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View Full Version : You have $1,000 and a portal that leads to the DnD world, what do you do?



Randel
2009-11-19, 09:49 PM
Okay, imagine that one day you are walking along and you find a shimmering portal, beyond it you see flashes of images of classic DnD monsters and lands before it settles on a priestess in the middle of a village square holding a scroll and you hear these words in your head.

"Heros, we need your help.
Zombies coming in four days.
If you can help, prepare and enter within 24 hours.
Only you can enter portal."

You also notice that the strange message consisted of exactly 25 words for some reason.

So:

1. You have 24 hours to prepare to take the trip if you so desire.

2. You have about $1000 in cash immediately on hand that you can spend (though you can use things you already own without buying them).

3. The portal is one-way and you can only go through it once.

4. you can take one animal through the portal with you. But no other person.

5. You can ride a mount... either a horse, a bicycle, a moped, or any other one-man motor vehicle.

6. You can pretty much carry however much stuff you want as long as you can carry it in one go without killing your spine or trashing your 'mount'.

7. After visiting the Giantitp forums, you find that four other players have found strange portals like it and are willing to work with you.


Also... once you enter the DnD world then you are effectively a lvl 1 Human Expert (or commoner) but you can level up by gaining XP and can multiclass into pretty much whatever class you can think of. The people around you have no idea what you mean by XP and don't know the rulebooks.



So, what would you do?

deuxhero
2009-11-19, 09:52 PM
Stay away. Easiest $1000 I've ever made.

Faleldir
2009-11-19, 09:52 PM
If one of those four allies is a priest, will he get any spells?

chuzzum
2009-11-19, 10:00 PM
Go to a pet store, buy as many rats as $1,000 will allow, a cage to carry them, a wagon or something to put the cage on, and the most humane rat trap I can find.

Go through the portal and kill rats until I run out. Use all my XP to level as a wizard. After that... ???

infinitypanda
2009-11-19, 10:02 PM
Start a very lucrative pole selling business. All I need is one ladder, and the rest is easy.

aje8
2009-11-19, 10:07 PM
Well.... the animal of choice is clearly a Riding Dog as they're statistically insane in the DnD world. In fact, a riding dog (I guess big dog you train when you get there?) can take any CR-1 encounter. With the help of my trusty companion(READ: He does all the work), I'll kill a random monster.

Now I'm an Expert 1/Wizard 1.

Sweet.

I'll bring my laptop and some sorta hand-crank battery, assuming I can find such a device. When, I'm a high level Wizard, I invent something more sophisticated to charge it. I'd also bring my DnD book collection. Cause PHB is like the handbook of REAILITY in this world. Seriously.

After I accumulate wealth and power, I buy a Candle of Invocation and become Pun-Pun.

Asbestos
2009-11-19, 10:09 PM
Do I know anyone shady enough to sell me a gun without the waiting period?


Though, honestly, I don't go. I wear contacts, I ain't walking into some psuedo-medieval world.

Milskidasith
2009-11-19, 10:12 PM
I wouldn't try it. Nothing in real life is even remotely useful in the D&D world, and even bringing in an automatic weapon wouldn't do much by D&D rules. At best... maybe buy a few dogs and go in. Or just not go.

Temet Nosce
2009-11-19, 10:24 PM
Guns with all ammo (no need to buy these, I'm well provisioned), some form of off road vehicle (probably a dirt bike though I dislike them, I'd really prefer a dune buggy), a Dog, laptop with my entire collection of D&D rulebooks and a solar charger, and a supply of real world stuff I can't do without till high levels (vitamins, toilet paper, glasses, water purifiers, medication, etc).

After that I'd go use the guns to kill off anything (or anyone) I could find at a great distance until I'd leveled enough to be capable of dealing with the natives (I'd at least want methods of communications, defense, basic spells to take care of myself, etc).

Milskidasith
2009-11-19, 10:27 PM
Guns with all ammo (no need to buy these, I'm well provisioned), some form of off road vehicle (probably a dirt bike though I dislike them, I'd really prefer a dune buggy), a Dog, laptop with my entire collection of D&D rulebooks and a solar charger, and a supply of real world stuff I can't do without till high levels (vitamins, toilet paper, glasses, water purifiers, medication, etc).

