Dungeons & Dragons... Discuss!

[Songbird]

Hi everyone! I've been a huge Dungeons & Dragons nerd for years, and I thought it would be fun to discuss it with some like-minded dungeon-delvers.

So what is you favorite race, class, alignment, setting, monster, Edition, deity, fiend, etc? What was you favorite D&D encounter? Tell us a little about your character(s) and their development. Have you invented any original settings, spells, monsters, gods, races, etc? Basically, talk nerdy to me.

As for myself, my favorite races to play are human, elf, and half-elf, though I also enjoy playing the occasional tiefling or succubus. My favorite classes are bard and cleric, though I have dabbled in sorcery more than once. I'd like to explore a wizard character sometime, as I have never played that class before. My alignment is almost always Neutral Good. I've tried playing other alignments, but for some reason I always slide back to Neutral Good. The only exception is when I've played a succubus, in which case I am usually Chaotic Neutral. All of the wantonness without so much evil. I like playing characters who are of generally evil races but are not themselves evil, such as good tieflings and drow. I like to create original settings, most of them based on the default Greyhawk setting, or on mythology. As far as pre-constructed settings, I enjoy Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Oriental Adventures, and Kingdoms of Kalamar.

I am a devourer of Monster Manuals and bestiaries, and there is no way I could pick just one monster as my favorite. Perhaps my favorite monster categories are Undead, Demons, Devils, Celestials, and good magical beasts. I love it when someone can create an undead creature that is unique and interesting. I started playing D&D with the 3rd Edition, branching into 3.5 Edition. I have a few 2nd Edition supplements for inspiration, but I have never actually played by 2nd Edition rules. I'll say here and now that I dislike 4th Edition intensely, and I refuse to buy any more WOTC products until they fix what they broke. I could go on all night, but I'll restrain myself for length's sake. My favorite deity is easy: Pelor, Pelor, Pelor! Who wouldn't love a golden-bearded deity who can heal the sick and kick some major evil backside? I like Pelor because he is human enough to relate to, yet perfect enough to be worthy of worship. I have a hard time picking a favorite deity from the Faerunian Pantheon, as they all seem a little too human and flawed to me. Pelor outshines them all! As far as mythological gods are concerned, my favorite Norse gods are Odin and Thor, and my favorite Greek gods are Athena and Hades. Hades isn't evil, he's just misunderstood.

As for favorite fiends?... Graz'zt, definitely Graz'zt. Ooooo, just imagine what that dark-skinned, thoroughly, sexily evil being can do with those extra fingers... Mmmmmm...

I won't go into my characters right now, but lately I've been trying to create a fiend based on the "demon of the night" featured in M.R. James' short story "Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book." I've also been trying to invent unusual lich phylacteries which player characters would never suspect, such as the doorknob to an unlocked broom closet.

Phew! Well I think I've thoroughly nerdified this topic, so come on, fellow fans! Talk nerdy to me!

[WindVoyager]

I am  a DM, been on since 2 ed

My fav setting is Ravenloft, homebrew and Spelljammer though Spelljammer needs some major rule rewriting.

I have no real favorite when it comes to monsters but I tend to lean on the undead and golems because golems come in such a wide variety and are creatures made by obsession. My fav undead is one I made, the Tommy Knocker. Its basically a set of mismatched clothing that is animated by a vengeful hateful spirit of some one who died in a horrible manner and they are only active at night. They got their name, the Tommy Knocker or Peeping Tom due to them peering into windows at night and knocking on doors.

As a rule they can not enter a dwelling unless invited so they will either tick the occupants to opening the door and letting them in or they will haunt the occupants tirelessly night after night. While they are easy to kill they will simply come back if not buried in hollowed ground

Alignment, I prefer Lawful evil and Chaotic good.

Edition, 3rd and 3.5, no love at all for 4th

Class, I seem to like the Druid the best. Even though its a pretty nerfed class and I am planing on making one of my older PC's into one but I will have to do some work to keep her from being over powered and unbalanced

I have my own homebrew world. Its, well...odd. Its a planet that is a giant ark so to speak. At its core is sleeping ancient god that dreamed the world into existing and pulled many species from other words that have now long gone extinct so we have things like dinosaurs and primitive dragons.

There are some basic fantasy races, wild elves, humans, half elves, lizard folk and antrho races.

[Songbird]

You gotta love Ravenloft! I really like your Tommy Knocker idea because it's such an original kind of undead. Good work!

I'm glad we agree about 4th Edition. I'll be so happy once the 5th Edition comes out. I've heard rumors that it is much better.

Your homebrew world sounds awesome! I like the idea of the sleeping god at its center. I wonder what would happen if he ever woke up!

[WindVoyager]

I don't think it ever will wake up, seems to be a pretty permanent thing.

