DnD Online - Interest Check

[Zaer Darkwail]

*A advertisement occurs in television screen*

A new era of gaming approaches today in year 2022! Now in local stores is on sales special immersion device known as "Nerve Gear"!

It allows a 100% mental immersion into the game! The both advanced battery and cable powered machine which connects with a head gear which you place on your head reads all your mental signals from your brain to move your character in the game around while transfer game in-game visuals into your brain in graphic detail unseen before! It is exactly as if you would be in the game world for real! No feel of clumsy 3D dimensional graphics or disorienting feel when turning head around while game would need upload data for graphics of the new angle!

It transfers also sense of sensation of touch, taste and even smell as electric signals to your brain; fooling your brain think those things are real when in reality nothing happens around your body. The helm also sends dampening signals which prevent your body moving according your own mental signals so you will not wander around blindly or fall off the bed while gaming.

If you do not believe this, all stores who sell "Nerve Gear" have comfortable testing rooms with demos which you can explore. But note the demos are barely even 1% of the ability what final products using this technology will provide! In future games there will functions which will allow log out when you want or even timed log outs, as you do not feel any sensation from real body as hunger or touch of something to disturb your gaming. So automated log out function will help keep on dinner times and allow replenish your energy.

At the moment only game what is developed for "Nerve Gear" is the same company which developed this amazing technology; Wizards of the Coast is developing transfer oldest game platform into now online MMO; DnD Online. There is already screening process going on for beta testers so sign up for now and perhaps you luckily are part of making a opening for new chapter of gaming history! Join on now the new revolutionary era of immersion gaming!

OOC: Okay, above is means of intro to the game concept and idea. Those who are familiar with Sword Arts Online may know what happens here. But idea is that players will be playing a person who joins to this DnD online, either as person new to DnD or old veteran who is eager for full immersion to their old favorite game format which is dungeons and dragons with sword and sorcery appeal with elves and such. Or you could roleplay your RL selves (if comfortable to do so) as in here the game has dual aspect of 'reality' of your char and the in-game avatar who is idealized version of yourself.

I have left it open is this freeform or simply system game where we house rule stuff quite bit to make it more 'MMO' feel alike. I myself I am familiar with both pathfinder and 3.5 editions and we could do mix of the two, lean to purely pathfinder or 3.5 edition. But as note the magic will be definitely changed either way so it is not so 'broken' or 'world breaking'.

Edit; Okay, decided game is on pathfinder and here below are chargen stuff.

Pathfinder Rules

Use following format to post your chars up.

Code Select Expand


[float=left][img height=200]http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af84/Kazzaroth_photos/Drownoblemage2.jpg[/img][/float][b]Name:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Nationality:[/b] (which country your char's RL self lives in)
[b]City/Province:[/b] (where exactly char lives in the country)
[b]Social Status:[/b] Employed/Unemployed, Married/Unmarried, Kids/None etc
[spoiler=Personality][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Background][/spoiler]

[b]DnD Online Avatar[/b]
[size=12pt][url=Web Address to online charsheet or link to post where char was posted in OOC to here][b]CHAR NAME[/b][/url][/size]
[float=left][img height=200]http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af84/Kazzaroth_photos/Drownoblemage2.jpg[/img][/float][b]Race:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b] Original/Digital (it shortly means did you make a body scan and apply your char's real life appearance on the game or did you choose premade digital body/gender, minus adding racial traits like pointed ears for elves and skin color bit green as half-orc etc)
[b]Body:[/b] Original/Digital (it shortly means did you make a body scan and apply your char's real life appearance on the game or did you choose premade digital body/gender, minus adding racial traits like pointed ears for elves and skin color bit green as half-orc etc)
[b]Class(es):[/b] (class and your levels in it respectively)


Now actual crunchy part;

Standard Starting Player setup
Starting level: 1, unless you want to be betatester (check qualification for it below)
Available classes: Core classes, but betatesters may have some more options (check for it below)
Stats: 30 point buy
Available races: All core races and also aasimars and tieflings. Betatesters get able to choose from bit more races.
Starting equipment: Standard, but betatesters have something more.

To qualify to above you need just write one paragraph long background and only little about personality of the character. Around 90% of players in DnD Online start like this.

Betatester setup
Same as above, but they get to choose one perk which applies to; Starting level, Available classes, Available races or Starting equipment. It's their reward being betatester in DnD Online to have slight starting perk towards other players.
Starting level perk: You start from 2th level instead 1st level when game starts.
Available classes perk: Instead waiting for 10th level to get job change to a advanced class, you get to start with that class instead.
Available races perk: You have option to start out as drow, hobgoblin, catfolk, kitsune, changeling or ratfolk. Normally races which can be achieved at 10th level through quest and ritual.
Starting equipment: You start the game with single magic item up to 8,000gp worth. But this item cannot be never sold to anyone and is bound to your account to point that it does not transfer to your spouse's bank if you die. It's unique named item upon player's choice.

To qualify to above you need to have at least 3 paragraphs of background, which one paragraph must at least describe how serious geek you are about gaming, DnD or general geek lifestyle. Then 2 paragraphs about your betatest experience and how you helped improve the game or give it suggestions and ideas what it would need to fix (some changes may or may not had been implanted in the game). Final paragraph must deal with why you choose your char or class or generally describe your first login experience (do not write logging out as game starts from that point when you have entered DnD Online). Total number of paragraphs; 6. Paragraph is general 4-5 lines of text for me.

House/Game Rules

-Mana Points: A 3.5 sourced material spell points are in use. Here is a link for it. With following adjustments; Sorcerers do not prepare spells, they know them. To compensate lack of flexibility they get x2 amount of listed spell points. Also using metamagic feats on spells are not limited by 'max spell level known. You can empower magic missile in first level if you can pay spell points to do so. Also spell point variant: Vitalizing is in use (so spellcasters can get tired when their spell point pools go low). There is going to be magic items in game which recover spell points and also locations where spell point recovery is increased or hindered. There are 'mana potions' on sale in shops which can be compared to cure potions in cost wise. They 'cure' spell points equal to half of the cure value of similar priced HP curing potion.

-Crafting: Craft skill is needed to make things, but profession skill is needed to know what materials are needed to craft something. Profession describes general IC knowledge 'what herb I mix with another herb to make healing potion?' as craft details 'how well I mix herbs in alchemy'. So to be master cook you need both craft:cooking and profession:cook ranks. In case of materials which are not found killing mobs, profession check is used to harvest the material.

-Magic items: NPC shops sells magic items, but they are capped on 1,000gp x layer level in cost. So at best shops sell +2 swords in final layer. So overall player base is depended onto any magic goods most cases if not count items sold from the bosses which are exceptional.

-PvP/Crime: Players can fight other players in duel and the duels do not kill players (the duel ends at 1 HP). However you can turn off safety setting from duels in options menu and so players can die in duels if safety is off. In towns and cities you cannot attack players. But outside towns and cities you can attack players. There are also arenas where players can fight mass combats inside cities. Attacking players outside cities give you yellow mark on your name; meaning your criminal and it takes a day for it to wear off and you can be arrested by NPC guards into prison. If you kill a player, your name turns to red and your considered murderer and it takes a week for red mark to fade away (if you attack or kill player in duel, you get no colored marks on your name). When your marked red, other players can attack you without becoming yellow or even kill you without becoming red (and loot your body as if you would had been a boss). NPC guards would aggressively try arrest you. Yellow mark can be also acquired if you steal from NPC's or players (which both can be done inside and outside of cities). Intruding on NPC's/player's home and being caught also gives yellow mark. When your arrested, you got option to pay fine to not go to prison. It costs 1,000gp to pay fine from yellow mark, and 100,000gp for red mark. Your prison time as yellow is ten day. As red mark it takes 700 days (two years) and also loosing all items you had. All stolen goods in your person are confiscated and returned to original owners upon arrest.

Note; If you steal from NPC but then kill NPC so that there are no witness, the NPC does not report the theft as when NPC respawns, all memories it had is reset to default values.

-Renting a room: Inns rent rooms for both night stays or extended times in form of rent and each inn has limited guest capacity. Intruding someone's room without permission is same as intruding someone's home.

-Job Change system: Once you reach 10th level you can change your class to a advanced/exotic class of your choice. It needs a completion of a solo quest and 10,000 gold to change your class with the trainer. Below is list of available job classes and what classes can enter them.

