TRPG General Chat

doppelgreener

10:07

@trogdor i have two options here (possibly more): there is this lair. there is also a castle in a neighbouring country with an extraordinarily powerful presence of magic and pure evil and so on. i might already have foreshadowed and used the giant scary monster by this point, to make the players have to evade it.

should the notes be about the monster, the other castle, or both?

trogdor

that depends

do you specifically want to tie them together?

oh you do

doppelgreener

I could!

trogdor

then they probably should be about both

Saffron

@doppelgreener with an extraordinarily powerful presence of magic

You should use that to link the places

Surely, such manifestation of magic has some kind of influence over the other mistical places of the region

doppelgreener

This lair belongs to a researcher who's a member of an organisation that is theoretically a possible ally of the players' Hellsing-like organisation. (Except whilst their Hellsing organisation sees arcane stuff as an enemy to be destroyed or contained, this other organisation considers it a weapon to be wielded against dangers, or fight fire with fire so to speak.)

The other place is just plain evil and terrible.

Maybe the researcher's studied the other place for the purpose of taking it down?

Or capturing and using it.

Saffron

10:11

Or maybe the other place studied the researcher... to take it down or use it...

trogdor

or even just plain curiosity at first

BESW

Haroom. [pokes backlog]

Exciting and dramatic, eh.

Think about. Do. Seek. Avoid. Figure out.

Interact with, physically or mentally. Engage.

What is the nature of the place's atmosphere? Who or what is its defining quality?

EG: Is it a mad scientist's lab, or the lair of a powerful monster? Obviously it's both, but which defines it?

doppelgreener

@BESW Ooo. That's a good question.

Lair of a powerful monster defines it better now.

BESW

Or is there some other thing about the place which is its primary defining element?

Is its role as the place where we discover more is going on than we thought its most pervasive quality?

doppelgreener

10:29

@BESW Hrm. That is also there, through the freaking terrifying monster, the many specimens and experiments, and the thing in the lab.

BESW

If I seem to go zen on adventure design, it's because for me meditation on purpose is at the root of coherent storytelling.

doppelgreener

@BESW That is something I was missing.

BESW

In the Ruhi training course for teaching children's classes, there's a bit on storytelling that I find useful.

Ask why you're telling the story: what's the idea or point of it? In Ruhi, a story usually has some theme or moral or spiritual quality it's trying to convey. In RPGs, it might just be to make the players shiver with delicious fear.

Saffron

Amnesia !

BESW

Then identify which bits of the story are essential to successfully imparting that idea or point; these are the things which you absolutely cannot leave out or the story falls apart.

THEN you can see which bits of the story are not crucial to the point of the thing, but add flavour and interest. These bits make the story more enjoyable and engaging, butif you have less time or just forget them, they can be cut out without damaging the central structure of the piece.

So I ask you: why are they going to this place? Is it to flee a scary monster? To shiver as they see the terrible experiments? To discover that Something More Is Going On?

I don't expect you to necessarily know yet, and a good story-based adventure could easily have multiple goals.

But when you do know what the point of the place is, then you can start to identify how the players will engage with it, which is where I started: seeking, avoiding, figuring out.

doppelgreener

10:36

@BESW I want it to be to discover that Something More Is Going On.

BESW

Then your monster could be an obstacle to be Avoided while Seeking that point.

doppelgreener

at the very least, that there's bigger, meaner stuff out there, and that the arcane can get pretty freaky

Saffron

@BESW While your approach seems interesting, from experience, I've seen that going from practical ideas to theoretical concepts, then back to practical gives better results

BESW

Or it might be part of that point.

@Saffron He's already got plenty of practical ideas (see above). I'm now giving him a framework to hang them on.

Saffron

@BESW Oh I though you where starting over, my bad :(

BESW

10:38

Writing: voyage out, voyage back

Apr 12 '13 at 21:53, 2 minutes total – 6 messages, 1 user, 0 stars

Bookmarked Sep 8 '13 at 11:46 by BESW

doppelgreener

@BESW I'm going to make a spoil-lair, then splurge there. Should this stuff be moved there?

