Creating Player Characters and Non Player Characters

There is nothing I like better than creating a (Player) character (PC) for games. The way I go about it is to be unique with each one or fall back to a version of previously played PC...

I ran Fighter, thieves and clerics mostly for many adventures with an occasional Magic User....

There is always something to said for trying new things
Each PC I create, I tried to find something different that I have never done before. From a hint of insanity to
a personal quirk. I am not big on back stories or spending time on details because the PC could get killed in the first part of the game.  AD&D and other Role playing games are meant to be spontaneous. The PC should be driven by their actions and experiences while playing, not some elaborate back story

• I have 2 Favorite Characters that I have run for many years, they are retired to the life of an NPC now
• Cassiodania, a Female Assassin
• Tornal, the Druid

Cassi likes to pretend she is a fighter, carries 2 swords and 6 daggers
One is a short sword of Speed, the other is a life stealing blade
Of course she is proficient at killing and very cunning.

It is very tough to play a female in a game dominates by men, but there usually was another guy playing a female in our group. It made for some really intense roll playing while bartering with the other female for a Jewel she acquired that I wanted.

Tornal is very quiet, he has ambition and sets goals and will not let anything get in his way.
He carries a Spear (Gungir) given to him from the Gods because he protected a temple from destruction and made an incredible roll to win a boon
------------------------------------

Some Examples of concepts

• I have played a fighter who was full of bravado that he got the party in all sorts of trouble
• Priest who would take every chance to challenge you to convert to his God.. gung ho to the point of being distracted from the goal they are on.
• Wizard who wanted to fight, but knew his limits... 
• Thief who felt the adventure was a waste if he did not collect something from everyone
• A Paladin with a hint of insanity named Hamlet
• A Priest of Dionysus who is quiet until he has an idea.... In a dungeon, the thief had failed to pick the lock, one of the PCs ask "Is there anyone good at opening doors?" So my Priest goes "I am good at opening doors." I proceed to the door and tell the DM in great detail that I am pouring oil oil over the door (the party is discussing something else as I am doin this... I walk back to them and ask for a torch, then announce "I am lighting the door on fire with the torch"... then the entire party goes "NOOOOOOO !! do not do that" the DM informs that it is done because I had said plainly what I was doing... (ahhhh, good times)

When I play, I can be everything from the party Leader, to the one directing the action with subtle hints.  I always try to bring my A game... 

At Conventions when playing, I look at the Pre generated sheet if there is one and try to see what my objectives are.. Without a pre generated, I spend the first 10 minutes asking what people look like, what I can use and how I can direct them. 

For instance, In a game, we went into a tent with a fairy circle, the party consisted of a Paladin, Mage, Theif, 2 Fighters, Cleric and a Ranger. I knew from earlier in the game that one of the players was using magic to change their appearance... In this case, a Drow Elf masquerading as a Human... As he went to examine the fairy circle, I kicked him into the circle where all the magic was dropped... this led to a great fight between the Paladin and the Drow... 


There are many ways to prep for being a character in a game... For example, I love to play TOON.. my primary character is a rabbit, Benjamin B. Bunny... His Idol is Bugs... He has a set of exploding dice as his primary gag... before a game, he list what the other players are and then sets up running gags to mess with other players... 

For instance, if you are playing a seas urchin, he may try to make a sea salad out of you... pulling a blender from the bag of many things and fast talking you to hop in with the mayonnaise and other seasoning... then there are other running gags and double takes......

My Advice:

1. Dig deep, be unique
2. Find something that makes the character stand out
3. Don't be afraid to try it
4. Don't Dream It, BE IT !!!!!

New Purchases

Update on items purchased recently (over the last 3 months)

4 Sets of 10 Sided                                                              1 Set Ankh Dice

Set of books - Paid $16

2 Sets paid 5.99 each

bought 3 others but this is the one I like best

Arctic Camo D6, matches a set of dice I own, waiting on a set of D10s to match these

and three other copies of 1st edition books... 

Currently, I think I am done buying dice, there is one more set I want, but it may have to wait. ... unless the price is cheap. 

Game Flow, mechanics vs realism

OK, AD&D 1st edition suffers from some basic drawbacks in the mechanics.

The Mechanics are what makes the game, I have my players make the least of amount of rolls possible. They mostly will roll only for things that directly affect them

Here are some of the way I make the mechanics work for Game Flow...

