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Ghill
2009-06-13, 10:14 PM
Okay, I have a bunch of random rule questions. I am starting a new group and they brought some things to my attention.

1) Do wood elves have +2 str, +2 dex, -2 int, -2 con? The rules say that all features are in addition to the basic elf stats, and in all other cases it is explicitly state that the stat modifiers replace the normal elf modifiers except for the wood elf.

2) Are thunder stones one use or reusable?

and most importantly...
3) What do you do if the party kills of one of the members (the rogue) shortly into the adventure?

Olo Demonsbane
2009-06-13, 10:23 PM
Okay, I have a bunch of random rule questions. I am starting a new group and they brought some things to my attention.

1) Do wood elves have +2 str, +2 dex, -2 int, -2 con? The rules say that all features are in addition to the basic elf stats, and in all other cases it is explicitly state that the stat modifiers replace the normal elf modifiers except for the wood elf.

I think so...thats how I have been playing it anyway :smalltongue:


2) Are thunder stones one use or reusable?

One use.


and most importantly...
3) What do you do if the party kills of one of the members (the rogue) shortly into the adventure?

Tell the "NO PVP" right before they start.

SSGoW
2009-06-13, 10:23 PM
1) yes its in addition

2) i would say 1 time use kinda like a fire cracker

3) ask them why and then determine if you will allow PvP. if you dont then tell them not to do it again if they continue to kill him without good reason then you have an out of game problem most likely that needs to be settled

Curmudgeon
2009-06-13, 10:28 PM
Elf Traits (Ex)

Elves possess the following racial traits. +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution.
Favored Class: Wizard.

Wood Elf Traits (Ex)

These traits are in addition to the high elf traits, except where noted. +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence.
Favored Class: Ranger. This trait replaces the high elf’s favored class.
1) So it's +2 DEX -2 CON +2 STR -2 INT, because these traits all add up. The favored class, however, is a replacement.

2) One use.

3) Anything you want. It's a role-playing game. If you're the DM, a murder should have significant consequences. Typically that means that, if found out, all the rest of the party should be hunted down by sheriffs and bounty hunters until they're all locked up or dead themselves. They might get off when brought before a Magistrate, but in the Medieval setting that D&D represents trials were held mostly to determine the severity of sentence; guilt was assumed, and over 95% of all cases ended up in conviction.

Devils_Advocate
2009-06-14, 02:03 PM
Would you care to share their reasons for killing the Rogue? An important question is whether the players had good in-character reason for their behavior, or whether they were just being jerks.

Their alignments might change, depending on what they are and how (or whether) they were provoked. They might get in trouble for it if anyone finds out. If no one finds out, then they obviously won't get in trouble for it.

Give the player with the dead character an opportunity to introduce a new character at a point where the party could realistically meet a new member. Don't force it. Until they get a chance to recruit a new member, being down a man is the penalty they pay for not being able to resolve their differences peacefully.


the Medieval setting that D&D represents
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Seriously, NO. I wouldn't recommend using the real world's physics, much less its history, to decide how things work in the game. It's a fantasy world, not a simulation of things from the real world. It works how you want it to, reality be damned.

However, it's probably best to fill players in on any changes to basic assumptions about how the world works. E.g. If they're playing characters in a world where it's common knowledge that a slain villain could be raised from the dead, the players should know that. Something shouldn't be a surprise to them if it wouldn't be a surprise to their characters.

Lord Sidereal
2009-06-14, 02:14 PM
With regards to 3.

Literally years ago now, I was DMing a group (back when I played D&D). Halfway through a dungeon crawl the barbarian decided to coup de grace the wizard while he slept. This caused problems. Normally with PvP killings I just have the offending player hunted down and, rather than killed, stripped of all his wordly goods and cast out of the city. The rest of the party could then choose to shun him (in which case s/he has to roll a character, with a worse level penalty than the murdered character) or accept him back (in which case, at high level, he faced being constantly frustrated by a lack of items, material, clothes etc.). However, how would anyone ever know that the barbarian had killed the wizard (in the game world)? I thought about asking one of the other players to have their character tell the local law enforcement but 1) the wizard player was somewhat unpopular, whilst the barbarian was cool both ingame and out besides this bizzare murder 2) they were level 12, and it'd take pretty hefty law enforcement to take him down. I didn't want him slaughtering the law enforcement of a city that formed the nexus of our game world. So what did I do? Firstly, I told the offending player in private that PvP always should be passed by me, and that I'd stop him playing, or make him play a underpowered player if he did it again. Secondly I let the killed player reroll a character with a cheeky gp bonus to make up for the coup de grace. Thirdly, at first chance, I had the barbarian character hit with a homebrew spell akin to what is now The Mark of Justice which meant he could only kill those who tried to kill him. Given the wizard was the only decent spellcaster in the party, it was unlikely he'd be able to get rid of it anytime soon.

Devils_Advocate
2009-06-14, 02:35 PM
As a general rule, PvP is a problem if and when the people around the table have a problem with it. If everyone's cool with it, it's pretty much fine. But if it bothers somebody, well, that's problematic.

That should probably go without saying, but I figured I'd say it anyway, just in case.