BESW

Hmm.

That, or make it a conversation and link to it.

doppelgreener

Sure!

wax eagle

11:42

@doppelgreener I don't think you get thanked enough for your editing, so Thanks!

4

doppelgreener

@waxeagle Thank you! :D

Joshua Aslan Smith

12:03

Hope world building gets more commitement

would be a nice compliment to our site

Zachiel

@doppelgreener The World!

doppelgreener

@Zachiel ZA WARUDO

Miniman

12:29

@JoshuaAslanSmith I'm tempted to commit, but I'd never use it.

Zachiel

@doppelgreener Was it Cans? homestuck spoilers

Sorry, wrong release. Now it's the right one.

doppelgreener

@Zachiel That's exactly it! :D

Zachiel

I absolutely love Andrew Hussie's writing style. "going about your business" "looks like". Or maybe I just don't know all the idioms he uses.

More than idioms, the slang.

doppelgreener

12:46

@Zachiel Writing patterns?

Zachiel

@doppelgreener that thing

BESW

13:07

@doppelgreener @trogdor My brain has not been in a "you can summarise effectively" mood lately, so maybe you guys could help finish off the summary of last week's session?

Joshua Aslan Smith

13:20

VTC on the newest question

0

Q: Spectating Games

I've always been interested in RPGs and Tabletop games, but for me, it seems really daunting/difficult to get into. I've never seen it in reality, aside from on TV/Movies and they are - let's be honest - unlikely to be realistic representations. I feel that what I really need is to actually watc...

online-resources

Ive invited the user to chat

but as it stands the question has zero requirements for what a good answer would be

BESW

He needs to discover the session-summaries tag.

Saffron

It doesn't really seems opinion based to me

It's a list question I gess

BESW

I put Too Broad.

Saffron

But I can hardly see how you can have an opinion on whether something is a roleplaying spectating resource or not

wax eagle

it's a dupe

Saffron

13:24

@BESW agreed

BESW

@waxeagle Orly?

wax eagle

16

Q: Where can I find actual play podcasts for RPGs?

I'm hoping to listen to podcasts of a variety of different games, to get some idea of what's out there to be played--but a lot of the ones I seem to find (such as The Rolemonkeys) seem to be out of date and no longer run. Where are some actual play RPG podcasts still in production?

podcast session-summaries

BESW

Ahah.

Saffron

I'm shocked, there seems to be no mention of the RPG videos of sasha grey and others of the adult industry playing a regular D&D game

Miniman

@Saffron Say what???

Joshua Aslan Smith

13:28

@saffron meh, not really important

@Miniman theres a podcast with a director and adult video stars playing D&D

Saffron

@JoshuaAslanSmith Well it's pretty hilarious imo

Miniman

@JoshuaAslanSmith That's...worrying.

Joshua Aslan Smith

right but its not about D&D so much as those people playing D&D

it obscures the issue

I would never recommend it, regardless of one's personal opinion on adult films, simply because the premise is not about D&D its about this group of people from a particular industry playing D&D

its an important distinction

Saffron

@JoshuaAslanSmith It's actually pretty damn more than that imo. It's about people that play D&D, but are not fat nerds teenagers

Joshua Aslan Smith

@saffron it is not something I would hold up to show the hobby is inclusive or different or anything

I find it highly unlikely that it would change negative stereotypes or act as a powerful tool in exposing new players to the medium

Saffron

13:33

@JoshuaAslanSmith it's something

A passive resource

A small clue that the world might go in the right way to changing its image of RPG games

Joshua Aslan Smith

At best its a net zero, at worst it adds some illegitimacy to the hobby in a small way.

Saffron

What illegibility

Same question..

Joshua Aslan Smith

there misspelled it to be a completely different word

The hobby went through some pretty bad PR in the 80s in popular culture

wax eagle

(it's probably worth mentioning that the guy who runs that podcast has a special thanks credit on 5e that was very concerning to a specific set of gamers due to his proclivities for trolling)

Saffron

Like I said, it won't change the mind of people

It just shows that it's already changing

Quite like TBBT

Joshua Aslan Smith

13:38

associating it with Porn is not going to positively influence anyone but people who are fans of porn

Saffron

People laugh of it instead of being outraged

Joshua Aslan Smith

'outraged?