• Encumbrance
• This is the most misused and least understood rule as well as ignored rule.
• Simply, if you as a person could not carry it, your character cannot, If you think your character can, then you need to prove it. 
• Reasonable Encumbrance is used as not to waste time during game... 
• Weapon Speed
• Throw this one out, this works in 2nd edition where you use a D10 for initiative, but never worked in 1st Edition where you use a D6 and all things happen at the same time. 
• If your strength is 18/75, you can wield a Two Handed Sword as fast as the thief with a 14 Strength and a short sword
• Casting Time
• For the most part, any casting time longer than 3 segments happen at the end of the round and any longer than 7 Segments happen the beginning of the next round if they win initiative. 
• Ability Checks
• This rule is not clear in 1st Edition and many people use a D20 and you roll under the ability
• I Prefer using D6 and rolling under the ability. 
• When required (basic ability checks are automatically successful)
• 4D6, Roll under the ability
• Example
• Attempting to run across a log over a ravine while chasing someone would require a dexterity check of  4D6 (possible 5D6 if wearing plate mail) with a Dexterity of 15, the roll is made (13 is the total) and the action continues.... A failed roll would not mean that the Player character falls (Unless he rolls all 6's) but possible was not quick enough over the log. By the same logic, all 1's would enable the PC to make up significant ground 
• Critical Hits
• For Critical hits, I try to add a bit of realism with a Lucky Shot
• On a Roll of 20, I have them Reroll 
• 1-5, Normal Damage
• 6-10, Max Damage
• 11-15, Double Damage
• 15-19, Triple Damage
• 20, Instant Kill
• Same apply for Players, but 20 equals Zero HPs
• On a Roll of 1
• 1, Weopon Broke, dropped, Lost 
• Bow String Broke
• Sword, save vs crushing blow, automatically dropped out of reach for the next 2 rounds
• Dagger, dropped or missing if thrown
• 2-10 Dropped, one round
• 11-19, Lose attack for the round
• 20, Normal

A long time ago when I first began Dungeon Mastering, I read an article in Dragon Magazine that changed how I approached my passion... 

This is from Dragon Magazine #52

It is my belief that the game should be absolutely portable first. with a minimal of "House Rules" if it takes more than 2 minutes to do any rules clarification, then I am not interested in playing

From The Dungeon Master's Guide, 1st Edition

“It is the spirit of the game, not the letter of the rules, which is important.Never hold to the letter written, nor allow some barracks room lawyer to force quotations from the rule book upon you, if it goes against the obvious intent of the game.... You are creator and final arbiter. 
By ordering things as they should be, the game as a whole first, your campaign next, and your participants thereafter, you will be playing ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS as it was meant to be.”

All About The Dice !! My Addiction

As anyone who plays Role playing games knows, it is all about the dice. 

(My Original Sets of Dice)

Updated picture 

When I first started playing and then running games, I always loved the dice, I love the way a new set feels and select dice that appeal to me. I am addicted to buying dice... I have bought 2 sets of one dice simply because it was cool and forgot I had that set.  My latest purchases have been sets that I wanted or additions to sets that I own. 

Buying dice started out at some conventions I went to and ran games at, we would get some vouchers for running games, and I pretty much spent most of my vouchers on Dice... so I would rotate the dice I was using... One of the reasons for so many dice is that I can always pull out a pair that no one at the table is using and minimize my chances for losing dice... I have also given away more sets then I can remember, simeply because I always buy a few really cheap sets. 

Most board games are played with a Standard 6 sided Die or a Pair of  6 sided Dice

The Number of sides of a dice can vary in Roll playing games from 4 sided, 6 sided, 8 Sided, 10 sided, 12 sided, 20 sided and Percentile dice (100) 

In Role playing games, depending on the system, you can use any combination of Dice or all the dice. There are many Specialty dice that can be purchased. 

You can find all sorts of odd dice, like a 30 Sided (I have no need for one) or any game specific type 

I can tell if a Die is not weighted correctly simply by feeling it... I don't know if the material were cheap but I recently bought a set that will never be used because the weight is wrong

4 Dice, 3 Manufacturers, made in 3 different decades, all the same size.... 4 witnesses that verified the first time I weighed them

 

Glow in the Dark Dice... I had to have them... Love the way they change from Purple to Green glow

      

My New Foam dice                                The Playschool dice

The dice collection only my large Foam are in a bag, I prefer empty Peanut butter jars

Ever feel the need to throw a 100 HD Fireball ? 

#RPGaDAY All Posts

#RPGaDay Posts to my Twitter Account -  PASoccerdad

1 #RPGaDAY D&D The Blue book Who knew that bell charts and dice role aggregates would help with learning and critical thinking-Life Changing
#RPGaDAY.... D&D... best edit ever

2 - #RPGaDAY - First RPG Gamemastered - D&D, worst dungeon ever... I sucked, luckily my friends really did not notice, I got better

3 - #RPGaDAY First RPG Purchased - Dungeons and Dragons and Dice... read and memorized cover to cover in one day

4 -#RPGaDAY Last RPG Purchase - AD&D 1st edition Monster Manual from Ebay....Role Playing game legendary book !!!!