-Race change: In 10th level you can also change your race and this is only time able to be done. You can change to any core race or one rarer races like drow. Cost of ritual to change is 10,000 gold. It also allows change your gender and looks if you like.

Job Change classes
Crusader: Fighter or Paladin
Swordsage: Rogue or Ranger
Warblade: Fighter or Barbarian
Cavalier: Fighter or Paladin
Summoner: Sorcerer or Cleric
Witch: Druid or Sorcerer
Alchemist: Rogue or Wizard
Oracle: Cleric or Monk
Magus: Wizard or Bard
Gunslinger: Rogue or Ranger
Ninja: Rogue or Monk
Inquisitor: Monk or Cleric
Samurai: Fighter or Paladin

Note; Anti-Paladins can be chosen during char creation. They are not just listed to save time typing wise.

House ruled 3.5 classes

Tome of Battle

Special Notes; All contested Dex/Str rolls and such become CMB vs CMD. Maneuvers save DC's are based on class; Crusader uses Charisma, Swordsage uses Wisdom and Warblade uses Strength. In addition the maneuver level.

Diamond Mind and Concentration; Perception replaces Concentration. Classes who can get Diamond Mind maneuvers get perception as class skill if they don't have it already.

Crusader

With following changes added in;

Furious Counterstrike; Adds bonus to dmg, attack and CMB rolls.

Zealous Surge works once per encounter instead once per day.

In 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th and 19th gain free Teamwork bonus feat.

Smite; It functions like paladin's Smite Evil, functions when you hit target which has any single alignment component opposite from yours (so true neutral crusaders do not exist).

In 14th level you gain feature called Zealous Inspiration. It allows anyone 30'ft to re-roll single saving throw during a encounter.

In 20th level you gain feature called Champion. You gain outsider (native) subtype, stop aging (but can die old age) and gain DR/10 (your opposite alignment components). In addition you become fearless.

Swordsage

Swordsage gains following changes;

Ac bonus what swordsage gains also applies bonus to his CMD.

3th level gives swordsage a unarmed strike progression like monk does but with -2 level compared to monk of same level.

6th level gives swordsage a Ki pool similar what monk gets.

In 6th level he can spend 1 Ki point (as swift action) to make Ki Strike (which treats unarmed strike or weapon strike to bypass DR as if it's made from Magic). In 9th level it treats attack being made from silver and cold iron (in addition being made from magic). In 14th level it treats attack being made from adamantine both for DR and hardness bypassing purposes. In 18th level the Ki strike allows ignore any DR and perform melee attack as melee touch.

In 7th level Swordsage can choose Ninja Trick from Ninja class list. He can select new trick at 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th and 19th levels (it does not get Sense Magic feature).

In 20th level swordsage gains Sifu feature. He adds wisdom modifier to CMB and all saves and all knowledge rolls. In addition Dual Boost works 3 + Wisdom modifier times per day.

Warblade

With following changes;

Bonus Feats: Can be used get feat from Warblade or Figther list (and Warblade qualifies for fighter feats with -2 to his level).

4th level: Gain Armor Training like Fighter does. It progresses in 8th, 12th and 16th level.

10th level: Gain Blademaster class feature. It allows add Int to weapon attack and dmg rolls so long you perform maneuver with it.

Battle Skill feature: It adds Int to CMB in addition to Str.

14th level: Gain swift blade feature. It gives Combat Reflex feat as bonus. But if warblade already has it, he adds Int bonus along with Dex to determine number of attack opportunities.

18th level: Gain Blademaster's Parry feature. Functions like Duelist features of Parry and Riposte feature combined but also but you add Int modifier to the attack roll when you parry (and Battle Mastery adds Int to attack opportunity attack and dmg roll).

19th level: Gain Battle Intuition feature. You add Int on initiative rolls and sense motive rolls to resist feint and in addition you cannot never be surprised with ambush (allowing always act even when you failed perception check detect it).

20th level: You gain Blade Prince feature. So long you have stance active you gain DR 10/- against physical attacks (stacks with any stance which provides similar DR) so long when your able to move (immobilized or paralyzed negates the DR). Also you can re-roll any attack roll 3 + Int mod per day as free action.

[Chreestafer]

I would like to chalk my interest in freeform.  However, as I am a dnd geek, system would not bother me either.  I've never played a system game over Es forums before so I will most likely need a little tutoring at the beginning.

[spooky]

I like.. I am bookmarking with extreme interest.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, you can comment do you prefer freeform or do you prefer we use the system Spooky :). Just advance note that the magic nerfs would include spells like teleport, plane shift and resurrection, wish etc. Ofc it remains one stronger forces in the game but some spells are removed or changed.

Also I thinked to use 'spell point' system which allows cast spells kind of like using power points from psionics. If we go system but in freeform 'mana points' exist but they are only referred when speaking recovery items/areas and such.

Also like in SoA it's mentioned as fluff but never seen in anime; there is 'moral code' restriction active to all players (and all players who are under age of consent cannot turn it off). The players who meet age of consent in real life can turn it off and so allow physical intimacy contact (sex otherwise said). Kisses and general touching is allowed outside moral code but everything else is inside of it. Because both participants need turn it off it means rapes are impossible (as most people turn moral code on after bedroom activity with their partner).

But as there was 'sleep PvP' killing going on, there is cases where sleeping women have been snuck upon and lifting their hand and finger opened their menu screen and turned the moral code off and so this is only means for rape to occur. Naturally none NPC's nor monsters perform any NC stuff (imagine news paper scandals if game designers allowed that to happen :P).

[spooky]

I would have to go with System since I feel it would make more since toward the VR aspect of the game kinda like 1/2 prince(I think that's the name of the manga this reminds me of).

I love the idea though, especially if some of us know each other offline as well as meet online. I'm fine with magic nerfs, I understand the reasons for it, but personally don't like making casters on the spell point system(I've done that with 3.5 from the unearthed Arcana rules). In any case I'd be happy to play myself (a glorified me of course) in the DnD online world. Which would mean I'm more a barbarian than anything else.

I hope my input is useful.

[Zaer Darkwail]

It was thank you :). Just wait is there more interest or not for this concept. Anyways feel free discuss concepts of your char who he is in RL and does he know other folks already (or not). I imagine some curious gamers could try play chick char just for kicks to take off moral code to get feel what girls feel in sexual situation.

As advance note; unlike in SoA your avatars are not 'reverted'. As there are orc, elf etc races in game so appearances and such are not reset (nor gender).

[Pipaluk]

I've never played DnD, though I've always been curious and wanted to try. I'm a fairly quick study, but I would be starting from the ground up. I like the idea of this RP and thought that it may be a fun introduction into DnD; I could play a character unfamiliar with how everything works, learning how to play in the virtual DnD game.

Let me know your thoughts on this or if you'd prefer more experienced DnDers.

[steelsmiter]

I might have been interested but you said some of the spells were going to be nerfed. Personally I prefer certain spells to be outright prohibited before nerfing.

[spooky]

There seems to be no caster love here lol.

[steelsmiter]

just the opposite actually. I don't like spells to be tweaked. I prefer them "as is". If you're not doing that, and still don't like the spell, the last resort is to drop them entirely.

[spooky]

Well said

[Zaer Darkwail]

I've never played DnD, though I've always been curious and wanted to try. I'm a fairly quick study, but I would be starting from the ground up. I like the idea of this RP and thought that it may be a fun introduction into DnD; I could play a character unfamiliar with how everything works, learning how to play in the virtual DnD game.

Let me know your thoughts on this or if you'd prefer more experienced DnDers.

I do not mind taking newbie to DnD :). The game would start in 1st level and the game (if using the system) would function like normal forum post based DnD game but there is the fact that you IC realize everything is a game.

I might have been interested but you said some of the spells were going to be nerfed. Personally I prefer certain spells to be outright prohibited before nerfing.

just the opposite actually. I don't like spells to be tweaked. I prefer them "as is". If you're not doing that, and still don't like the spell, the last resort is to drop them entirely.

Well, some spells will be removed (like resurrection and wish) but teleport spell example works so that allows teleport to cities but it does not allow 'freeform' teleport. Dimension Door (or one lower level spell called Evacuation Rune) is used to teleport into start of dungeons (and so skip monsters or traps which may had respawn while you went deeper). So when I speak 'nerf' I mean 'change' on the spells functions to be less broad and sound more 'videogame spells'.

