Why Frank's Tomes Have Not Caught On (In Some Circles)

[Yahzi]

Same here - Frank's writing is hilarious and brilliant. I haven't actually played a D&D game in years, but I come here to read Frank's stuff, because it describes a weird and wonderful world that sounds like a lot of fun.

[Koumei]

Yes, but not substantially so - the game starts at level 15 (he likes high/Epic level games as much as I hate low level games), and I have 7 Outsider HD and 8 Conduit levels, so I'm only down by 2 (and for Danger Sense, immunity to rogues is one of the first abilities on the list).

[Judging__Eagle]

Well, then that DM will notice something.

The best abilities from each feat won't come into play for people that didn't get +16 BaB. Which is saying something.

Since the final abilities are made of awesome.

[ArtD]

The colorful language in the Tomes just makes them more fun to read.

I don't personally use the classes in the Tomes because we keep things simple and only use the 3 main books. If the fighter is too weak, I prefer to just give him a more powerful sword instead of changing the whole class around and making the game even more complicated.

The setting ideas and advice in the Tome is great though.

[RandomCasualty]

1196823842[/unixtime]]
I don't personally use the classes in the Tomes because we keep things simple and only use the 3 main books. If the fighter is too weak, I prefer to just give him a more powerful sword instead of changing the whole class around and making the game even more complicated.

Yeah, my average players just aren't tactically crafty enough to warrant using the tomes, and they'd actually imbalance the game, because people could play fighters and barbarians well, but I've still got wizards tossing magic missiles, scorching rays and fireballs as staple tactics.

Your players really have to be at an expert level of play before the tomes actually make sense. Most players I've seen really aren't that good.

[Koumei]

Actually, it depends, I think. If the players know their tactics, as well as what spells are good, then it's desirable to use these classes. However if they're not very good but don't want to play a caster anyway, then some of these (Barbarian springs to mind) are ideal. They'll make a joke out of "Magic Missile, yay!" wizards, sure, but if no-one is playing one of those, it works just fine.

[cthulhu]

Sorta. The wizard with fireball can easily be replaced by the fire mage http://bb.bbboy.net/thegamingden-viewth ... &postnum=0 who's much more punchy and still has that 'point and click adventure game' feel, except the only puzzle is 'use fire on man'



some of the RoW classes are total no brainers, and I reckon you could have a great game with Rogues, Barbarians, Fire mages and Marshalls.

Hell, you could probably use the standard book versions of Rogues, Barbarians, Fire mages and Marshalls tbh.

[Koumei]

1196903871[/unixtime]]the only puzzle is 'use fire on man'

I love that puzzle.

[Captain_Bleach]

1196550645[/unixtime]]He doesn't disrespect anyone that I have seen, he calls people on their shit.

1165262344[/unixtime]]If you weren't kidding about the paladin spells, I will kill your family. Paladin Spells are a joke. They are lower level than real spells and Wisdom is a Paladin dump stat, so the Save DCs are laughable.

This is not disrespectful at all! I am shocked and amazed at Frank's sense of Internet etiquette!

[CalibronXXX]

Shut. Up. Anyone who spends a week or two here quickly finds that this place is a den, not only of gaming, but of dark and/or acerbic humor where such statements are not to be taken seriously. We are all adults here with at least moderately thick skins, shit can be said and relationships, such as they are, will not burst into flames.

Lighten up, srsly.

[Captain_Bleach]

I didn't know that before.

[CalibronXXX]

before...now?

[Captain_Bleach]

No, before I took you guys seriously.

[Voss]

1196910946[/unixtime]]No, before I took you guys seriously.

So you take folks seriously... now?

[Captain_Bleach]

1196915361[/unixtime]]

1196910946[/unixtime]]No, before I took you guys seriously.

So you take folks seriously... now?

I mis-phrased that. I don't take any of you seriously.

[Koumei]

You mean "Before, when I took you guys seriously", right?

[SunTzuWarmaster]

I've been called out a few times here in order to not come back for a bit, but then my skin thickened. It is an unusual process when the older, lighter skin flakes to the top of the new skin and hardens, giving a Natural Armor bonus. The flip side of the coin now is that you have to know what you are talking about in order to say something, otherwise you get torn to shreds. This is a good thing, but requires a level of adjustment.

Seriously though, the tomes are fun to read. The smattering of colloquialisms, and quotes at the beginning of sections really make it a light read. Also, the sheer amount of IDEAS presented in the Tomes is astounding. I can read a Tome and see a good phrase like "planar assassins" and immediately start running with it. The planar assassins protect the inter-planar interests of the demon/devil/angel trade route, and serve their master in order to eliminate potential threats to the long-standing Gates. As such, they are given a number of free Plane Shift spells/day (item?), Immunity to various Planar effects, (other things?), and always have at least one Samurai/Ninja/Fighter/Assassin/Rogue and at least one Cleric/Wizard/Conduit.....

You see a simple phrases like the ones F+K use all of the time, and the ideas just start flowing. Seriously, last campaign we used a Hell scenario of "Fill out forms in order to scry the True Name of your captured friend such that you can speak it three times so he can escape under the nose of the Iron Golem that is guarding him" and it was awesome. And they threw a similar idea down as a side note to a section. The raw source of ideas is just astounding, and it builds extremely original campaigns.

[Captain_Bleach]

Alright, so in order to truly appreciate Frank's material and this message board, one must have thick skin. Too bad not all gamers are that way.
But Frank is going to say what he says without trying so soften it up for more sensitive types. Just like Doctor House.

[CalibronXXX]

Is it odd that I find it annoying that Frank is consistently compared to House when it's been established that Frank is a joyful, fun person to be around IRL, while the character House is most definitely not? Just wondering if it's strange that I care enough to be annoyed.

[tzor]

We could compare him to that other doctor.

Ah but which one? I'll go for number 6.

"I am the Doctor, whether you like it or not."

The Sixth Doctor was an unpredictable and somewhat petulant egotist, whose garish, multicoloured attire reflected his volatile personality. He was both portentous and eloquent — even for any Doctor, of whom he saw himself as the finest incarnation yet — and his unpredictability was made even wilder by his mood swings, manic behaviour, bombastic outbursts and glib, unflappable wit.

[Captain_Bleach]

1196973919[/unixtime]]Is it odd that I find it annoying that Frank is consistently compared to House when it's been established that Frank is a joyful, fun person to be around IRL, while the character House is most definitely not? Just wondering if it's strange that I care enough to be annoyed.

The way it appears on the message boards is different; he appears much more cynical and moody; I can only judge by what I read of his writing style.

[CalibronXXX]

As in "5 out of 6 doctors recommend"?

[Leress]

1196975080[/unixtime]]As in "5 out of 6 doctors recommend"?

Well more like Doctor Who.

[the_taken]

Hmmm... Predicting a quote: "God fvcking dammit, Jim! I'm a doctor not a game designer! Write the rules yourself! I've got surgery in ten..."

[CalibronXXX]

Didn't realize there're six incarnations of Doctor Who.