After that I'd go use the guns to kill off anything (or anyone) I could find at a great distance until I'd leveled enough to be capable of dealing with the natives (I'd at least want methods of communications, defense, basic spells to take care of myself, etc).

I don't think you can get all that for $1000. If you have the solar charger and the dune buggy on hand, sure, but I'm fairly certain the costs of a large dog and a dune buggy combined beat $1000, and I have no clue what a solar laptop charger would cost.

HamHam
2009-11-19, 10:30 PM
Semi-auto assault rifle with plenty of ammo. Also a sniper rifle if there is money left.

Saintjebus
2009-11-19, 10:36 PM
What I think is hilarious is that everyone knows what they would do when they get there, but the OP specifically said that Zombies arrive in 4 days. If you take 24 hours to gather supplies and then go, you have 3 days until Zombipocalypse, and you have to save everyone. Good luck, Expert 1/Wizard 1. Have fun with the zombie horde.

chuzzum
2009-11-19, 10:37 PM
Hey, don't railroad me. I never said I was going to save anyone from the zombies. :smalltongue:

Temet Nosce
2009-11-19, 10:39 PM
I don't think you can get all that for $1000. If you have the solar charger and the dune buggy on hand, sure, but I'm fairly certain the costs of a large dog and a dune buggy combined beat $1000, and I have no clue what a solar laptop charger would cost.

The only major purchases would be a dune buggy, laptop, and a solar charger. I have no idea how much a dune buggy costs though, I might have to borrow one (which I could do actually, since I live near the sand dunes).

Solar charger is only a hundred bucks tops anyways (you can get one for 50). Similarly, given what I need the laptop for it's not gonna cost much. Hm, Dune Buggy would cost 1.5k looks like though, might be able to pick one up used...

blueblade
2009-11-19, 10:41 PM
Laptop, loaded up with all handbooks, some tactical simulators and useful tools, as well as a fully loaded encyclopedia, full of useful tech.
- Cost $0 (already got).

Decent solar/hand-crank generator, to power laptop
- $100?

A decent dagger/knife at least of some sort (what if I don't land straight in a town?)
- $20

Good lightweight camping and hiking gear
- $0 (already got)

A handgun and good ammo is tempting mostly for the sake of easy levelling. But I can't help but think there must be better, cheaper, real-world objects that either have great resale or usability in a medieval world. Some things you don't need, like medicines, since illness doesn't seem to exist unless it's magical.

Coidzor
2009-11-19, 10:44 PM
3 days... 3 days hmm...

I can't even think of what one could do even with pazuzu cheese in 3 days as a human expert 1.

I mean, these zombies could be anything with up to 10 racial HD, right? Half of the HD spectrum will be CR 3 or lower (if we take the assumption that there's no shenanigans going on making stronger creatures into zombies than animate dead allows), but most things that've been zombiefied, if it's dealing with humanoids will be 1 HD creatures to start with and be 2 HD zombies, and thusly CR 1/2.

So... What's necessary for a 1st level expert with a fair bit of wealth to get access to the ability or services of something else to be able to kill a theoretically infinite number of CR 1/2 to CR 1 creatures which can only take partial actions.

Temet Nosce
2009-11-19, 10:47 PM
What I think is hilarious is that everyone knows what they would do when they get there, but the OP specifically said that Zombies arrive in 4 days. If you take 24 hours to gather supplies and then go, you have 3 days until Zombipocalypse, and you have to save everyone. Good luck, Expert 1/Wizard 1. Have fun with the zombie horde.

So? In three days, I'm not gonna be level 2. Barring me being unable to find things/people to kill I'm gonna be able to completely wipe out those zombies by the time they arrive. If I feel like it anyways. Hm, assuming I can only find animals/level 1 commoners (CR 1-2 encounters only lets say) to kill and I kill at least 2 per hour during a 12 hour day I should be around level 5-9.

Also, yeah I forgot to list camping/survival gear (which I already have, in large quantities). Kinda figured it fell under real world stuff.

Coidzor
2009-11-19, 10:52 PM
Does one actually have to rest to level up by RAW or is that just a convention?