Saffron

The bad legacy is people thinking that this is something that turns people into asocial satanist

Joshua Aslan Smith

So if D&D was negatively spun for being a corrupting experience how is it being played and promoted by an industry that many non-evangelicals would also consider corrupting, at least in america

Saffron

@JoshuaAslanSmith well, that's because i'm not limiting myself to america and it's reeligious community...

Most people begin to accept porn as a part of everything

Same as for RPGs

Joshua Aslan Smith

13:41

nobody goes to the book/toystore (really amazon) and says, oh that game was played by pornstars, that sounds like the perfect game for my child, nephew, niece, etc.

Saffron

@JoshuaAslanSmith Like I said, it's not about changing people

:J

But about showing that things are already changing

Joshua Aslan Smith

Im not saying this podcast "should not exist" Im saying its not a podcast I would ever, ever say hey you thinking about RPGS, watch this

Saffron

It's a symptom, not the source

KRyan

@JoshuaAslanSmith so I notice that 4e has no lucerne hammer, pretty common hammer/polearm in a lot of RPGs, while it does have spear/polarms, heavy blade/polearms, and axe/polearms. Is this intentional/would a hammer/polearm cause problems?

Joshua Aslan Smith

agree to disagree, you think its a thing, I think its not a thing

@kryan oof, yeah if it had both hammer and pole arm properties it could be OP on the right class with the right feats

Im picturing a hammer knight that now has threatening reach

KRyan

13:44

I sort of suspected so, when I saw how many things required hammer or polearm

Joshua Aslan Smith

yeah

KRyan

but it seems like heavy blades and axes, in particular, have similar levels of support

Joshua Aslan Smith

right, but Heavy blade and Axe magic items tend to not have any particularly strong items because of that feat support

particularly heavy blades

KRyan

huh, at least this Warden guide doesn't mention any hammer-only items

Joshua Aslan Smith

no bludgeoning eh?

they might not have the feats for it

So a class like fighter(knight) perfect

KRyan

13:46

well, Wardens have a lot of hammer-based feats, yes

wax eagle

was gonna way, wardens with hammers are scary

KRyan

I just mean that none of the recommended items seem to require hammers

Joshua Aslan Smith

you can make opportunity attacks 1 per enemy turn vs. per round because their opportunity attack is not an opportunity attack vs. opportunity action and the knight has a stance that slows

KRyan

(aside from, ya know, hammers)

Joshua Aslan Smith

combined with World Serpents Grasp (hit someone slowed they go prone)

yeah

KRyan

13:47

ok, fair enough

probably makes more sense for a new defender to have a shield anyway

wax eagle

@KRyan definitely. Are you going dwarvish earth warden?

Joshua Aslan Smith

I dont have a ton of experience with warden

They are quite sticky though

wax eagle

a L1 warden can actually be too sticky

KRyan

@waxeagle storm

hoping to push things, slow things, make things miserable around me

MadMAxJr

@KRyan Gently inform monsters that their parents are disappointed in their life choices, as a free action.

7

wax eagle

13:52

@KRyan so...Thor... got it

BESW

Since I'm starting my Dresden Files Accelerated Playtest this weekend, I've had the Fate room re-opened and posted a link to my playtest orientation page there, for people who wish to follow along.

Saffron

@BESW What's the topic exactly?

BESW

Hm? Topic of what?

Saffron

It's a gaming session where you test a new version of a system?

BESW

Pretty much, yes. The Dresden Files RPG was an independent RPG using the Fate engine published several years ago. Now it's being re-written for a simpler, lighter version of the Fate engine, and I'm in the playtesting group for that re-write.

@MadMAxJr Chide them on their poor hygiene and disappointing career opportunities.

MadMAxJr

14:01

@BESW "Your brother works for the dragon down on floor 13, why can't you get a job with him? It's so dangerous up there on level one and they give you such terrible weapons."