I mostly take spells this approach;

1) The spells must make sense in MMO environment and something what programmer can easily implement (example freeform teleport is hard to program and so this game uses 'key points' for teleport spell example)

2) Spells which would allow immense amount of cheat or are vague (like Wish)

3) Spells which prevent player's death or remove the danger factor entirely from combat encounters via immunity (Resurrection and Spell Immunity)

I welcome your thoughts into the spells which would be okay to stay or how some spell could be changed so it's not broken or too OP. Note that in MMO the designer took account PvP balance when designing spells so spells which have 'save or die' are not allowed (although through exploit some spells can be outright lethal; like illusion covering pit trap which makes lethal fall to char who cannot stop the fall). Some plain attack spells which have certain amount of dmg done like magic missile, scorching ray etc would be in the game.

Also note all divination spells contact MMO's own database and so unlike in canon DnD universe there are 'banned' knowledge what any divination cannot reveal (as design by the programmer).

[TheBlazinDragon]

I wouldn't mind giving this a go. I'm also relatively new to DnD, as I was able to play for a few hours a few years back but then those people moved away and I haven't been able to play since.

[steelsmiter]

1) The spells must make sense in MMO environment and something what programmer can easily implement (example freeform teleport is hard to program and so this game uses 'key points' for teleport spell example)

Alright, fair enough, I thought most GMs put players at key points anyway. When you say nerf, that describes things like reducing allowable distance. I'm sure the actual online game has teleports that put you at key points, but I haven't played it. Another neat feature would be to have teleportation circles marked off that take you to another district kind of like Moogling Attendants from FFXII.

2) Spells which would allow immense amount of cheat or are vague (like Wish)

yeah, it's pretty... broken, except where you have monsters like a certain creature above CR 20 that require a wish to stay dead... Of course changing the creature(s) to a specific kill perameter may solve that problem and allow you to still eliminate Wish

3) Spells which prevent player's death or remove the danger factor entirely from combat encounters via immunity (Resurrection and Spell Immunity)

These removals are obvious. The game affects the player. Players can't be brought back

Also note all divination spells contact MMO's own database and so unlike in canon DnD universe there are 'banned' knowledge what any divination cannot reveal

This should happen anyway. Divinations should either not reveal what the DM doesn't want revealed, or do so in such a way that it is vague enough to be almost useless. Almost.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Teleportation circles are good and teleportation spell may be needed to enter exotic dungeons (casting spell in keypoint to enter another keypoint). Ultimate transport spell is Gate itself. It does not bring creatures from other planes but simply folks from keypoint to your wanted location (or vice versa). Gate however also allows transport boss monsters through so using it during boss fight to escape may invite boss monster entering areas where it should normally be; like 30 Lvl monster in lvl 1 area.

Anyways there will be more changes to spells and removal of troublesome ones. But I do not discount possibility of some spell being nerfed but none come to mind right now.

Anyways new peeps are welcome as they can bring nice perspective of 'new DnD' players who want try the DnD with the new platform format (where they could not get chance try it in RL on tabletop). That can be RP'ed out and some DnD veterans may have bit advantage over them as there will be classic DnD monsters like owlbears, orcs, goblins which most gamers remember racial stats outside memory.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Ok, we have some interest and I am willing run this. So far folks want system based game (some are new to it and some are veterans).

Now the question is; 3.5 or pathfinder? Now I plan to use spell points from unearthed arcana either way despite what system we use (with edit that sorcerers cannot swap spells but they get x2 more spell points than listed value compensate their limited list). Now what things differ in each edition or what I had thought about them;

If we go Pathfinder; little to no changes as some 3.5 classes are brought over to pathfinder.

If we go 3.5 edition; I would house rule several things. Feats are gained same progression as in pathfinder. Skills are going to be same as in pathfinder and how skill points are spend. Also I thought bring some stuff from pathfinder fighter to 3.5 fighter so it is more attractive class choice past 4th level. Also sorcerer class gains bonus heritage feats and eschew materials feat for free.

Now, I thinked that inside game there is core classes available for everyone, but if someone wants get levels in exotic class (say Binder, Warlock, Warmage etc), they can do so by job change in 10th level which drops their level to half (so if you was 10th lvl wizard and turned to warmage, you become 5th level warmage). There is basically three ladders for classes (basic, advanced and exotic). To get exotic you need to have got job change once already so only rare few players go for exotic classes.

At least my twist about this. What you think?

[spooky]

I feel likeif we went 3.5 the game would become slightly uneven with the proposed changes. Pathfinder is a very power heavy system that adds much to potential strengths... where as I feel like 3.5 had so many feats and combinations of feats it had the potential to be broken in itself. then again... it really depends on the books you allow us to use.

I think the job change idea is interesting but it sounds very unappealing. losing half your level is a pretty big price.. I suppose it wouldn't be in a game honestly but in a system style it will cause a long period of being underpowered compared to others in the group...

Either way, I feel like I could enjoy the game with or without these twists and find a way to make things interesting.

[steelsmiter]

I like pathfinder myself. If we're going pure system I have to ask: You ok with a Savage Barbarian Archetype?

[Zaer Darkwail]

If most folks want to go pathfinder then I am okay with savage barbarian archtype. Also I have house ruled the archtype to gain +2 instead of +1 bonuses progression wise (both dodge and natural armor) to compensate lack of armor the subtype encourages in.

Anyways if folks dislike the 'half level reduction' then job change is to do both quest and pay gold to do so. So sorcerer 10 could turn another class like warmage (or summoner in pathfinder).

[spooky]

Very interesting, I like the concept.

[Pipaluk]

Would I need any resources for this game?

Is there a list of spells/abilities for DnD or is it sort of just make something up and if you roll a good die, it happens? Sounds like there are certain spells and abilities from the discussion so far, so I'm wondering if there would be a resource that I would want to have pulled up during the game.

Thanks!

[Ghostwheel]

I would like to add my own interest here ;D
Very familiar with 3.5, moderately-to-mostly so with Pathfinder, and have some different ideas on what kinds of characters to play...

[steelsmiter]

If most folks want to go pathfinder then I am okay with savage barbarian archtype. Also I have house ruled the archtype to gain +2 instead of +1 bonuses progression wise (both dodge and natural armor) to compensate lack of armor the subtype encourages in.

Schweet

Anyways if folks dislike the 'half level reduction' then job change is to do both quest and pay gold to do so. So sorcerer 10 could turn another class like warmage (or summoner in pathfinder).

So we're only doing up to level 10? I'm confused. If I were to continue being tanky would I end up needing to be a Bbn 10/Ftr 10?

[Zaer Darkwail]

You can continue in your class all way to 20th level. But in 10th level you get chance to enter PrC's or do job change (like change from sorcerer to summoner as you cannot start the game as summoner). Job change mostly refers to replacing your class levels with another class which is exotic or more specialized version of your normal class. But nothing stops you from continuing as barbarian or fighter or what have you.

Would I need any resources for this game?

Is there a list of spells/abilities for DnD or is it sort of just make something up and if you roll a good die, it happens? Sounds like there are certain spells and abilities from the discussion so far, so I'm wondering if there would be a resource that I would want to have pulled up during the game.

Thanks!

Online there are free resources both for 3.5 edition and pathfinder.

Pathfinder Rules
3.5 Edition Dungeons and Dragons Rules
General useful wiki for all published DnD stuff, including non-core material

If you want some info which may not be in links (like XP needed for next level in 3.5 rules), other players can provide the info besides GM :).

Anyways Ghostwheel made good question which I answer also here. When pondering what is the 'balance' scale for the game (as shown in here). The balance would be during first 10 levels to be 'Moderate' scale. But after 10 levels it turns to 'high' scale. Reason for change is that in 10th level players get to job change and enter prestige classes (even if they meet qualifications, all quests for prestige classes are closed off until you reach 10th level).

Also as IC game design the game has actually seven 'levels'. To elaborate every level is tiered to char levels.

So starting level or a.c.a 'starting level' is for 1-3 level characters. So the boss to beat this level and advance to next one is 3th level and once your in 3th level you do not gain any further XP from mobs in that level (expect from boss).