I had one Tommy Knocker chase my group of PC's around, harassing them since they 'feed' off fear and negative emotions. It cornered them in an old peat cutters cottage. They piled all manner of furniture and everything against the door while it wondered around outside banging on the windows and door, gave them a good scare.

Im not touching 5th. Im sticking with 3\3.5.

[Songbird]

I don't think it ever will wake up, seems to be a pretty permanent thing.

I had one Tommy Knocker chase my group of PC's around, harassing them since they 'feed' off fear and negative emotions. It cornered them in an old peat cutters cottage. They piled all manner of furniture and everything against the door while it wondered around outside banging on the windows and door, gave them a good scare.

Im not touching 5th. Im sticking with 3\3.5.

There's nothing like giving PCs a good fright, is there? Whenever you can make them say "What the @#$% was that!?" it's been a good session.

I'm going to at least look over 5th Edition to see if I like it. If not, I'll stick with 3/3.5.

[Callie Del Noire]

I have 'wait and see' about DnDNext. Wizards killed the Forgotten Realms for me. I think the draining of the Inner Sea or blowing up Thay did it. I enjoyed all version up to 4th edition from the first red box on. I do a couple weekly things of Pathfinder these days and enjoy that.

I wish I hadn't lost the drive with all my setting notes, as I was having fun with that.  Raven loft or 2nd/3rd edition Realms were my favorite settings though.

[Songbird]

I hope WoTC puts more effort into the Ravenloft setting. That stand-alone Ravenloft adventure they published was awful! I love what Sword & Sorcery did with the setting, though.

[Callie Del Noire]

There was a big ole box set for 2nd editon.. (and 3rd I think) for Ravenloft.. I did my own realm for a bit.. involving a HUGE mage who was half spider and half skin stealer.. you never knew if the person you were talking to was the person they claimed to be or her (or one of her minions) wearing that person's skin.

One of her nastier items was a 'skin' she'd stick people into.. literally changing them into someone they disliked..and over time the memories, and thoughts of that person would leak in. You'd run into all sorts of folks who thought (or were) someone else before slowly going insane from the magic skin's memories.

And her method of attacking (and her 'aide de camps') was to poison a person..then suck their constitution out .. leaving behind an empty skin she'd enchant...

Or just leave behind to show she had killed that person.

[Falstaff]

Well Birdy, as promised, I will post some stuff here to discuss with you.

There are so many characters I have run in to and played.  Falstaff, definitely one of the favorites.  He was raised an orphan at a monastery of Heironeous.  Raised to be a Paladin of the same.  Grew to be big and strong, about 7 feet tall and maxed in strength and speed as well.  He was strikingly handsome with auburn hair and blue eyes.  He always did protect the smaller and weaker people around him.  Constantly questioned himself internally as to why he was truly following this path.  Never totally comfortable with all the rules.  He really enjoyed saving the maidens and collecting his "reward" 
Always gave him a reason to go back to church and all that 

He never found an equal in battle and searched in every adventure to find one...but never met an equal.  He faced Iuz after finishing the Temple of Elemental Evil and survived a Finger of Death from the same.  Only made his ego rise higher.  His name preceded him everywhere he went.

I could tell you of his adventures, but there are so many.  You already know of his later adventures, where he finds out he is the son of Heironeous and also finds and falls in love with Fierna.  Capturing her heart and helping her flee the Nine Hells to be together in Greyhawk.  That was a long tale as well and you got the summary of that.

Maybe I will post little things of each character now and then just to keep throwing stuff at you 

That's it for now.  Will do more another time.
Fals

[Songbird]

Well Birdy, as promised, I will post some stuff here to discuss with you.

There are so many characters I have run in to and played.  Falstaff, definitely one of the favorites.  He was raised an orphan at a monastery of Heironeous.  Raised to be a Paladin of the same.  Grew to be big and strong, about 7 feet tall and maxed in strength and speed as well.  He was strikingly handsome with auburn hair and blue eyes.  He always did protect the smaller and weaker people around him.  Constantly questioned himself internally as to why he was truly following this path.  Never totally comfortable with all the rules.  He really enjoyed saving the maidens and collecting his "reward" 
Always gave him a reason to go back to church and all that 

He never found an equal in battle and searched in every adventure to find one...but never met an equal.  He faced Iuz after finishing the Temple of Elemental Evil and survived a Finger of Death from the same.  Only made his ego rise higher.  His name preceded him everywhere he went.

I could tell you of his adventures, but there are so many.  You already know of his later adventures, where he finds out he is the son of Heironeous and also finds and falls in love with Fierna.  Capturing her heart and helping her flee the Nine Hells to be together in Greyhawk.  That was a long tale as well and you got the summary of that.

