest and if you like blanks, you will find many more, in fact mostly blank, in the OS Adventure Guide. Join the project.

Waterborne Adventures 



Random Events and Monsters Tool

Daily roll 1d6, on a 1-2 get the players to draw a card…





54 Deck of Cards (2 Jokers)


♥ = Relational


♦ = Situational


♣ = Confrontational


♠ = Environmental


Joker = Draw 2 more cards and ‘somehow’ link them.



♥ = Relational


2♥ = one of the crew or passengers has a secret (traitor, spy, monster)


3♥ = one of the crew is to be punished for a minor offence (the punishment will be severe)


4♥ = trouble with the natives (at the next shore stop, the crew cause trouble or are accused of trouble)


5♥ = there is a thief onboard


6♥= betrayal (you will be betrayed)


7♥ = raucous rum filled party (join in or try and stop the fun)


8♥ = learn some wisdom (new song, new tale, new rumour)


9♥ = Contraband is in the hull


10♥
=

J♥= duel (after an argument on board, one of the players is challenged to a duel)


Q♥= one of the male crew or passengers is a she not a he


K♥ = mutiny on the high seas


A♥= one of the crew or passengers has formed a deep attachment to one of the players)



♦ = Situational


2♦= one of the crew / passengers has disappeared


3♦ = food / water spoilage 


4♦= slavers ahead


5♦= strange force at work disables all magnets AND Magic


6♦ = merchants on the seas


7♦= a strange darkness


8♦= buccaneers ahead


9♦= lost


10♦= the map is damaged / a fake / or just plain wrong


J♦= the stars seem different tonight


Q♦


K♦


A♦



♣ = Confrontational


2♣= Whale


3♣= Termite, Water


4♣ = Snake, Sea


5♣ = Shark


6♣ = Serpent, Sea


7♣= Sea Dragon


8♣ Squid, Giant


9♣ = Hydra, Sea


10♣= Octopus, Giant


J♣ = Ahoy, it be pirates


Q♣ = Mermaids (and maybe Mermen)


K♣ = Dragon (flying)


A♣= Dragon Turtle



♠ = Spades (Environmental)


2♠= Becalmed for 1d6days


3♠= Extreme light breeze for 1d6 days (movement reduced to ⅓)


4♠ = Light breeze for 1d6 days (movement reduced to ½)


5♠ = Strong breeze for 1d6 days (movement increased by ⅓)


6♠ = Good winds for 1d6 days (movement increased by ½)


7♠= High winds for 1d6 days (double movement rate but lose 1d10 hull points)


8♠= Gale (triple movement rate but in a random direction and lose 2d10 hull points)


9♠ = 


10♠
=

J♠ = 


Q♠= Iceberg 


K♠= Tidal Wave


A♠= Maelstrom with/without Whirlpool 


Poison, made simple

Don't like save or die, confused by Neutralize Poison rules? 

Then what I have introduced may be helpful.

Poison does damage over time. Roll for damage, roll for time, start the poison. Simple, and it is even realistic.

For example, in my Kids D&D campaign, a poison dart hit the thief and she failed her saving throw. On the fly I said it gave 1d6 damage over 1d6 rounds. I rolled in secret 2 damage, 3 rounds. She had 6 hit points. First round 2 damage. She panicked, took healing. Then 2 more damage. She waited. Then 2 more damage, more healing taken. No more damage.

Player anxiety, time to heal, no save or die. I am going to use this mechanic for all my poisons. Easy to scale up or down depending on strength of poison eg 1d10 damage over 2d6 rounds.

No healing available, time for that farewell speech. Unless one likes, "Black Dougal gasps 'Poison!' and falls to the floor. He looks dead."

IQ and brain power

Sometimes you get a strange email.

Hi there,

My name is Alexa and I came across jovialpriest.blogspot.com while exploring issues related to IQ and the brain. Myself, along with a team of designers and researchers have created a graphic which illustrates facts about the brain and how intelligence can be improved.

I would love to share it with you, if you're interested let me know. :)

Thank you,

Alexa Phillips

Well here it is. It's nice to be noticed, even if for obscure topics. If you want to read my posts on IQ click here.

Created by: www.OnlineMastersDegree.com

To embed the image on your site

<a href="http://www.onlinemastersdegree.com/master-your-brain/"><img src="http://images.onlinemastersdegree.com.s3.amazonaws.com/master-your-brain.gif" alt="Master Your Brain: Raise Your IQ" width="500"  border="0" /></a><br />Created by: <a href="http://www.onlinemastersdegree.com/">www.OnlineMastersDegree.com</a>

XP Drain not Level Drain

The words that have been spilt on this topic.

Here and here and of  course Grognardia with 83 comments.

It was DM'ing kids D&D, watching my young players all buy silver daggers, and then silver swords (100gp) in case they faced a wight. After the first session no wight but they all had just over 100 hard won XP. And I thought, losing that XP would be a tough loss, and then I had for me a eureka moment. An elegant solution to all the debate. Well for my campaigns anyway.

Undead will drain XP not Levels and each hit will will drain the XP you might have gained for killing the undead creature. So a wight in B/X is worth 50 XP. Therefore each hit by a wight drains 50 XP.

Still something players will seek to avoid, no one likes to lose XP, but it is not the total downer that level drain is. Zero level NPCs still die with one hit. Higher levels can now contemplate fighting undead toe to toe. But who wants to go into melee range? Enough hits and one might lose a level but in play, most often it will be easy to wipe XP off the characters XP total, without any fiddly ability score loss, or time based effect. That's it, the XP are gone, drained away by all that negative energy.

You want a pirate ship crewed by wights and captained by a vampire. That's what I am now planning. Previously certain death unless a powerful cleric is in the party. Now... armies of XP draining undead are possible.

Previously the name level fighter would run faster away from a wight than he would a huge dragon. Level drain was that fear invoking. Now wights are for low level characters, en masse for higher. And that sits very comfortably with me.

B/X Rules
Wight = 50 XP drain / hit
Wraith = 175 XP drain / hit
Spectre = 725 XP drain / hit
Vampire = 7 HD (1250 XP drain / hit), 8 HD (1750 XP drain / hit), 9 HD (2300 XP drain / hit)
(or if you want to be double drain for Spectre and Vampire like in the rules = double the XP drain, a couple of hits from a vampire will make most players cross but not quitting!)

You could easily apply for AD&D as long as you know the hit points. Page 85 DMG.

AD&D undead generally hit harder than B/X undead.