However, to create competition for players all quests which can be taken (and returned once) by everyone gives only one level per level. To get to 3th level (or second level in other layers besides 1st), is to find rare hidden quests which can be only taken and completed once (so player doing them robs XP from others). Or alternative is to go and find rare mobs which give generous amount of XP but are more dangerous and do not respawn once killed (and giving rare loot as well).

So to get 3th level in beginner level you need find rare quests or rare mobs to kill. In later levels you need do both to get to highest allowed level (like in level two you can advance up to 6th level by finding rare mobs and rare quests, doing only one or other yields you to become 5th level and doing only common quests gives you 4th level). GM of the game had been generous to give plenty of rare mobs and quests so that more than one char can be max level but not enough cover whole player base (only 50% players can get the XP and extra loot).

This IC mechanic is meant to explain by adventure parties can be pretty aggressive regarding mob kills and hunting quests and may be selfishly so keeping knowledge of said thing than sharing it (and so create rift between beta testers and players who just started at launch even if beta testers do not cover whole 50% player base).

As further competition mechanic every 'boss' in the game has loot table which starts at 100% drop chance, but it falls -1% each time boss is beaten. So only first hundred players get the loot in 1% or so (second group gets loot at 99& and third beaters at 98% etc). After hundredth it goes partial percentages like 0.9% and onwards.

Nothing prevents higher level chars participate in lower level boss fight and help folks, but he gains no XP nor loot doing so.

What are folks thoughts about the IC game world rules how game works? As note to folks new to DnD this is not standard DnD rules but more a 'MMO rules' applied to DnD game.

[steelsmiter]

RAAH! Savage Barbarian all the way!

[Ghostwheel]

My hat's in for 3.5, but doing skills the way Pathfinder does em :-P

Best of both worlds, amirite? That said, if that doesn't work, 3.5 all the way :-D

[steelsmiter]

I'm not familar with the 3.5 if/how it's different from PF's barbarian. If the differences are too great I can't do 3.5. Also is that the one with the silly "unaligned" business?

[Zaer Darkwail]

Nah, 3.5 edition is similar to pathfinder but there are no archtypes at all in there (some class features get swapped around but not same extend as archtypes do). Also barbarian is different in 3.5 edition than in pathfinder (you cannot specialize move in loincloth example). The alignments are still there (so it's not 4th edition).

[Ghostwheel]

Rather than "archetypes", 3.5 has "Alternate Class Features" which is where archetypes came from, and basically work the same way, as well as "racial ACFs" which are kind of like the favored class alternate bonuses in Pathfinder, just switching class features rather than losing the favored class bonus (which 3.5 doesn't have).

[steelsmiter]

Well I'm pretty much sold on the Savage Barbarian and I have been for over a year. Let me know when you decide Pathfinder vs. 3.5 so I can find out if I need to put up a sheet.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, there are two fresh new folks and two folks who know systems for DnD so vote is between you and Ghostwheel really at this point :P. I myself I am leaning towards pathfinder with some stuff converted from 3.5.

[steelsmiter]

Well, there are two fresh new folks and two folks who know systems for DnD so vote is between you and Ghostwheel really at this point :P. I myself I am leaning towards pathfinder with some stuff converted from 3.5.

Looks ok to me.

[Ghostwheel]

*crosses fingers and hopes for 3.5, as he likes some of the material there better for his concept* :-P

But I'll happily go along with whatever you decide.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Okay, it's decided then. We go full pathfinder with some stuff from 3.5 edition converted over. Considering Ghostwheel wants play crusader from book of nine swords I have added my house rulings for that class. But note crusader is only gained by reaching level 10 and doing job change from fighter or paladin.

Upon for requests I do house rulings and additions to the game (doing extensive conversion of all classes and feats from 3.5 would be exhausting). First post has been now edited with chargen stuff. Those to new DnD or pathfinder in general can check the links what I posted or ask other players a advice. Idea is that I try start the game in next week.

[steelsmiter]

Alright, I originally had my character in a .txt file so it will take a bit to convert it to a Plothook sheet. I'll also need to redo the attributes because they were on a different scale. This is no bother but it will take a bit.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Nice to hear :). I pushed for 30 point buy instead 25 because magic items can be bit harder to get.

[steelsmiter]

Are you using the UC rules for bone? I only ask because the original character thought that her tribe had given her a "Dragontooth Spear" which was a glaive made from common bone.

Technically since we're going the Online RPG route that backstory doesn't matter as much and I can go ahead with normal weapons made of materials like Iron and steel. to be clear are we using the dice rolls given in the equipment chapter?

[Zaer Darkwail]

Oh, assume you got max dice roll results for starting gold. Any betatesters who start at 2th level use 2th level starting gold. Anyways RPG background can be anything you like and I intent to write actual MMO fluff plot what the game is about (it is going to be dungeon and dragons universe but none pre-established ones like Faerun, Dark Sun etc). What comes to dragonbone spears/glaives, your char could had been betatester and so have +2 weapon as starting bonus (which is made from real dragonbone) example.

[spooky]

Traits or no traits?

[steelsmiter]

Oh, assume you got max dice roll results for starting gold. Any betatesters who start at 2th level use 2th level starting gold. Anyways RPG background can be anything you like and I intent to write actual MMO fluff plot what the game is about (it is going to be dungeon and dragons universe but none pre-established ones like Faerun, Dark Sun etc). What comes to dragonbone spears/glaives, your char could had been betatester and so have +2 weapon as starting bonus (which is made from real dragonbone) example.

so we gonna run that as a GM gimme since +2 is worth 8x the standard amount or did you intend +1 which is only twice the amount for a second level character? I was pretty sure you said second level though honestly 3rd level (and +1) doesn't seem like much of stretch to the standard betatester rule.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Traits or no traits?

2 traits each if not use feat to have more.

so we gonna run that as a GM gimme since +2 is worth 8x the standard amount or did you intend +1 which is only twice the amount for a second level character? I was pretty sure you said second level though honestly 3rd level (and +1) doesn't seem like much of stretch to the standard betatester rule.

Check the char gen rules; If your a betatester you choose one benefit to your char. It is either exotic race, start as advanced class, a 8,000gp costing single magic item which you cannot sell (which can be a weapon made from exotic materials), or lastly start in 2th level instead 1 level in opening day.

So, normal players start with max gold in first level. If you start in 2th level, you use max 2th level gold.

[steelsmiter]

Fun times! I'll get back to the drawing board after a quick 4-6 hour nap.

[Ghostwheel]

Almost done with my charsheet :-D

Making a beta tester, how are we doing HP past the first level? Rolled? Average? Max? Max -4+1d4? Etc

[steelsmiter]

Wait I'm confused, don't I get d12s?

[Pipaluk]

You're confused!? Imagine how I feel... :p

[Zaer Darkwail]

Wait I'm confused, don't I get d12s?

Why you got idea you do not get d12? If barbarian class gives you d12 HP then you get them :P.

Anyways game probably goes for formula. So you get max HP first level and then 'half + 1'. So barbarians get 7 HP per level + what they get from Con mod.

[steelsmiter]

Almost done with my charsheet :-D

Making a beta tester, how are we doing HP past the first level? Rolled? Average? Max? Max -4+1d4? Etc

That's what confused me, so as a Beta Tester 19 (12+7)+(Con ModxLevel) right?

[Zaer Darkwail]

That's what confused me, so as a Beta Tester 19 (12+7)+(Con ModxLevel) right?

Yes, but this is not 'beta tester' only feature but all players start with that sum. Also note if you start as 1st level barbarian your HP is 12+Con mod (and it is same per level). If your a beta tester who chooses barbarian class but starts as 2th level your HP is 12+7+(Con mod x level).

[Chloe Milev]

Heeeere's a character--

Name: Jude Fletcher
Gender: Male
Nationality: American
City/Province: Seattle, WA
Social Status: Employed, Married, Kids

Personality

Naturally quiet and observant.  Will speak up to clarify rules or other points of expertise.  If he finds a moment and motivation to act in character, however, he dives in and runs with it uncharacteristically.  Characters are outgoing and more extreme than his natural easy-going and passive demeanor.

Background

Jude grew up interested in RPG's, starting out with video games.  He had heard of D&D, and was eventually introduced to tabletop gaming by a cousin.  Predisposed to it, he was hooked, and waited patiently for the chance to find others to play with.  Once at university, his D&D career shot off, playing in at least one or two campaigns each week and brainstorming new characters in his spare time.