Joshua Aslan Smith

@BESW hmmm definitely going to look at that

KRyan

@MadMAxJr hahaha

it's actually a Megaman-themed game, which makes it already kind of ridiculous

so I'm definitely taking notes

BESW

@MadMAxJr "You're never going to turn a nice girl's eyestalk with your tentacles dirty like that. Look under that sucker, it's filthy! And don't get me started about the stains on your tie."

Miniman

@KRyan That dualist class is...interesting. I'd call it op if it wasn't strictly martial.

MadMAxJr

Beholder Mom, switch eye of disintegration with eye of bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

wax eagle

14:08

@MadMAxJr very nice.

BESW

@MadMAxJr Her main eye casts cone of gentle disappointment.

MadMAxJr

"As the party enters the room, you can't help but feel that bashing open the chest in the last room was a little wrong. It was rather nicely made and it belonged to someone."

BESW

"Wipe the blood off your feet before you come in, I just prestidigitated the floor this morning."

KRyan

@Miniman bah, it's actually functional and it looks overpowered

its biggest problem is actually just that like

Miniman

@KRyan Haha yeah, so many feats required to be any kind of fighter

KRyan

14:12

unless its player is paying a lot of attention and is on the ball, it can slow down the game a lot

because of all the interrupts

Miniman

@KRyan The same can be said of any class

Zachiel

Which is part of the "let's get people interested in combat when it's not their turn" ruse

MrLemon

@KRyan Seems to me that if the player is not paying attention he just doesn't get to do what his class is supposed to do.

KRyan

@MrLemon I mean more like, if they see they can and say, "Oh! Uh. Do I want to AoO..." [looks at table to figure stuff out] "...yeah, let's do that." [rolls, rolls, rolls]

BESW

[snuggles fiction-first systems]

Zachiel

14:30

@KRyan IMHO the events that provoke AoO are fewer and more recognizable than in 3.PF, making it easier to just recognize when you can do it and when it's a good idea to. Let me remark this is an opinion, not a fact.

OTOH, having powers working outside your turn usually makes combat shorter (less enemy turns)

Miniman

@Zachiel When is a free attack not a good idea?

wax eagle

@Miniman when someone else is waiting to attack you for hitting someone other than them?

Zachiel

@Miniman In 3.5e you have only one AoO per Round, as opposed to 4e's per Turn, so choosing not to use it on the first provoking opponent is a perfectly valid tactic.

Miniman

@Zachiel Fair call. @waxeagle In 3.5, who has an ability like this?

MrLemon

@Zachiel Whats the difference between Round and Turn here?

Zachiel

14:33

In 4e I'm more worried about dailies. Deciding which encounter to spend them in always triggers my analysis paralysis. That's why I like being the DM.

Miniman

@MrLemon A round is a turn each for all combatants.

MrLemon

So in 4e you get to attack every goblin running past you because they all do so in their own respective turns?

TIL :)

Zachiel

@Miniman Anyone with a melee weapon and most other people. Attacks of Opportunity have always been a thing and never stopped being one from 3.0 to 4e

@MrLemon yeah. Which often means goblins just don't. Run. Past. You.

MrLemon

At least not the ones after the second :)

Miniman

@Zachiel "when someone else is waiting to attack you for hitting someone other than them?" I was talking about this.

Zachiel

14:36

@Miniman oooh I didn't notice the second @

Miniman

@Zachiel Yeah, this sounds like a really cool trick, but I've never heard of an ability like this before 4e.

Zachiel

Opportunist feat, IIRC

and I'm not sure wax was talking about 3.PF

wax eagle

@Miniman no clue. It's a fighter class feature in 4e though (and some monsters probably get it)

@Zachiel it's safe to assume wax is never talking about 3.PF

KRyan

@Miniman defensive rebuke is the only way I know how to do that, and it's really, really limited

also, my posted dualist homebrew does it

there are lots of ways to get AoOs for someone attacking you though

Karmic Strike, Robilar's Gambit

someday I do want to make a Karmic Gambit Stormguard Warrior

Zachiel

I saw a character doing the "everything you do provokes an AoO" with a 15' threat weapon (rope dart)

Miniman

14:42

@KRyan That's a ToB maneuver, right?