Is it instantaneous based on just acquiring XP by RAW or is it something left up to the DM's discretion by RAW?

I can't really remember...

Temet Nosce
2009-11-19, 10:54 PM
Does one actually have to rest to level up by RAW or is that just a convention?

Is it instantaneous based on just acquiring XP by RAW or is it something left up to the DM's discretion by RAW?

I can't really remember...

That's a house rule I'm fairly certain. By RAW (assuming I recall correctly) players are excused from training/resting as they do so "between adventures" or some such thing. You level up the moment you hit the EXP total.

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-11-19, 10:55 PM
Buy up as much salt as I can, and some method of getting it over.

Sell salt 'in game' as a trade god

Buy Candle of Invocation

Proceed to Operation: Pun-Pun

Dixieboy
2009-11-19, 10:56 PM
After I accumulate wealth and power, I buy a Candle of Invocation and become Pun-Pun.

Wouldn't that require you to be scalykind or something?

Either you suffer from some skin problems, or I am not up to date on pun-pun.

Temet Nosce
2009-11-19, 10:58 PM
Wouldn't that require you to be scalykind or something?

Either you suffer from some skin problems, or I am not up to date on pun-pun.

Aren't up to date I'm afraid, it no longer matters what you start as. You can do it as soon as you can use Pazuzu or afford a candle. Being a Kobold native of whatever that place is called just cuts out a couple steps.

Kallisti
2009-11-19, 11:02 PM
Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu...

I'd wish for the Candle of Invocation.

Pun-pun defeats zombies. Pun-pun defeats ALL!

Dixieboy
2009-11-19, 11:03 PM
Aren't up to date I'm afraid, it no longer matters what you start as. You can do it as soon as you can use Pazuzu or afford a candle. Being a Kobold native of whatever that place is called just cuts out a couple steps.

Ah!

Thanks.

(doesn't pazuzu require you to be good thought, which most of us wouldn't qualify as :P)

aje8
2009-11-19, 11:05 PM
Ah!

Thanks.

(But doesn't pazuzu require you to be good or something?)
No, just non-chaotic evil.

So if you're conifdent you're not evil, then you can move 1 step towards evil to ascend.

Kallisti
2009-11-19, 11:06 PM
Ah!

Thanks.

(doesn't pazuzu require you to be good thought, which most of us wouldn't qualify as :P)

...Pazuzu is a demon. He grants wishes to those who say his name three times AT THE TERRIBLE PRICE OF IT INCREASING HIS POWER!! Because making the generous wishing demon more powerful is totally a bad thing. You use the Pazuzu cheese to get the Candle of Invocation cheese to get Pun-Pun.

Asbestos
2009-11-19, 11:16 PM
Where is the Pazuzu thing from anyway?

Surfing HalfOrc
2009-11-19, 11:19 PM
Vehicles run into the problem of needing gasoline or diesel every few days... Sooner if you drive a lot on each day (driving cross-country usually requires me to fill up twice a day). And of course, military grade armored vehicles are well above the $1000 BUY-IN.

So what are zombies weaknesses, and how can "$1000 worth of modern equipment" make a difference as the undead hoards surge from their final resting places and descend upon the innocent people of Sweethaven?

A shotgun would be indespensable, along with a case of ammunition. Baseball bats and other bludgeoning weapons have the advantage of crushing damage and light weight. Hurray for softball and aluminum bats!

Also, a modern chemical sprayer filled with Holy Water might be a good idea, or even SuperSoakers also filled with Holy Water. Molotov cocktails are easily made, but have the annoying tendancy to blow up in your hands, so excercise extreme caution!

Now what about "normal" talents that become "magic" powers in D&D? Would a bar band guitarist become a bard? Would a priest or even a seminary student become a cleric? How about if you took karate because your parents made you? Monk? Or if you bought a "Box of 60 Amazing Magic Tricks?" Wizard?

Just a few thoughts....

Temet Nosce
2009-11-19, 11:27 PM
Vehicles run into the problem of needing gasoline or diesel every few days... Sooner if you drive a lot on each day (driving cross-country usually requires me to fill up twice a day). And of course, military grade armored vehicles are well above the $1000 BUY-IN.