5 #Rpgaday. most old school RPG owned--
Dungeons and Dragons and TOON-the role playing game

6 #RPGaDAY Favorite RPG never get to play. tough one but I have to go with TOON, The Role playing Game. Chutzpah baby

7 #RPGaDAY. Most intellectual role paying game owned; Dangerous Journeys.Took a lot to make the character.,but is an amazing system

8  #RPGaDAY Fav Character 1st Ed. Female Assassin over 10 yrs. claimed 2 b fighter-an Orc was a Cure light wounds #Grandmotherofassassins

9  #RPGaDAY favorite dice set..large play school dice and from dice that I can throw at players

10 #RPGaDAY...favorite tie in novel.,My approach - novel that inspired a game. DREAM PARK One of the most inspiring and instructional for a DM

Aug 11

#RPGaDAY Weirdest Role playing game Owned - not sure, but I think playing a toon may be the one... not that far off the path though

12 #RPGaDAY. Old role playing game I still pay/read.,being old school, D&D...Vampire, the masquerade,., I do read toon

13 #RPGaDAY Most memorable character death: I was the DM, one player took out another player by creating a tornado and dropped him 2000 feet

14  #RPGaDAY Best convention purchase: having 2 figures painted for me. And DICE, lots of dice

15  #RPGaDay - Fav Con game Dances with Donuts, TOON. ended with table dancing through the con while eating donuts -more https://www.ts/10202748613298010 …

16 #rpgaday.. Game I Wish I owned...Original Call of Chtuthl...

17 #RPGaDAY-funniest game you played in- Dances with Donuts...TOON - enough said

18 #RPGaDAY - favorite game system...AD&D 1st edition of course

19 #RPGaDAY Fav published adventure- Sabre River.. More for the way the DM ran the game...

20 (Never Tweeted) Will Still Play in 20 Years time - AD&D, If I can put together a good core group

21#RPGaDAY-Fav licensed RPG., Dream Park,loved that each game could mix or use different genres.. Easy system to play

22 #RPGaDAY-Best secondhand purchase - near perfect copy of Fiend Folio from eBay for $8.00,including shipping

23 #RPGaDay. Getting caught up..collect looking product - Top Secret box set..

24 #RPGaDAY..Most complicated RPG owned, Dangerous Journeys...truly freaking awesome game

25 #RPGaDAY..Fav RPG that no one wants to play - DC Heroes

26 #RPGaDAY coolest character sheet... AD&D with the honor box for OA

27 #RPGaDAY..game you would like to see a new edition... Dream Park

28 #RPGaday scariest game ever played - Call of Cthulhul first edition literally scared the hell out of me - Scott Castrol was the GM'

29 #RPGaDAY. Most memorable encounter - Toon, My Rabbit made lots of copies (rabbits multiply). and all of them dropped exploding dice at once

#RPGaDAY. The exploding dice took out a sky scraper floor by floor, have to admit, I did not for see this mayhem

30 #RPGaDAY Rarest RPG owned - Dream Park, only because the company no longer exists.. I also have a copy of the original Gods Demigods ...

31  #RPGaDAY  Fav RPG of all Time - Silly Question, has and always will           

                                                  ADVANCED DUNGEONS 

                                                        AND DRAGONS

Things That Influenced Me

Here are things that had an impact on my life... These 

are in no way listed in order of their importance. 

Books 

1. Dream Park, Larry Niven and Stephen Barnes 
2. Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit
3. The Bible 
4. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons - Dungeon Masters Guide 
5. How to Eat Fried Grasshoppers ( We read this in my second grade class and I am unable to find this book anywhere)
6. Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80's (Gonzo Papers) by Hunter S. Thompson 
7. No One here gets out alive, Jim Morrison Biography
8. The Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy (all of the books)
9. The Adventures of Samurai Cat 
10. Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey
11. The Sleeping Dragon (Gaurdians of the Flame Series)

Movies:

1. Beastmaster (bad film, good breasts, hey I was young when I first saw it)
2. Casablanca, I tend to model my characters on the characters in this film
3. The Sword and the Sorcerer, FN everyone had a character named Talon at one point
4. Krull - Horrible film, cool weapon
5. Say Anything
6. Anything featuring Ray Harryhousen 
1. The Golden Voyage of Sinbad                     
2. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad 
3. Jason and the Argonauts 
7. Willow
8. Dragonslayer
9. Robin Hood (Errol Flynn)
10. Excalibur

