The Gaming Den

I'm curious as to whether there's any official sources that can detail how well the RPG market is doing these days, including stuff like competition, sales, market shares, etc.

Isn't it presumptuous to assume that people fudging the dice are lazy and uncreative? The times I've fudged something I've actually thought about the alternative, and came to the conclusion that it would be less memorable/fun.[br][br]For instance, there was this one monster that rolled a natural 1 o...

I'm beginning to wonder about this. You assume the CR system works on a 50% success rate for duals, basically. But haven't the designers worked at it differently, where (EL X+4 takes on EL X with 25% loss of resources)? I don't believe they ever actually did much playtesting on that style, but stuck...

Hmm, how to modify the classes to sit around the benchmark so that players can stay level-appropriate in relation to monsters. I woud think that this would actually be lower than a single-classed transmuter.

From what I've heard, Frank & K wrote their material using a single-classed transmuter wizard as the benchmark for all additional classes. Have there been any other attempts at creating variant classes that use a different benchmark?

Ever hear of men having "small penis syndrome" when they carry around large guns, drive expensive sports cars, etc? Attributing an NPC with "generous endowments" is an acknowledgement that they're just plain better than you, as such references stems from the fact our hobby is a m...

Let me see if I'm understanding your idea, Frank. There might be a viable balancing point if wizards were only slightly behind a fighter, and could cast a handful of spells per day, where each spell was on the order of color spray in effect?

And what is Heroics?

One method is to just give the fighter bigger and better numbers.[br][br]Attacks per round, the monk technically has the fighter beat, but their individual damage is noticeably less than the 2HF unless they give up the extra ttacks.[br][br]Weapon damage, the fighter does very well, except that iconi...

Hmm...perchance grant a domain (ability and all) and the ability to cast each spell on the list once per day (still need to pay for components), whether or not you're a caster (CL = BAB for access and effects based on CL)?

1183182530[/unixtime]][br]...From then on, you may cast this spell as a sorcerer of a caster level equal level to your BaB, without any arcane spell failure... [br][br]Ah, but I did say that, I just forgot to readjust the second paragraph from the original draft. It's intended that you still use al...

I specifically mentioned that you cast the spell as a sorcerer of equal level, not as a spell-like ability, so components are still required.

I'm going to try and post this on the WotC boards to see what they think of it as well, just because I'm a loon.[br][br][br] Arcane Training (General) [br] Benefits: You gain a +1 bonus to all saves against spells and spell-like effects. Spellcraft is a class skill for you character.[br][br][br] War...

Many incarnations of FUDGE have those skills like "observation" and "fighting" default to something like Poor, while the stuff like "surgery" and "hacking" default to Nil, which means even getting to the common default level requires buying Terrible & Poor...

Don't forget, that isn't a hard and fast rule for any particular FUDGE game. Heck, that problem of 'sword' versus 'magic' skill is something you see in the vast majority of systems out there, but at least FUDGE doesn't assume to work a certain way so you can make it not be like this. You could run i...

Oh, and there's the other problem with FUDGE, not really much of a common ground in which to discuss things. For instance, your mention of the dynamic between fighter/caster is hard to understand unless you speak of a specific ruleset within FATE or FUDGE. I can attempt to respond to it though, but ...

From what you speak of, Rapanui, that might be the largest flaw (were there to be one) in the FUDGE engine. When you have a system that's either vague or free-form in design, it places the blame of an unenjoyable gaming experience (or even imbalance) onto the shoulders of the gamers themselves.[br][...

This is a system I found to be fairly enjoyable at its core, since I can tinker with the very rules itself. Technically, it's not a whole system, but a barebones task resolution system.[br][br]The FUDGE book gives you a laundry list of how to design a system, though most everyone gravitates towards ...

The scoundrel starts out able to do something, like every other first level scoundrel; unless you're saying anyone who tries to play a scoundrel is doomed for failure from the start.[br][br]I ask you to think of something, since you seem quite able to consider something useless you must be capable o...

And you seem pretty confident that once one person sees you, a hive mind activates and all are as aware of you as if you jumped out in your birthday suit...[br][br]I'm fascinated to see how your little Jedi is throwing two Force Stuns in a single round, when each use is a standard action. Unless you...

You say using Sneak is unreliable and useless, but your actual points are along the lines of "because you can't auto-succeed". Even then, Stealth is NOT 'highly unreliable/conditional'. Brightly lit, free of debris zones with only one or two entrances are going to be more abnormal than the...

My points were to show you how Stealth works, so that you were informed as far as the rules are concerned. Once combat begins, you just fight normally, or you start using feint (fewer checks, more efficient) if you're gung-ho about that extra condition track.[br][br]I repeat, the difference between ...

I never said I expected the ability to use Stealth to make you god, but last I checked, Stealth was an expected ability for the rogue type. You seem to be changing the argument from "you can't make rogues because sneak attack sucks" to "if you have stealth your arms fall off". By...

Until the mid-1800s, all of the stories out there didn't make a difference between magic and psionics, because it was all magic. Even then, fantasy stories had the magic people do it on a plot level you can't really replicate in a game anyway, so they aren't the best sources for your game.[br][br]If...

So now these corridors in cities are completely clear of ALL debris, no boxes, or even extra corridors or alcoves? I don't recall even the movies having any battle down a perfectly cleared and clean hallway with only a door at each end and nothing else. I checked the force power Mind Trick, and it's...