Minor Creation. It might take a bit, but given that I have a few days fuel for my buggy I should be able to refill it before I run out.

Forevernade
2009-11-19, 11:30 PM
I would withdraw all my savings, which with the 1000 gives me 2500, I would borrow my mate's 'hard as nails' Valiant with a full tank of petrol, attach a bullbar, grab my girl and put her on a leesh - she is my animal. I would take my camping gear and a large backpack.

Now, steal magnum rifle +ammo and wakazashi from friend down in the country (15 min drive), and buy some macdonalds on the way, binging on cheesburgers. A bottle of whiskey from the cellar, my sister's laptop and my usb with all the handbooks.

Now I need fire, I would put a couple of gas tanks in the car, and the hand-sized burner off the bbq (detachable).

Now I would go down to a costume shop (30 min drive) and hire out all the chain and plate armour. It will be crappy quality, I am sure, but still better than nothing and it has a sell-value in dnd-world. If I get four suits, that's about 300gp or so and a suit for myself and my girl.

Get dressed up in suits, pack everything else into car, and drive through the portal ready to kick some ass. Oh, and I would have my metal collection screaming out of the sound system in the Val.

**** Yeah!

Tyndmyr
2009-11-19, 11:30 PM
Dragon magazine I believe. Thus, it's obviously going to be one of the more obscure parts of the pun-pun trip.

Granted, it's just a rapid means to a LE candle of invocation, so any other way of getting that will work just as well.

In this particular thing, I'd grab the following: My civic(with lots of extra gas), my kayak, my firearms and various other weaponry, most of which is modern knock offs of historical weaponry. Not all, though. I wonder if an ancient norse blade counts as an artifact weapon....

I'll also pack my D&D books, obviously. And dice/figurines, in case I get bored. I'll start a gaming group on the other side.

Raid the pantry. I doubt they have oreos there. Laptop is definitely coming too. I then grab my big box of military gear for the bdus, assorted field gear, body armor, and gas suit.


Now, for stuff I'd need to actually buy. Laptop solar charger. Inexpensive NVG. They can be actively lit, it's not like anyone else is gonna have em. Much more ammo. A nomex flight suit. More flashlights, LOTS of batteries.

That leaves me with 4-500 bucks left. I'll cash those in for pennies, giving me about 50,000 copper pieces to start my journey with on the other side. Yes, Im aware that pennies are not actually 100% copper. I doubt commoners are.

Asbestos
2009-11-20, 12:00 AM
That leaves me with 4-500 bucks left. I'll cash those in for pennies, giving me about 50,000 copper pieces to start my journey with on the other side. Yes, Im aware that pennies are not actually 100% copper. I doubt commoners are.

Easy enough to tell the difference, pure copper is a lot softer than a penny.

Mr. Mud
2009-11-20, 12:04 AM
I'd be a shotgun, a bowie knife, doubletap rootbeer, and as many shells as I could get, then jump in. :smallamused:.

Tyndmyr
2009-11-20, 12:32 AM
Easy enough to tell the difference, pure copper is a lot softer than a penny.

Mmm, good point. I'll buy scrap copper ingots, then. Thanks to copper actually being more expensive than pennies, I'll end up with less wealth on the far side, but still, at the conversion rate in D&D, this should still net me a couple hundred gold pieces.

If we're assuming I could empty my bank acct in addition to the thousand bucks, I could probably increase starting wealth several fold. Might be handy for gearing up vs the zombies.

Also, I know the portal says it works for me only...but I'd test that. If I could get my cheesemongering group to come with me, it'd be like having an entire party of Belkars. Wait...suddenly I see a flaw in my plan.

Random832
2009-11-20, 12:40 AM
3. The portal is one-way and you can only go through it once.

There goes my idea to get flthy stinking rich via arbitrage trading of copper and gold.

tcrudisi
2009-11-20, 12:50 AM
Mmm, good point. I'll buy scrap copper ingots, then. Thanks to copper actually being more expensive than pennies, I'll end up with less wealth on the far side, but still, at the conversion rate in D&D, this should still net me a couple hundred gold pieces.