Television

Keep in Mind that I grew up when we had only 1 or 2 tv's no DVR or DVD... we gathered around the TV at night and watched as a Family

1. Animainiacs
2. Happy Days
3. Battlestar Galactica 
4. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century 
5. Quark
6. BJ and the Bear
7. Dukes of Hazzard
8. Looney toons
9. X-Files
10. Mork and Mindy
11. Soap

Music

1. Jethro Tull
2. Queen
3. Kiss
4. Talking Heads
5. Adam and the Ants
6. The Wolfe Tones
7. U2
8. Led Zepplin

Early Convention Years

In 1992 we started attending conventions.  I enjoy playing as much as I like being the gamemaster

The First convention I attended was Defcon 3 in New Brunswick, NJ on April 24-26, 1992
It was run by Pete Boton and Shirley
They were assisted by Tanya and Andy and Shaun and several other people

I Ran 2 games (4 time slots) and did not stay on site at the hotel
        One of the games was "Entrance To Classari" and the other game I ran was Maidens of the Dessert .... during Saturday, I somehow managed to lock my keys in the car (all my materials were in the car) and had to get a ride home to get my spare. This messed up my times for running my games on Saturday... I met so many gamers at the con and many of whom I gamed with outside the con after it ended. So everyone voted on best payer, best Game master and some other categories. I ended up Winning Best Game Master and I guess I kinda shocked everyone by giving a speech thanking everyone...

Entrance to Classari  - Rescue a Sword of power from an underground Orc stronghold, for characters Level 5-7

Maidens Of the Dessert - Set off to explore an Ancient land in the middle of a Dessert, Levels 8-11

We made DefCon our Home convention as it was the most local, then we started staying at the Hotel, assisting with Running the con as best we could. We also Hosted a Saturday Night Party in our room that was unbelievable at every con... people would ask about the parties all night...





After the party Saturday night, we walked the halls at about 5:00 AM, shouting "Bring Out your Dead!!"
and usually clanging on empty ice bins or whatever else we had.

Defcon 4:

Maidens of the Forest - searching for a Missing Druid who is to become the next Grand Druid

I think this is where I premiered So you think you have an Attitude !! - The followers of the Dwarven God of Attitude and Drink have been summoned to go on a quest.

I also started the Arena of Chaos as a build your best character and  defeat everyone else slugfest. We had 4 board going for this game and 38 players at 7 PM on Saturday. We provided a 25 Dollar gift card, and numerous other prizes (Such as a plastic sword for the First Killed and prizes for the top 5)
I had my core group providing 8 DM's for this ... We ran this for 3 Cons...

I got to play in a early Sunday morning game (I never schedule one, but my friend Tanya Schector was running it)... The game was about characters getting transported to a Renaissance Festival in modern day Sterling forest.... I brought along my Paladin, Hamlet (Things did not go well for him) but for me and the other player next to me, we were having a great time.... Seems Tanya setup the table and got me to play for a reason....  There was a girl (20 or so years old) playing in the game with a low cut top and for every die roll, she would get up and lean over the table to roll the dice... Tanya had her do A LOT of extra rolling...


Defcon 5

So You Think You Have an Attititude, Too !!!

I could not come up with a good plot / hook for my next Maidens (Maidens of the Tundra) so I shelved that

By this time we we were running TOON!  games and all sorts of other games... Dream Park, the Novel and later the RPG influenced my games... and I wanted to create a game within a game so I created "The Quest for the Gate Between Worlds"... based on a book. This is the first time at a con that I used pregenerated character and had to create an additional character that was not in the book.

I have only used Pregens when absolutely needed for the game... when I needed to provide a large background for a game I was running or based on my groups campaign (Port Greybar)

I think I was able to Play in Steve Karstensen's Toon game "Dances with Donuts"
Background: Shaun Nelson (RIP) loved donuts and whenever we got together we got donuts and Shaun had his own Donut Dance music...
 - Steve (who is brilliant) ran a fantastic game... he took everything from the past conventions and Tooned it just right.





Defcon 6- 8

To be honest, I do not remember what I ran at the remaining defcons so I will do my best to stay in order

Toon Games
Daytoona Beach - Toon game, very well received.
Pizzatoon - Delivering Pizzas to an RPG convention
Toon, A Love Story - Delivering the groom to the Wedding

AD&D Games

AAAHHH - To Say anything about this would be just wrong... This is one of my masterpieces

The Epic Saga of Port Greybar - This was based off my long running campaign featuring the most Epic Monster ever in AD&D - The Curhre

The Shadow Mother game, brings all the aspiring guild master assassins together to find and destroy the grandmother of assassins

The Return Of the Griffin, The fulfillment of an ancient treaty must be completed