It was there that he met his wife, another geek enthusiast.  She also played, and together they had many roleplayed and read adventures.  They dated, and eventually married, and now they always had a gaming partner in the other.  After graduating and moving away, Jude found new people to play with, and discovered Dungeon Mastering his own campaigns.  Now all his brainstorming could be put to use for exciting NPCs and new ways to challenge and kill his players.

As life moves on, however, the kids begin, friends move, or there are simply more and more interruptions to a simple weekly game.  They turned to MMOs, or even just RPG podcasts to have a connection to gaming.  With the new Nerve Gear-powered DDO, there was suddenly the opportunity to experience face-to-face roleplaying with the convenience of online gaming and the immersion of LARPing, but with superior design and execution!  Jude was quick to volunteer for beta testing.

In the beginning, there was simply playing through a few quests, seeing what was broken, or what links in continuity might be broken or exploited.  He made suggestions for how different alignments might chose to complete a quest, or how different classes might be more readily approached by certain NPCs.  Perhaps a rogue would be sought out by criminals and conniving businessmen, while arcanists would draw in paranoid or jealous folk looking for answers, as well as anyone needing aid would come to divine characters.  Of course, any player could approach an NPC for a quest and find some way to complete it outside their traditional niche.  Maybe if a player often sought out intrigue-themed quests, more of those NPCs would be directed to his attention.

Drawing from his own experiences and preferences, however, he made some proactive suggestions for established campaign setting material.  His favorite being Eberron, he made his case for its inclusion, despite having already featured in the first D&D MMO decades ago.  Even if they didn't set the game in Eberron, there were interesting ideas in the races (warforged, shifters, changelings), a pulp/noir world of intrigue and post-war recovery, and involving players in the intricacies of business empires and ancient prophecies through dragonmarks.  In any event, one of the most important things to Jude was very good writing and AI for the NPCs, for those that played more as a single character than grinding along with friends and other players.

As part of the testing, he used many different classes and races.  With martial characters, he got a feel for the melee combat; while he acted it out, having a good base attack and strength made fighting feel much easier, like the enemies were moving slowly enough for his amateur swings to connect.  As a rogue, details were much more noticeable, while enemies were much more likely to be looking away from him if his stealth was good.  And casting magic was interesting as well; he had to chant and wave his arms, but was free to make it up, follow a script, even follow a simple rhythm game for bards.  Feeling the surge of energy run through his body was like nothing he could feel outside of the game, so when it came time to make his first real character outside of beta, he knew it would be a magic user.

As a tester reward, he decided to try out an exclusive race, a kitsune.  They had a very magical feel, and he felt like being a little tricksy even as he chose to play a sorcerer.  The sheer volume of magical power was fulfilling, and would hopefully last him through most situations.  While he had tried several different avatars in his testing, including females to see how they handled, he chose a very attractive, sexy style for his kitsune, deciding he'd enjoy getting some attention to his advantage besides skills and magic spells.  In the character creation, he spent a lot of time getting each detail just right, making his own fantasy girl.  When he finally logged in, he was very satisfied, feeling both the magical power thrum through her body, and how sexy she both looked and felt in her little kimono.  She could even change between her sexy regular human body, and her true golden-brown kitsune form.  It was strange feeling her own muzzle, the fur was very soft and nice, and having a tail swish around was very disconcerting.  It needed a lot of practice to control, and without concentration it tended to move on its own, flashing her bottom or knocking into things, even if she was supposed to be human!  After a brief checkup, she couldn't wait to go talk to some NPCs and see if she recognized a quest she could complete through seduction.  Turning off the mature content filter, she set off to explore the world anew.

DnD Online Avatar
MOSHI
Race: Kitsune
Gender: Female
Body:

Digital

Hard bondage
http://www.hentai-foundry.com/pictures/user/Ganassa/187725/Ahri-FoxFire-Hard-Bondage
White hair moon
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120211072556/powerlisting/images/d/dc/Kitsune.jpg
Human mask
http://th04.deviantart.net/fs20/PRE/i/2009/181/1/e/Kitsune_by_Pechan.jpg
Heart
http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/31500000/Kitsune-kami-kitsune-okami-realm-31552099-1377-685.jpg
Mime
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070228215554/finalfantasy/images/7/7f/FFT_Mime.gif
Garter
http://www.hentai-foundry.com/pictures/user/DAQ/125022/Fox-Box-colored
Bondage
http://www.hentai-foundry.com/pictures/user/Foxxetta/129358/Shackles-of-Love
Alter self
http://www.hentai-foundry.com/pictures/user/barraqda/135942/COMMISSION---Fox-Fennec-Shemale

Class(es): Sorcerer 1

[steelsmiter]

Yes, but this is not 'beta tester' only feature but all players start with that sum. Also note if you start as 1st level barbarian your HP is 12+Con mod (and it is same per level). If your a beta tester who chooses barbarian class but starts as 2th level your HP is 12+7+(Con mod x level).

Right, but you told me that the Dragontooth glaive would be a beta tester worthy item. I just indicated that this was the math for my level.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Ok, for 1st level you have full of your HD (d12) + Con Mod. So 12+Con Mod. Just remember your spear/weapon is a +2 item (so either raw +2 enchant or +1 enchant and then special enchant) and is made from dragonbone (which haves hardness 18 and HP 10 for 2h weapon and gives +1 extra elemental dmg which stacks with enchant based elemental dmg boosts).

Anyways nice you posted your char Chloe, so folks know how much write in general when detail their beta tester background :).

[steelsmiter]

alright so now I'm confused again, I thought beta testers were supposed to be second level?

[Ghostwheel]

One of the following four:
Second level.
Have a special item.
Start with an "advanced" class.
Start with an "advanced" race.

I think you chose the second one of the four :-P

EDIT: Forgot the fourth option... :-3

[Zaer Darkwail]

One of the following three:
Second level.
Have a special item.
Start with an "advanced" class.

I think you chose the second one of the three :-P

Yup. You chose a +2 weapon as your betatester perk (you cannot sell it nor pass it on). If you want to start as 2th level char, you pick it as perk but you do not get your weapon.

[steelsmiter]

oh ok... well, if I had read it more closely before, I would not have been confused on gear value earlier. Somehow I had it in my head that you had all the options...

One's way more balanced than the other ;D. Sorry I haven't got my sheet up yet. Working on it at the moment.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, all the perks is something what you would able to gain in 10th level of the game. Some betatesters reached that far and some did not. But overall it is 'ten level advance' reward. Any player in game can gain the stuff the betatesters get in start. Ofc starting as 10th level is too much for even perk so another option was to start one level higher (and indeed compared other rewards it is bit lame but it's option for betatesters who want close as possible starting line with other players).

[steelsmiter]

Yeah no I'm good with just the weapon.

Just so I'm perfectly clear f I pick +1 fire would that be actually +1d6+1 damage? or if I picked +2 fire would that be +3 fire damage due to the dragon bone bonus?

[Zaer Darkwail]

If you have flaming +1 spear which is made from dragonbone, it does 1d6+1 (physical) + 1d6+1 (fire) dmg. When not made from dragonbone the same spear has 1d6+1 (physical) + 1d6 (fire) dmg. I hope this explains how the dragonbone bonus works.

[steelsmiter]

yeah that does make sense. which is what I meant. The weapon is statistically a glaive, but the title is Dragontooth Spear does that make a difference? (if it does, I'm not exactly married to the title...)

[Zaer Darkwail]

So long stats are exactly like glaive I do not mind if you would call it Dragontooth Sword :P.

[steelsmiter]

Sweet, though I'll make sure not to call them that item in the GTA: San Andreas Police Office

[Zaer Darkwail]

A bump to keep game advertise off from page 2.

So far we got; Crusader (using glaive), savage barbarian (using also glaive) and kitsune sorceress.

[steelsmiter]

indeed. Sorry it is taking so long, but plothook fucked me over and I have to start again re-filling all that shit from scratch.

[Ghostwheel]

Name: Eli
Gender: Female
Nationality: Denemark
City/Province: Copenhagen
Social Status: Unemployed, unmarried

Personality

While she's quiet and shy in real life, Eli allows herself to completely allow her convictions to come to life when in the game. There she's outspoken, aggressive about her beliefs, and willing to do anything to make sure that others follow her beliefs, willing even resort to bodily violence to make sure that others also adhere to the rule of law and the stability of the game.