MrLemon

@KRyan "Hit me, hit me, hit me! Oh, out of attacks? You dun f***ed up now!"

@Miniman it's a feat. Basically you get +4 Attack / Damage for every AoO you didn't take for one round.

MadMAxJr

"Hmm. Gimme a moment, need to think about how I'm gonna act." "That actually provokes AoO from me."

Miniman

@MrLemon Erm, what?

MrLemon

Oh, wait, wrong ToB stuff associated with question, thought you were asking about Stormguard... move along...

The correct answer to your question was: "Yes"

KRyan

@Miniman yes, Devoted Spirit 2 boost, swift action, any creature you hit this turn provokes AoOs from you if it attacks any adjacent ally this turn.

MadMAxJr

14:52

That's a neat one. So it has to stay focused on you or get punished?

KRyan

the fact that you have to hit the creature(s) you want to apply it to, and the ally needs to stay adjacent, are really limiting, but it is at least yes, a nice form of punishment for attacking a squishy ally

their iron guard's glare is better, that's a stance that just gives a +4 AC bonus to allies other than you in like 30 ft.

MadMAxJr

Allows you to park next to a more fragile class, like a caster and provide some insurance.

KRyan

meaning that, by definition, you have 4 AC less than your allies, all else being equal

goes a long way towards making you look like the more appropriate target

@MadMAxJr not really, because it's useless against anything you didn't hit last turn (so someone can just come up and get in at least one free shot before you get a turn where you can hit them with it) plus it has a cooldown so you can't keep using it

MadMAxJr

So it's niche protection and it's not even guaranteed.

KRyan

@MadMAxJr pretty much

it's really disappointing

Joshua Aslan Smith

14:57

I complained about there not being enough DW questions and lo and behold a new one appears

@kryan if you have any other 4e questions or ruminations let me know

are you playign the warden or is someone else at the table?

KRyan

@JoshuaAslanSmith I am

wax eagle

its one of my favorite classes to play

KRyan

we look to have my warden, a shaman|sentinel, a hexblade, a ranger, and a druid

the shaman|sentinel has some 4e experience I think

MadMAxJr

What role is a hexblade in 4e?

wax eagle

@MadMAxJr striker

KRyan

15:00

@waxeagle is dwarven stormheart warden with bludgeon expertise a good way to move things around and such?

MadMAxJr

Sounds like a debuff fighter.

wax eagle

@KRyan are dragon marks fair game?

KRyan

also looking to grab Sudden Roots, Crippling Crush, and World-serpent Grasp

wax eagle

@MadMAxJr nah, it's a melee warlock

KRyan

@waxeagle been meaning to ask that; Storm is the one I want, right?

wax eagle

15:01

@KRyan I personally think earth fits a dwarf a bit better, but you'll get motion easier with stormheart

(plus mark of storm)

KRyan

also considering dwarven weapon whatever that gives proficiency in craghammer and mordenkrad plus a damage bonus, but then it's a deviation from what I actually want to do

wax eagle

@KRyan that should be your L1 or 2 feat

(the other should be expertise)

KRyan

@waxeagle motion's the real goal, only went with dwarf because stuff with hammers and minor-action second wind for activating stormheart

wax eagle

yep. dwarf and warden of any stripe are a match made in aasgard

KRyan

soo... dwarven weapons (1), bludgeon expertise (2), sudden roots (4), crippling crush (6), world-serpent grasp (8) or something?

wax eagle

15:04

@KRyan yep

KRyan

oh, mark of storm if allowed

probably at 4th

wax eagle

with MoS gauge when you have enough lightning powers for it to be worth it.