Maybe I will post little things of each character now and then just to keep throwing stuff at you 

That's it for now.  Will do more another time.
Fals

I love hearing about Falstaff's adventures! A man so manly he could convert a devil! He makes Chuck Norris sound like a wimp!

Do you have any other characters who you've enjoyed playing? I think I remember you mentioning a drow or half-drow?

[Falstaff]

Actually Birdy, I have played both of those races.  But I did mention a female drow priestess of Eilistraee.  Named Friel (Free Elf), a name given to her once she returned to the surface.  She went on to become a legend as well.

She also has so many adventures, it would take a long time to tell them...

[Slywyn]

I've always wanted to play DnD but I've never really been able to. All the groups in high school were always full, and I'm way too shy in person to actually do any roleplaying if I did go.

I'm the type of person who didn't dance at prom.

I'm trying to find places to play it online(like, play the tabletop but instead of actually having to be there in person you use some sort of program to simulate it) but I haven't had much luck yet.

[Falstaff]

Well Slywyn, this is just about the same thing here.  You can do an RP with one person or more...just create a character and either start a RP yourself or join one.

I have a few going on right now  that are all based on this type of fantasy realm.  Have you found anyone to play with yet?

[Songbird]

Actually Birdy, I have played both of those races.  But I did mention a female drow priestess of Eilistraee.  Named Friel (Free Elf), a name given to her once she returned to the surface.  She went on to become a legend as well.

She also has so many adventures, it would take a long time to tell them...

I'd love to hear about her sometime, but I'll let you off the hook for now.

I heard something about Eilistraee sacrificing herself so that the good-aligned drow could return to their former pre-cursed forms. Is that true?

[Slywyn]

No. But at the same time I want to actually play DnD when I do play. If sex happens I want it to be like... an afterthought. Or something that happens after buildup. (Not saying you just want to have sex or anything, but you know) Not be the basis of a story.

I tried playing a group DnD game here on E a while back but it was just too much hassle to deal with. I think it took a week just for us to get into the first turn.

[Falstaff]

BIRDY:
Well, the stories as I know them were she was tricked in to assisting the elven gods (her family) against Corellon (her father) and the other good elven deities.

When she figured this out, she turned on the dark side (so to speak) and helped end the war.  So Corellon (her father) won and remained the elven god ruler.  Her mother (who became known as Lolth) was cast down with the other evil gods and banished.  They became the drow.  Corellon pardoned Eilistraee, but she refused the pardon.  She said she would take the same punishment and be cast below, so that the "drow" would have a god to turn to and assist them with returning to the surface/light.

SLYWYN:
You could play in the Non-Adult threads, which are all PG-13, thus avoiding blatant sex and still be allowed to develop relationships, kiss, hug and (using the terms I was given by the powers that be here on E) fade to black on sex scenes.  Yes it can take a while to get going, but I am finding that the first post takes the longest and then the rest just keep going as fast as you can reply to them.  I would recommend you play with just one person, that way you don't have to wait around for other people to post, just you and a "partner" as they call them here.

Right now, I am in a story/RP with Birdy here.  Took a while to go, but now I feel it will move right along.  It is PG-13 as well.

[Slywyn]

Playing DnD doesn't really seem like it'd be fun with one person though. Seems like it's made to be a group game.

[Falstaff]

That's just it, you can add as many NPC's (Non-Player Characters) as you want to fill out the rest of the group.
Really it is only limited by the story writers.  One or both of you could run a couple characters or more, if you are good at it.

[Songbird]

BIRDY:
Well, the stories as I know them were she was tricked in to assisting the elven gods (her family) against Corellon (her father) and the other good elven deities.

When she figured this out, she turned on the dark side (so to speak) and helped end the war.  So Corellon (her father) won and remained the elven god ruler.  Her mother (who became known as Lolth) was cast down with the other evil gods and banished.  They became the drow.  Corellon pardoned Eilistraee, but she refused the pardon.  She said she would take the same punishment and be cast below, so that the "drow" would have a god to turn to and assist them with returning to the surface/light.

Oh, I know that part of the story, but I heard that in the 4th Edition Forgotten Realms, Eilistraee was given the opportunity to sacrifice herself to allow those good-aligned drow who wished to return to the surface the opportunity to return to their original form (elves with dark [not obsidian-black] skin, who are not harmed by sunlight.) She did so, and the good-aligned drow were transformed and re-accepted by Corellon Larethian. Whether or not they were welcomed by the surface elves, I'm not sure of.

[Falstaff]

Yes, there is a version where she allows herself to be slain in battle by one of the evil drow deities.  She was beheaded as a sacrifice.

But, I mentioned (a long time ago) that after reviewing 4th edition...we tossed it out...didn't care for almost anything in that edition.

[Slywyn]

That's just it, you can add as many NPC's (Non-Player Characters) as you want to fill out the rest of the group.
Really it is only limited by the story writers.  One or both of you could run a couple characters or more, if you are good at it.