Background

From a very young age, Eli had always been interested in computers--and especially gaming. Naturally a shy, quiet girl, she was often bullied by her peers which led her to becoming insular and submissive, and often stayed silent, cried, and ran away when she was teased by both the girls and boys at school. Her parents were rarely around, both of them business people who had important jobs running companies outside the country. And when they were home, they were authoritative and unwilling to bend the rules, often criticizing Eli for not having the best grades, bringing friends over, and more. But that never happened in the games she played. She could be anyone she every wanted to be! A fairy princess, a mage of incredible power, or a mighty barbarian queen, all of these were roles she picked up and put down, and each time came the same feeling of catharsis, as though she was accepted and wanted.

The years continued to pass this way, every season Eli becoming more and more engrossed in the video games she played, especially in RPGs where she could pick up any role and be who she wanted to be, rather than who she was. But one day, the fateful event happened.

Seeing the large villa her parents had, a gang of criminals entered her home in the dead of night and began to take the various valuables and paintings Eli's parents had strewn about the place. Waking from the noise, Eli's father went down to investigate. A fight broke out, and Eli's mother went down to see what happened. In the ensuing struggle, both of her parents were killed while Eli hid beneath her bed and waited. The police found her the next morning, silently crying beneath the bed, the house turned upside down and bereft of everything that made it a home.

That was five years ago. Eli, now 17, lives in a small apartment after having dropped out of school, living her life within through the computer on a paltry unemployment and disability pay, having no clue that her family inheritance continues to grow under the watchful eye of the bank. She rarely leaves the house, and has few friends except for the landlady who takes pity upon the girl and often visits with food and offers to go out with her. But Eli always refuses. Instead, she dives headfirst into her games, especially MMORPGs where she allows her conviction and pent out anger loose. If only the robbers hadn't been there. If only her parents hadn't fought against them. Everything would have been alright. And thus she often tries her best to protect the stability of her environment, enforcing the laws of society in an aggressive manner that belies her real life personality. When people talk about disorder she speaks up and shouts them down. When witnessing a crime, she rushes forward, protecting NPCs and players alike against the depredation of in-game criminals.

Due to her abrasive nature in-game, Eli garners few friends. But her hours of practice make her a fierce combatant, and the few guilds that invited her found her to be a strong defensive character whose skill was impressive, especially so due to the fact that she had subpar equipment from having farmed dungeons less than most.

Eli was immediately drawn to this new game. Complete immersion? A chance to be someone else fully, not just within a monitor. Once inside, it was everything she had hoped it would be. Eli, now Ren, quickly advanced within the games, her determination leading her close to death innumerable times as she fought against creatures far above her level only to win by the skin of her teeth. And even if she died occasionally, that was fine, right? After all, she would just return a moment later to continue her progression. Often a sight patrolling the cities within the game, Eli gave scathing reviews of bugs she encountered, especially loopholes where other players were able to attack or kill NPCs that should have been virtually invulnerable or players in what should have otherwise been safe zones.

She gave the more magical classes a try, but never connected to them. Even the rogue or the fighter didn't appeal to her. She needed to be able to protect people, not just be able to kill enemies with a few attacks. Thus she settled upon one of the tankier classes that was released halfway through the beta, and stuck with it. It felt right, the Crusader class, being able to soak up the damage of those she fought while at the same time her modest damage taking down people in time, if not immediately. And that was what she stayed with all the way to the end of the beta...

She looked down at herself. Her body, adorned in chain mail. The heavy steel-tipped boots beneath her. The comfortable weight of the gauntlets in her hands. A longsword strapped to her hip along with a few daggers, a shield on the other side, and a long glaive on her back. Yes, this was what she had been waiting for. She was herself... yet not herself. Stronger, faster, not as clumsy, immune to the colds and fevers that sometimes oppressed her in the "real" world. She was at home. She hefted her glaive slowly, admiring its weight and confirming in her own mind once more its weight along with the blade at the end. A breeze picked up, playing with her hair and rustling through her senses. She was home.

DnD Online Avatar

Race: Human
Ren
Gender: Original
Body: Original
Class: Crusader

[spooky]

I'm going to go ahead and bow out now. I hope you enjoy your game guys

[Ghostwheel]

Almost done with my character sheet... :-D
I think this was asked before, but I'll ask it again; are we using traits?

[steelsmiter]

the plothook half of my sheet is done again... now I just have to figure out how to make it public... I know I've done it before but don't remember how. Any Help? once that's done I'll get to my offline character's profile.

[Ghostwheel]

What website are you using for your character sheet?

[steelsmiter]

plothook.

[Ghostwheel]

Ah, not familiar with that one. But there should be an "edit" link if it's like the other profilers online, and in there it should have a "Make Public" button or something similar. Hope that helps!

[steelsmiter]

I know how to edit the character... that's how I redid all the information because my first save didn't take. Anyway I have yet to find this make public button. I will still search and hope someone can provide a screen indicating the button.

[Ghostwheel]

Not quite... I mean on the page where you link to your character sheet, not the character sheet itself. It should be on the main character sheets page where you see all your character sheets.

[Zaer Darkwail]

I'm going to go ahead and bow out now. I hope you enjoy your game guys

Ah, sad see you go. Have fun and good luck in gaming!

Almost done with my character sheet... :-D
I think this was asked before, but I'll ask it again; are we using traits?

Traits are allowed. Max 2 per char unless feat taken to have more.

[steelsmiter]

I think I did this right... I also found the button, which I was clicking on the names instead of the edit button.

Name: Jay Hendricks
Gender: Male
Nationality: American
City/Province: Hot Springs, Arkansas
Social Status: Disabled, single

Personality

Jay was always the most assertive member of his group, all nerds. Those that could not do sports or that chose not to join band. Jay was nearly always the GM for whatever game he decided he wanted to play. Far more intelligent than any character he played, Jay was content to smash things with an axe most of the time while offering out of character tactical help to his friends, most of which chose to RP characters whose intelligence exceeded his own modest score which he pegged at 12.

Background

Jay's interest in roleplaying started with his favorite game (and one for which he was probably the only person in the known universe that showed it favor) Final Fantasy 9. What initially drew Jay into roleplaying was the art in the books. Being a freshman in high school, and a virgin, he'd take even drawings of girls dressed in the sluttiest of clothing. His first purchase was the Player's Handbook, followed by the other two cores from WotC. Jay's first adventure was a modern day game styled after Guardians of the Flame by Joel Rosenberg, but with a twist: Gamers going to a convention were attacked on the airline by a Blue Dragon. Granted, this one was a small blue dragon and he vastly undershot the HP of the plane, not to mention the fact that planes don't really fly all that well with gaping holes... but that was more of a player survival issue.

Jay was realy nervous about women at the time. Though he had two girls in the group, he wasn't attracted to either of them. The only girl to ever ask him out he denied on the grounds of being to poor to take her out on dates properly. Anyway Jay went on to implement numerous house rules that he ended up seeing done in future versions of the games, but since he never told anyone about them, and the writers expressed it better than he did, Jay didn't care too much.

Dungeons and Dragons sparked his interest in houseruling things as well. Jay made a superhero system and delved into GURPS and Mongoose Publishing. One of the most formative books of Jay's gaming career was The Quentessential Barbarian. Of the ideas that weren't broken, Jay would favor equipments or individual feats. It also had good art too.

When he could not find a job after graduation, Jay went to a counselor at DHS for Spina Bifida. By that time he had 10 or 11 books for 3rd edition. He was informed of a school in hot springs that would help him get a job. Jay went in to become an Accounting Clerk. The school was not accredited for that and Jay could not even take an entry level position with his knowledge. He had passed the course easily, the only thing new that he had been taught was double entry accounting. His Microsoft Office documents were actually used for grading others. The teachers didn't know as much about the programs as he did. He was able to help people training to be medical transcriptionists with his office knowledge. That's how much of a joke the school was.