KRyan

mm

does bludgeon expertise make sense to go with 1st?

feel like it does since damage isn't my primary goal

swapping weapons should be zero problem

wax eagle

yes, would go bludgeon at 1

KRyan

ok

and I want Improved Defenses at some point

?

wax eagle

15:06

@KRyan yes, you probably don't have the feats for all 3 defense feats so improved it is...can wait til paragon though if needs to

(and you don't need the free save at the beginning from superior will anyways since you get those for free with your class)

KRyan

yeah, Dexterity looks to be the NAD that would be the most likely to want the Superior version

wax eagle

yep, and Reflex already gets a bit of a patch with your shield, so it may or may not be worht it

Joshua Aslan Smith

Always go Expertise feat at lvl 1 unless you are burning your lvl 1 feat to get prof in a superior weapon

wax eagle

@JoshuaAslanSmith aye, dwarven weapon training is one of my few exceptions.

Joshua Aslan Smith

reflex is the least important defense in 4e

things that target reflex only do damage or restrict movement

wax eagle

15:10

but in this case it makes sense to grab expertise and then DWT (since weapon swaps aren't an issue)

KRyan

now what if my DM rolls the math fixes from expertise into our natural progression, so bludgeon expertise is only giving the forced-movement bonus

Joshua Aslan Smith

Vs. will which protects from dominate and fort which protects from diseases and such

wax eagle

@KRyan much less good

Zachiel

@JoshuaAslanSmith which is somewhat balanced by dex/int being needed for AC (but warden already takes care of that) and dex going on initiative

Joshua Aslan Smith

Probably still worth it if maximum push, pulls and slides is what you are going for

KRyan

15:11

@waxeagle still worth taking considering my goals, or are there better ways?

Joshua Aslan Smith

@Zachiel correct

wax eagle

@KRyan let me poke around

Joshua Aslan Smith

@zachiel thats why I love battlewise

KRyan

@waxeagle thanks

wax eagle

@KRyan not too much there for increaseing push/slide outside of that...how is your DM doing items?

Joshua Aslan Smith

15:19

are you guys doing inherent rewards? Is he just autoscaling magic items as you level?

wax eagle

mark of storm adds a slide 1 to all lightning/thunder powers, so that's a big start. Increasing it is usually the purview of items

@JoshuaAslanSmith I think he's just doing expertise for free

Joshua Aslan Smith

No I got that

IM asking in addition to that houserule anything else going down?

wax eagle

gotcha

KRyan

15:31

@waxeagle don't know

wax eagle

staggering weapon is handy :)

Joshua Aslan Smith

I feel like Tainted wounds is a feat someone in the party (preferably a striker) should have

big help against all kinds of solos and weird monsters

wax eagle

@JoshuaAslanSmith I have a drink question/discussion care to pop into the not-a-bar?

wax eagle

15:55

another day, another repcap

KRyan

@waxeagle nice

MadMAxJr

16:37

In today's session of Cubicles and Careers, I have rolled a 17 on my diplomacy to discuss and inform the sandwich shop two blocks over on how to battle the security desk and page me.

wax eagle

@MadMAxJr very nice, so you get delivery instead of having to walk and wait?

MadMAxJr

@waxeagle Jimmy Johns. They deliver almost anywhere. Even to somewhat ambiguous instructions.

Joshua Aslan Smith

I used to be that person during my 3 years of underemployment

I hope you tip 10% at least on delivery

wax eagle

@MadMAxJr aye, they deliver here too. I tend to just wander over though

MadMAxJr

While they are only two blocks away, I am deathly afraid of the insane drivers here in the metro area.

Crosswalks appear to be a recommendation.

wax eagle

16:41

yikes

Joshua Aslan Smith

@MadMAxJr the death stare is a good way to cut that out

MadMAxJr

@JoshuaAslanSmith $2 on a $6 order seems fair

I'm used to living and working in rural areas. These metro people are an alien culture to me.

Joshua Aslan Smith

Whenever I cross an intersection with someone rolling to me I engage in long, unblinking eye contact until Ive left

@MadMAxJr more than enough

A lot of people dont tip delivery drivers which sucks because often they are paid less than shop workers on the assumption they will be making tips

MadMAxJr

The weather is ungodly humid and on/off rain too. Oh, he wasn't a driver. He was a foot runner.

Joshua Aslan Smith

Ive delivered on bike in a blizzard and gotten tips that were like 25 or 45 cents on an 8 dollar order (just rounding out to the next dollar)

gotcha

yeah they do bike and on foot depends on whats happening

@MadMAxJr serious though, deathstare

MadMAxJr

16:44

Stare cars into submission?