I dislike playing more than one character though. =( I like to focus on the one and play them to the best of my ability. Playing more than one for me is just... I dunno. It's difficult.

[Falstaff]

Well, it takes experience to do it.  So find someone that can handle playing more than one character...I can do this if you like.
It would take me some time to talk to you and see what type of campaign you wish to do and set up a "mini" module or short story.  this way you could see if you like it.

Just a suggestion.  I could set a background and give you circumstances...then you could use your character to react to the circumstances and I would handle the others...

But I did also do tabletop for many years, started when I was 9 years old.  It is a lot of fun. 

No pressure though, don't feel obligated to do anything.  You can just hang in threads as well and talk to people, lots of interesting ones on E.

[Sasquatch421]

Well Birdy, as promised, I will post some stuff here to discuss with you.

There are so many characters I have run in to and played.  Falstaff, definitely one of the favorites.  He was raised an orphan at a monastery of Heironeous.  Raised to be a Paladin of the same.  Grew to be big and strong, about 7 feet tall and maxed in strength and speed as well.  He was strikingly handsome with auburn hair and blue eyes.  He always did protect the smaller and weaker people around him.  Constantly questioned himself internally as to why he was truly following this path.  Never totally comfortable with all the rules.  He really enjoyed saving the maidens and collecting his "reward" 
Always gave him a reason to go back to church and all that 

He never found an equal in battle and searched in every adventure to find one...but never met an equal.  He faced Iuz after finishing the Temple of Elemental Evil and survived a Finger of Death from the same.  Only made his ego rise higher.  His name preceded him everywhere he went.

I could tell you of his adventures, but there are so many.  You already know of his later adventures, where he finds out he is the son of Heironeous and also finds and falls in love with Fierna.  Capturing her heart and helping her flee the Nine Hells to be together in Greyhawk.  That was a long tale as well and you got the summary of that.

Maybe I will post little things of each character now and then just to keep throwing stuff at you 

That's it for now.  Will do more another time.
Fals

In a way he reminds me of Lu Bu from Romance of the Three Kingdoms... Which reminds me I need to finish reading that so I can order the second book...

But back on topic.... For a favorite race, I've always favored more beastial races where a stand alone individual could shake off the binding of his race and become something more. Of those I've always loved Minotaurs and Half-Dragons second.... Spell wise I got into more after my brother gave me his copy of the Elemental Evil book a lot of good evil spells in that book that I've used for my one character. He was an elven necromancer that had some levels as a monk due to the fact that a monk had got snowed into my character's tower for a winter. As for alignment I never payed much attention to.. I've never been good at choosing, so I just play my character how I see him and the DM has to tell me what I've been playing. I do stay away from Lawful Good though, I like money way to much to turn down awards...

I have always been partial to Mystra as a deity although I do love Lolth as well for some reason. Classwise I thought that the Warden class fit my Minotaur best....

Realmwise I like Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms... The only Greyhawk I've looked at was the Jusitcar books from Paul Kidd and I found them hilarious, but I do like weird parties.... I mean the Justicar with a sentient hellhound pelt, his apprentice, an adventurer who ends up being reincarnated into a talking badger, a sphinx who just happens to be in love with the apprentice and a fairy that has been banned from how many dimensions for wearing way to skimpy of clothing and has a lich staff and a wand that cocks like a shotgun....

[Slywyn]

Well, it takes experience to do it.  So find someone that can handle playing more than one character...I can do this if you like.
It would take me some time to talk to you and see what type of campaign you wish to do and set up a "mini" module or short story.  this way you could see if you like it.

Just a suggestion.  I could set a background and give you circumstances...then you could use your character to react to the circumstances and I would handle the others...

But I did also do tabletop for many years, started when I was 9 years old.  It is a lot of fun. 

No pressure though, don't feel obligated to do anything.  You can just hang in threads as well and talk to people, lots of interesting ones on E.

I know. I've been here for a while. Like... I dunno. I'd have to look at my join date. Maybe a year and a half? maybe more. I don't remember anymore.

If you would want to do that, if we could actually play DnD, I'd be okay with that. Maybe get one more person. I've always imagined, like... two or three, plus the DM, would be the perfect amount for a PbP story if everyone posted fairly often.

But yeah. If you want, I could do that.

[Songbird]

Yes, there is a version where she allows herself to be slain in battle by one of the evil drow deities.  She was beheaded as a sacrifice.

But, I mentioned (a long time ago) that after reviewing 4th edition...we tossed it out...didn't care for almost anything in that edition.

I can't blame you at all. 4th Edition and I don't get along for a whole catalog of reasons. But the Neutral Good-love-everyone adventurer in me likes the idea of good drow being forgiven.