As a side note, he did find much better gamers. One of his friends played the barbarian, so he went to a rogue. Another played a cleric, pretty consistently. By this time, more members of the general populace were finding their gaming niche. He needed a wizard though. It was difficult with a GMPC (gamed fairly anyway, he had the first rogue end up getting killed by a trap). He switched to a ranger, but soon decided he didn't like it. The game fell through. There was a long running Final Fantasy game that he enjoyed well but it didn't involve d20.

Finally as his disability went through due to the government finally taking notice, he got into an income based place and got the lowest internet he could afford. He barely had enough to live on but he could not stand up long enough or lift anything heavy enough to actually have a decent job.

Then he heard about the Dungeons and Dragons Online game. He was skeptical at first with the 10 level limit, but decided on trying it out once they expanded to 20 and got the headset, he decided to come in on the beta testing for the headset.  As a beta tester, he was allowed to design his own custom +2 weapon. Deciding to go for a little bit of characterization, he decided that his barbarian tribe (all of the NPCs of which had simple spears) gave a "Dragontooth Spear", which had the stats of a glaive, to "those that proved themselves worthy". Jay had a clear image in his head of what he wanted the character to look like, straight out of the Quintessential barbarian. After fiddling quite some time, he got the character to look very near what the original character looked like. Jay experimented a bit, wiping the floor with the local orcs, and found out that they were able to produce tactile sensations across his body by firing electrodes at certain parts of his brain. His fist punched something, the knuckles hurt. he got cut, he felt a sharp pain. Thankfully there was no physical cut, but this was cool! Jay was hooked!

DnD Online Avatar
Iona Dragonshard
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Class(es):[/b] Savage Barbarian (Archetype) 1

[Ghostwheel]

Curious, what is Jay's disability? I might have missed it in the background :-3

[steelsmiter]

Spina Bifida. specifically Meningocele.

[Ghostwheel]

BTW, Chloe Milev and steelsmiter, you guys realize that you both have the same "real life" picture, right? :-P

[steelsmiter]

I didn't see a real life picture in my post... unless that's what you're referring to.

[Ghostwheel]

See in your post where it points to http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/25400000/How-hot-is-he-kyoya-ootori-25454050-412-550.jpg ?

Replace that with the picture you want for your character "in real life"--you can see an example of it on my character post, the girl with the headphones.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Just advance note I start the game tomorrow, but no panic for those who are still working char sheets as the things are meant to start first with pure RP (so you can post IC even if sheet is not done yet). But then after weekend things go full roll in monday.

[steelsmiter]

I'll have to make a huge post Monday then if I'm still in. I have medical leave starting this evening.

[Pretty in Pink]

*zooms in at Ghostwheel's recommendation, sees who's running, and squeals, tackling Zaer with a huge hug*  I'm in.  Gotta decide what I'm going to make!  And I may go for Betatester.

[Zaer Darkwail]

*snatches Pretty in Pink during her tackle*

Nice see ya and nice you decide join us :). You got weekend finish charsheet but so long you got quickly concept and profile done in friday you can join the RP which occurs before things actually start in monday.

[Pretty in Pink]

CONCEPT:  Aliya has been playing D&D, White Wolf, and Palladiums games since she was fifteen, just over a decade.  So when she heard about a full immersive D&D Online, she immediately signed up, even going so far as to submit herself as a Beta Tester for the new game.  Used to playing background characters and healers, Aliya decided, this time, to play something more front-lines, more smashy.

I'll have the basic profile out soon enough.  I'll probably PM the history to you, Zaer, before I start actually writing up the character, to make sure that I qualify for the Beta Tester bonuses.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Ok, sounds good to me :).

[Chloe Milev]

BTW, Chloe Milev and steelsmiter, you guys realize that you both have the same "real life" picture, right? :-P

Oh, heh, what are the odds?  I guess Kyoya is a pretty cool guy.  I can look for a new picture I guess.

[Tigara]

Name:Sara Reed
Gender:Female
Nationality: USA
City/Province: Akron Ohio
Social Status: Just Finished College and is hunting down a job.

Personality

She is very withdrawn. She appears happy and joyful on the ouotside but keeps everyone at an arms length. She is always on to follow the rules and hates to disapoint people

Background

She grew up in church in a good family. Was never really exposed to anything rough like gun, drugs, or sex growing up. Her rutine got her through college as she seemed to be the only one not drinking something, or sleeping around, instead she found solitude in online MMO games. She found it very relaxing. She felt like should could finally be herself online in these kind of games. .Now that she is out of college she is ready to take on the world... or at least Akron.

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http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=622917]Tigara[/url]

Race: Tiefling
Gender: Female
Body:horns on her head, fanged teeth, black eyes and black hair, her skin has a soft red huge to it. Her claws are black as small wings and a tail apear behind her. Her feet are also that of hooves.
Class(es): Wizard/Ranger

[Ghostwheel]

So... currently we have a sorc, crusader, barbarian and wizard (headed for Arcane Archer from the sounds of it?)... That sound about right?

[Pretty in Pink]

And a Cleric (Changing concept around slightly), though I'll go Summoner if Zaer okays BT Status for Aliya.

[Tigara]

Yeah arcane archer. *nod nod*

[Zaer Darkwail]

And a Cleric (Changing concept around slightly), though I'll go Summoner if Zaer okays BT Status for Aliya.

Just need send me background of her so can give thumbs up or down :). As note only sorcs do not prepare spells, rest characters do prepare them. Also considering that cleric can become summoner, they have access to cleric's cure and status curing spells (so the spell which cured Eidolon HP is removed as summoner get anyways own cure spells). Only difference is that summoner cannot spontaneously cast cure spells and so need prepare them.

[Anon315]

Name: Christian Breen
Gender: Male
Nationality: Canada
City/Province: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Social Status: Single, Childless Wage Slave

Personality

Christian is neurotic. If he watched the show "The Big Bang Theory", he might feel a kinship rather than the estrangement he generally feels. This is not to say he's Sheldon, Leonard, or any of the other characters, he's more like an amalgamation of Sheldon, Mr. Monk (from the show of the same name), and that kid you know who got sick every other week in school. He's most certainly obsessive-compulsive, entirely a hypochondriac, and borderline autistic. He does not understand social conventions and mores, nor does he wish to. He communicates with others only as much as his needs require, and in fact actively avoids situations which require words beyond "Number 7 meal, large, diet coke", or "Paper."

Online is another matter. Sort of. He has no qualms about typing to other people to cooperate towards a common goal, and finds interaction there at least easier. He doesn't go out of his way to group, but based on his character's skillset and his own affinity for it, he is in fair demand. He likes being the one sneaking about behind the scenes, stabbing from behind, staying in the periphery while others hold the spotlight. It suits him. As a man without a social compass, he finds the ambiguity of the role pleasing.

Background

Christian has always been an odd duck. Raised by parents who were too busy to generally care about his idiosyncrasies beyond making sure to cut his bread square, there wasn't all that much at home to spark his interest. Not particularly intelligent, and certainly not enough to make up for his difficulties with people, he was relegated to network administration as an adult. It suits him, he only has to correspond with people in the ether, in cyberspace, and not face to face except under the direst of circumstances. Again, he likes it this way. The server room and his office are cleaned solely by him and they remain spotless. His boss telephones rather than having face to face meetings, because Christian asked very nicely and prefers it, and the boss doesn't want to deal with him anyway. Let the "freak" stay in his office. Were his superiors not concerned about a lawsuit, Christian seeming like the type to do so, they would have fired him already, but the work was above average and downtime was generally unheard of. Aside from the anal-retentive demand for password strength and updates on the system, he was a model employee.

At current he lives alone in an apartment barely large enough to walk around in, with no pets except a Roomba. He has no girlfriend, though he thinks he's heterosexual. He finds the entire concept of closeness and intimacy foreign, and only went to prom and other social events because he was required to by his parents. His only social obligations at current are online, he debates comic books on forums and talks about game mechanics and their shortcomings.

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Jonas Greve

Race:
Gender: Male
Body: Digital, human male slightly older in age, with dark hair to contrast with his own.
Class: Rogue (Poisoner) 1

[Pretty in Pink]

I believe the Eidolon states specifically that it gets no benefit from regular Cure spells.  Let me check.

*clicking and clattering, and a little swearing about slow internet*

Huh.  I don't see it now.  Maybe I was thinking of something else?  Aight.  Sounds good then.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Perhaps some other summoner class feature or some archtype? Anyways considering the eidolon specific spells had short range (allowing heal from range instead go melee and touch eidolon), I allow summoner cast cure spells on himself and transfer the cure from himself to eidolon via life link (it has short range though despite cure spell level).