Joshua Aslan Smith

also carry a physical sporting object like a baseball bat, whack the hood of anyone who almost hits you

wax eagle

@MadMAxJr usually works

Joshua Aslan Smith

yeah it works so long as they arent on a cellphone

its a psychological challenge

MadMAxJr

making a note... Roll intimidate vs. cars..

Joshua Aslan Smith

Its very difficult for most people to make dangerous moves toward a face looking at them

MadMAxJr

16:45

Pretty sure city busses get +10 to the DC.

wax eagle

I grew up in the country, but have been a city boy for the past 14 or so years. Even though I live in the sticks, spend more than half my time in a downtown area now

Joshua Aslan Smith

busses should be avoided

wax eagle

much harder to make eye contact with bus drivers

Joshua Aslan Smith

they really tend to slow roll through stop signs or run red lights

the bus driver believes he has right of way

so let him

MadMAxJr

The bus has too high a CR to challenge directly, got it.

Joshua Aslan Smith

16:48

haha

correct you can't make attacks directly against the attack

you'd have to defy danger

MadMAxJr

I may have to form a party if we actually go to the place.

One of my coworkers is a native, I'm sure he has Knowledge: Local.

Another has religious affiliations, that might help us get past the homeless shelter undisturbed.

Joshua Aslan Smith

ah lol

Thats not a save its an effect

MadMAxJr

And the last one is a manager, I'm sure that would help with party cohesion and bill management.

Joshua Aslan Smith

nothing helps with that

MadMAxJr

As for gear, I have a literal bag of holding. thinkgeek.com/product/1a1d/?srp=21

Joshua Aslan Smith

16:57

nobody can seem to process itemsCost + localTaxrate(itemsCost) * tipVariable[0.10, 0.15, 0.20] = Amount due round up

you can even do the math and show them and they will still balk

MadMAxJr

Jimmy John's website actually has the option to tip by percent instead of by dollar.

wax eagle

square's app does as well

Joshua Aslan Smith

best part about being a married couple is being able to ask for a separate check every time without social issues

grubhub, which I use, has a tip percent quick click for 10 15 and 20 and that autofills a tip amount comment box which you can then change as you see fit

MadMAxJr

Well of course, all party expenses have to be fairly split up.

wax eagle

we always try to over tip a bit when we're out with people, so because you never know how everyone else tips...

MadMAxJr

16:59

Though it seems several people take that feat where if you order a cookie, they get half the cookie..

Joshua Aslan Smith

I have had a few friends in college who actively did not factor tax in, to the point that pools would come up short and Id be like, hey you know you owe a few bucks of tax and your tip amount comes on afterward right?

MadMAxJr

"Nah bro, I paid my taxes in January."

Joshua Aslan Smith

I check the total vs what I know to be the correct tip amount, berate someone for tippling low and if they still dont change it then I make up for it and socially ostracise them

wax eagle

@JoshuaAslanSmith sales tax throws people regularly. It's been around forever, and people still can't wrap their heads around it

Joshua Aslan Smith

Having worked in bars and restaurants for 3 years its a deal breaker for me going out with someone

MadMAxJr

17:01

But whatever you do, do not set out ten dollars in singles on the counter and wish your server good luck in playing tonight's game.

Joshua Aslan Smith

if you cannot or will not tip 18 percent at a bar or restaurant I will never go anywhere with you ever because your black mark will stain me as well

wax eagle

@MadMAxJr oh god no.

Joshua Aslan Smith

@MadMAxJr what?

Im probably imagining something worse than it is

MadMAxJr

@JoshuaAslanSmith Dated reference to 'Third Rock from the Sun'

Joshua Aslan Smith

ah, yeah, was not old enough to really watch that at the time it was on

MadMAxJr

17:03

He sets out a stack of bills on the table and informs the server for every thing he likes, a dollar goes on the stack. For every thing he did not like, a dollar was removed from the stack. GOOD LUCK ON TONIGHTS GAME.

