template schmemplate!

In reply to Iskander (msg # 205):

See now when we joined we were told to stick to the templates, combine race, class, or henchmen templates as desired, but to stick to them nonetheless. So I'm not sure what your attitude about the templates is for, they were written by the same people who wrote the system we're using and I'd think they know what they're talking about when they write up a template.

they do, they do.. but they're like riding your bike with training wheels and about 100 feet of chain attached to it, so all you can do is ride back and forth in front of your house.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:03, Thu 17 May 2018.

In reply to Iskander (msg # 207):

Not really a good analogy at all. The templates are highly optimized DF adventurers. So to make your analogy accurate the templates are like the standard Tour de France bike. They are amazing for what they are built for, minor tweaks are still possible to fit the individual, and major modifications tend to give a lackluster result.

his analogy might work if you were trying to put a DF template into a standard fantasy game though.

following a template is like building a bike from scratch with using the instructions, in the end you get what was advertised.

sure you can build something else with the parts if you want but then you aren't getting a bike and won't be able to enter the bike race.

In this analogy Iskander is using parts from a few different boxes to build his bike... and he still is allowed to enter the race, which is for him an off-road triathlon.


You guys all built tour de france bikes and will need to desperately avoid any triathlon events, sticking purely to tour de courses.


No judgements.  I suspect it was that way for you guys because gwythaint's schedule is a lot tighter now than it was 2 years ago when I joined (and Iskander and the Silver Jade crew were right after me).  It's just easier to approve characters and design adventures when they are made according to template.


Of my characters?  Jareth would straight up die on one of your adventures, 125 point Sage/Agent?  Not for the high combat lifestyle.  Jednesa would rock out on one of your adventures, she's even more highly optimized to do what y'all do.  But she has some glaring flaws, which I felt were necessary to bring her back down to "DF" starting character levels.  Ulo was very close to being a pure Troll Wizard, so very close... so she'd have been fine on one of your missions, but honestly was built to be "city compatible", so she'd be a little underweight for pure Dungeon Bashes (but does okay in Dungeon Diplomacy events).  I didn't build Stenet, he's a straight up Holy Warrior.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:31, Thu 17 May 2018.

yeah, i'm grandfathered in. xD

Oh yeah? well, I'm the only true youxia, in this wuxia thread, boy-o.

Yes, okay.  I was built with templates, but the Elder Spawn template is 70 points, and being a wizard soaks up most of the rest -- and leaves a lot of options for what you optimize for.  I did take down two dragon men with lightning (one bolt each) recently (including surviving one's breath weapon without dropping my lightning).

I cast in all four elements (weak in Water, though), Movement, and a little Light/Darkness; I'm not bulletproof (though arrows don't hurt me the way they do you), but I do okay for a caster.  And I'm not sure about Chye's definition of youxia excluding me...

Mario is only 125 points, strongly optimized as an archer.  Draw from quiver, nock, draw, and fire all in one round, with the bow's Acc, so one non-wild shot per second, good enough to shoot vitals with great confidence at reasonable underground ranges.  Can also hold his own with a quarterstaff, and pick a lock when needed.

Ardenas is a Martial Artist, but built down to take a Wizard lens.  Movement College only, not really much of a caster, but when you really, really need to move quietly, Levitation is the trick.  Lockmaster comes handy from time to time, too, and then there's Wallwalker.  Power Blow is a disappointment, however, didn't read it carefully enough when building (10 rounds of concentration to use it without penalty?!).  Walking without leaving tracks is cool, but not very useful in DF so far.  Same for Immovable Stance (knockback resistance), on both counts.

Humans aren't built with templates, and this game was just GURPS before DF. It did have a DF like slant though; none of my characters was built from a template ( some I inherited from those being left behind by game droppers were), although some ideas and tweaks were copied from them. I find the fun to play, even with their foibles, which is the goal, No?

Most of the Templates provide a cookie cutter feel and aren't so much fun to play IMHO.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:05, Thu 17 May 2018.

in the occupational and classical sense. lol

Power Blow (before getting it up around skill 23+) is primarily of use in bashing doors/chests and lifting heavy things (stuck gates).

That's all Jednesa has it for.  The first door we can't open easily is taking a ST 60 hit from her Axe/Mace...

In reply to Jednesa (msg # 216):

ST 60...how will the axe take it?

In reply to Christine Bjorn (msg # 217):

Plutocrat Romulus was not referring to what is possibly the most useless piece of Hograths kit, perchance?

Balanced Silver coated brass knuckles, $70, 0.25 lbs

Ironwood haft?

And yes, Hograth, he might well have been.  For me (martial artist), it's a fairly easy way to be able to harm things that require silver or magic to harm.

On the head.  :P



Actually, hadn't given any thought to whether or not the big iron wedge can take that hit or not...   hmmm...

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 219):

Logically, whacking something with an effective ST of 60 should require some pretty special materials...but not sure if Nessa thought that far ahead! It is not her strong point...

We can see when we retrieve her maul...from deep inside the vat!

gwythaint, I know you like to allow in everything including the kitchen sink... but I have to advise you just say no to Artillery Spells.

http://www.warehouse23.com/products/SJG37-0154

In reply to Jareth Mooncalled (msg # 222):

To players or bad guys?

Oh players of course.  I'd never recommend limiting his villainy.

In reply to Jareth Mooncalled (msg # 224):

Just bought it, waiting on print. I will decide, but if it is in use, expect long ranfpge attacks before anyone learns them.

Sorry.  I've been ill the last few weeks... as such my post rate has suffered*.  Hopefully (as I'm [now] shedding this sinus infection) it should pick back up.



* For instance I've completely forgotten I'm running Stenet.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:35, Mon 21 May 2018.

Oh, and the story Jareth is referencing, Morag the Immortal:  https://www.oglaf.com/morag/

Warning, while that particular page is Work Safe, most of Oglaf is not.

(There are more stories containing Morag on Oglaf... I can point those out if you wish, or you can just read them yourself, but they are more difficult to track down (Oglaf is a bit of a grab bag with short stories))

By my calculations a cask 2.5 yards wide by 6 yards high has a volume of 90,026,334.527616
cm3.  This should place it's weight at (roughly) 198,058 lbs (if it were pure water which is close enough to wine to satisfy me).

So... it's beyond being able to be pushed over...  (unless my math is wrong, which there is a very good chance it is)

In reply to Jareth Mooncalled (msg # 227):

Be on tomorrow.  Am fond of Oglaf.

The vats are not meant to be moved, and while no loger full of wine, they have a sludge of concentrated vinegar that is about a foot and a half deep by 4 yards in diameter.