[Ghostwheel]

Just need send me background of her so can give thumbs up or down :). As note only sorcs do not prepare spells, rest characters do prepare them. Also considering that cleric can become summoner, they have access to cleric's cure and status curing spells (so the spell which cured Eidolon HP is removed as summoner get anyways own cure spells). Only difference is that summoner cannot spontaneously cast cure spells and so need prepare them.

Reread this, and now I'm confused; what changes are being made to the summoner? Do summoners suddenly need to start preparing their spells despite having a "spells known" table just like the sorcerer (both being spontaneous casters)? Why do summoners have access to the cleric's Cure line of spells? Are they losing their Rejuvenate Eidolon line of spells?

[Zaer Darkwail]

Read the first page; all casters use spell point system as introduced in Unearthed Arcana. Normally in that system all casters prepare their spells (choose what spells they 'know' in given day and spend spell points cast them). However I made exception for sorcerers; they only know their spells (cannot prepare). But they get double amount of spell points to compensate this lack of flexibility.

Now, as you can be sorcerer or cleric and enter summoner advanced class, I clarified that summoners do not know spells like sorcerers do (they gain SP as if they would be wizards). To show that cleric who became summoner does not loose their role as 'healer' in party, so summoner class gets all cure spells and also spells which cure conditions and ailments (like restoration example). But they do loose Rejuvenate Eidolon line of spells.

But thanks linking the spell I realized they are touch spells :P. So summoner needs learn Reach metamagic feat or get rod to able shoot healing rays for eidolon and other people.

[Ghostwheel]

I think Pretty in Pink was meaning to go beta tester and be a Summoner straight out the bat; in that case, would they basically be spontaneous casters?

[Pretty in Pink]

What Zaer is saying is that, for those who AREN'T beta testers, that go cleric to start, in order to let them keep the 'healer' role, giving the Summoners the Cure spells at the same levels as the Cleric gets them.

[Ghostwheel]

Ahhhhhhhhh, I see, gotcha :-)

But for straight summoners (eg who were beta testers), they don't get those, right? Just making sure I understand all the details... after all, the devil often dwells in em ;-)

In other news, I do believe my character sheet is completely finished :-D

[Zaer Darkwail]

Summoner is advanced class where two classes can enter; sorcerer or cleric. You need normally be 10th level to able perform job change to advanced class.

However, betatesters can choose start in advanced class. And to clarify; every summoner gets the cure spells. Even if they start in 1st level. As they need cure spells for eidolons but they can cast cure spells on others. So they can serve as healers like clerics do (so there is no pressure for 10th level clerics to 'stay cleric' if they want to heal others).

[Zaer Darkwail]

Okay, here is the link for the game's OOC section which first page has links for IC and charsheet sections. Phef, it took longer type history and religion stuff in opening post and design you guys your first CR 1 encounter which you can run over at weekend :P. I do make occasional posts and pull random events but weekend phase is meant for bit freeform and RP'ing mostly (but there is system encounter what you can run and get first XP rewards). Weekend is meant for fun and RP while folks finish sheets or late comers jump in before game goes full steam (as weekends are sanctioned to my WoW addiction anyways :P).

The first area is tutorial one so for our folks who want play seductress or such can find a NPC who provides 'sexual' option to complete a mission (I will run it once player posts and goes search it).

[Zaer Darkwail]

*poke*

There were more folks into this and they haven't send me PM's....

[Pretty in Pink]

I'm working on it.

I'm just trying to make sure I get the backstory written up properly to qualify for Beta Tester.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Just don't spend weeks on it dear :P. I can off hand tell does it qualify or do you need write more.

*secretly fears a novel sized text slam to PM inbox*

[steelsmiter]

Alright, back from my medical leave. Hope it wasn't an inconvenience. Are there any threads up other than OOC?

[Zaer Darkwail]

There is charsheet section and IC section where are posts in already.

[Pretty in Pink]

Name: Aliya Montcalm
Gender: Female
Nationality: United States
City/Province: Peoria, Arizona
Social Status: Employed, Unmarried

Personality

Aliya's normally a very quiet and soft-spoken young woman.  This is not because she doesn't get along with people, in fact quite the opposite, in spite of her geekiness.  Yes, she got picked on growing up, but this just made her a kinder hearted individual.  She looks out for those that need it, whether because they're younger, or because they're just as nerdy as she was in school.

Along with the attention to those 'weaker' than she is, comes a natural inquisitiveness about people in general.  Whether it's people she meets in rel life, or people she's adventuring with in game, she likes to know about those closest to her, even to the point of seeming like she's prying into people's personal lives or backstories.

Background

Aliya's parents were both gamers of various games, and in fact admit that Aliya's conception was the result of an... extension of a LARP session with a group of friends that was carried on into private settings.  They introduced her to roleplaying games at an early age, taking her along to events once she was old enough to understand what was going on.  So her early childhood was spent playing this person's child or this NPCs baby sister.  She threw herself into each role with particular gusto, especially for a child her age.  This was only supplemented by the fact that her parents did everything they could to get her an exposure to theatre and the acting arts.

This continued through her school years, where she joined every single drama club and school play or production she could.  Several times she beat out other students that had better looks, that didn't look quite so nerdy, but that didn't have quite the repertoire of personality archetypes that Aliya did.  This of course led to some questions about disociative (sp?) personality disorder, but no tests were ever done, because her parents knew it was simply a part of how she had grown up early on.

Middle school is where things really began to pick up for her.  When she was in seventh grade, she started a small after-school club for gamers, and children of gamers.  Within the first three months, it turned into a regular meetup for discussion of new games and editions that were coming out, and then a large group game, revolving from week to week through Dungeons and Dragons, Exalted, White Wolf, and other such tabletop RPGs.  She carried the club through eighth grade, when she got one of the English teachers to agree to sponsor the club, so that it would remain going once she left for high school.

She and the club members in the same grade brought the club with them, at least the premise, when they all went to high school.  They spent their club meetings playing old tabletops, testing new ones, and in general working on all things gaming.  When Aliya got into playing RIFT, it added a new level, and once a month, one meeting would be devoted to all the members meeting in the computer lab and playing together.  This led them to a small LARP, or Live-Action RolePlaying, group in their community, that met once a month at the local game store to play Live Action Vampire.  She carried these interests through her graduation, and still attends the monthly meetings of the LARP group.

RIFT, however, led her into the avenue of MMORPGs.  Within a few months of graduation, she had three active accounts for MMOs, one for RIFT, one for World of Warcraft, and one for Cryptic Entertainment, which gave her access to Neverwinter Online and Star Trek Online.  However, none of these really fit her MMO desires, though Neverwinter was by far the closest.  She kept looking, and eventually whittled everything down, until she was only ever playing RIFT or Neverwinter.  SHe dabbled in others, Aion, Guild Wars 2, and other such MMOs, but it was never more than a month of trial before she abandoned them.

This went on until she found out about Dungeons and Dragons Online, the fully immersive next level MMO.  She immediately signed up as a candidate for beta testing, and was thrilled beyond belief when the equipment was delivered to her home a week later.  She did extensive work with some of the more martial classes, even suggesting several talents that should be made available to them that didn't exactly make sense at first glance, but when you looked at everything the class was capable of, they made more sense than some of the other options.  She was also one of the ones responsible for the red/yellow mark system, taking great delight in pushing the combat engine to its limits by going after anyone and everyone she could, in town and out of town.

When the game launched, however, she found she'd grown tired of the martial aspect of the game, and decided that it was time to step into the back ranks of combat, but Ranger didn't really appeal to her.  So when she received her codes for Beta Tester benefits, she settled on the Summoner, a class that had a companion of its own, but one that could grow more and more powerful as the character did, and that had multiple options for complete customization than the Ranger's pet.  She also decided that it was time to go a little different on appearance, and based her new character off a few sketches she herself had done, which also meant that other beta testers wouldn't necessarily recognize her right off.

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KRISTA STORMWRACK and KANEYOSHI

Race: Aasimar
Gender: Female
Body: Thin, lean, bright blonde hair, emerald green eyes (Identical body type and build, just minor coloration changes)
Class(es): Summoner 1