Lord_Gareth

Kneel before hypno-pinkie

MadMAxJr

How to get universally hated by servers.

@Lord_Gareth Please, please go find a copy of Ponyfinder, and start telling us about how unbalanced it is.

And yes, that's a published thing.

Joshua Aslan Smith

I had a friend do a joke where he puts the customer's copy with 0 tip on top of the restaurant copy which has the appropriate tip, he thought it was great, he did that while visiting a bar I was working at while I was working

I almost kicked him out

Lord_Gareth

@MadMAxJr Dude, @Metool runs a game of it

Joshua Aslan Smith

he had zero concept of busy bar + manager override to cancel and rerun a transaction

MadMAxJr

17:05

@Lord_Gareth Can you start setting the internet on fire from your corner? I'll start over here.

Lord_Gareth

@MadMAxJr Eh, can it really be that much worse than Pathfinder already is?

MadMAxJr

@Lord_Gareth Depends on if the party is actively breaking out into song.

Joshua Aslan Smith

right, mechanically probably about the same, but socially?

MadMAxJr

Also, we are /not/ killing the Lich with friendship. No.

4

Lord_Gareth

@MadMAxJr @MadMAxJr - Affinity Field and the new Shared Surge PrC feature suggests that we are killing the lich with friendship. Psychic friendship

user61230

17:09

@MadMAxJr Permission to tweet your quotes out of context?

MadMAxJr

@Emrakul ... Okay

@Lord_Gareth Reading that as, "With absolute magical domination, we can FORCE the lich to be friends! YAYYYY."

As the lich sits down on his throne of decayed god bones, and lifts up the jeweled skull goblet of his favorite minion to join them for tea.

wax eagle

sigh my XKCD book is taking 5 days to get 33 miles :(

Lord_Gareth

@MadMAxJr The actual version is even better - "With magical power we can erase the barriers between our minds and beat this lich to death with the combined might of our sheer friendship"

MadMAxJr

And talking about ponies has made Cards Against Humanity set 5 come out. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.

wax eagle

@MadMAxJr wife already ordered and on it's way

her words were "shut up and take my money"

MadMAxJr

17:15

Love their order form. "I'm done? Now what?" Button that says go outside. Links to a local google map of parks.

wax eagle

lol yeah, I think she went through amazon to avoid the shipping charges

MadMAxJr

Yeah, it's a bit excessive, but I'm okay with throwing money at them.

wax eagle

truth.

MadMAxJr

@Lord_Gareth Deep down, on some level, I know the ponies are the true terror.

wax eagle

@MadMAxJr did you do their Holiday BS this past year?

MadMAxJr

17:18

@waxeagle Got my card with my name printed on it, yes.

wax eagle

very nice! they were printing custom cards at PAX this year, looked really cool from my vantage point of twitter

Lord_Gareth

@MadMAxJr I dunno, this pun comes pretty close - "A Roman soldier walks into a bar and orders a martinus. "Don't you mean a martini?" the bartender suggests. The soldier gives him a dirty look. "If I wanted a double I would have ordered one." "

MadMAxJr

Regardless, I will be forced to read that tome at some point to have a basis for further complaints.

Completely baseless, biased complaints.

Lord_Gareth

@MadMAxJr Were you here yesterday when we got informed of the RPG that attempted - and succeeded - being worse than FATAL?

Joshua Aslan Smith

lol

yeah I also have a card with my name on it

MadMAxJr

17:28

@Lord_Gareth I flipped through part of the log, but I try not to get entrenched too deeply in the torch and pitchfork stuff.

And then I flipped back to the /start/ of the log and saw I'm coming up on four years-ish of the chat space, with some gaps here and there.

I'm not sure you get worse than Fatal, where offensive game mechanics are the order of the day.

Lord_Gareth

@MadMAxJr Its name is Racial Holy War, and I honestly cannot quote its mechanics without violating the rules of the Stack Chat.

MadMAxJr

I'm sure if White Wolf gets Tumblr: The Injustice into print, it'll be in the running.

Joshua Aslan Smith

haha

Writing: voyage out, voyage back

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