You can use pennies. If a penny was minted before 1982, it is 95% copper.

Of course, then you are spending a long time looking at each penny...

theMycon
2009-11-20, 12:51 AM
Buy: Cheap Shotguns (as many as I could afford)); as much ammo as I can carry; Megaphone (project orders); water purifier.

Take with: my step-dad's two good shotguns; possibly my boyfriend** & my's pistol; ammo for that; camping gear; decent wagon/travel luggage; zippo lighter; basic medical supplies.

Plans: Teach townsfolk defensive formation/strategic withdrawls; get as many (including the other earth-folk) as I have shotguns to train/levelup*; and then blow zombie heads off at a decent range. We can kite & outmanuever them easily, and stepdad's shotguns at least are effective for at least 75' in my not-too-trained hands; I'm assuming a trained warrior could do that with even a cheap one.

I'd strongly encourage townsfolk to level as undead-bane rangers; I'll likely go for cleric. Any who actually do so will get the pistol, the ability to fire ten rounds of an effective +2 weapon in six seconds is all-important. Assuming I live through this, I work my ass off to find a way to plane-shift us home. Even if I have to do it myself; I've got some selfish reasons to go Cleric.

I'll consider "thin the zombie herd and slow them down enough that the town can evacuate" a victory.


*This is assuming that, considering their lives are at risk at least a handful of townsfolk are willing to step up and fight. $1K won't get many weapons, really. Good guns are expensive; the type you can get without a waiting period tend to be cheap though.
**Absolutely sure we can't take another human being? Having an ex-marine around would really, really help; and while those human lives in the DnD world outweigh his happiness, I'd really hate for another boyfriend of his to die in a foreign land without word for weeks or months.

WeeFreeMen
2009-11-20, 12:52 AM
Hmmm. Zombies you say..
Lets see what I can do..

Shotgun (0$, I got 3.. We like guns in FL.., about a backpack full of ammo, NEVER to much Dakka)
Holy Water (0$, my uncle is a priest ^_^d, Id say..4 canteens full?)
Make some plastic explosives, Pipe bombs and the like (Ill say 100$, since I don't have everything, not to mention, Det caps..cord...etc)
So thats ~900$ to spend on shinannigans...I dont think Id need a "mount," my college friend breeds Mules and I can hike it out (Eagle Scout ^_^d, so plent of backpacker gear)
Hmm..
As for pets, my pet lizard, cause in DnD universe he is bound to be a polymorphed dragon, or at-least a relative ;)

So for the sake of fairness Ill say Im down to 400$. With this, Id spend another 100% on that Solar charger going around, gotta have my DnD books (So I can play DnD in DnD? :D )
So $300 left..
Pocket it, pay off my subscriptions for the next 3 months, buy L4D2...
Call it a night

Hehe, that was kinda fun.

Edit: As for classes, definitiely Scout, I LOVE that class to death, I dont even care how useful it'd be. Gorilla warfare, Skirmish, Trackless. Mmmmmm nom nom nom.

Eldariel
2009-11-20, 01:12 AM
Gorilla warfare

...:smallconfused:...:smalleek:

WeeFreeMen
2009-11-20, 01:30 AM
...:smallconfused:...:smalleek:
0_o;.. Did I miss something?

Fendalus
2009-11-20, 01:49 AM
Guerrilla warfare (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_warfare), not Gorilla (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla) warfare. One involves a small group taking advantage of terrain and ambushes to defeat a larger force. The other one involves sending an army of very large apes at the enemy to rip their arms off.

Hm... I wonder how much a gorilla would cost?

Eldariel
2009-11-20, 01:54 AM
Guerrilla warfare (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_warfare), not Gorilla (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla) warfare. One involves a small group taking advantage of terrain and ambushes to defeat a larger force. The other one involves sending an army of very large apes at the enemy to rip their arms off.

Hm... I wonder how much a gorilla would cost?

Gorilla Warfare, to me, conveys the image of some really, really heavyhanded stomp-style warfare where you just overkill with the biggest bombs in existence preferably using Gorillas to stomp opponent's frontline

Grifthin
2009-11-20, 01:59 AM
Gorilla-chucks. Fighter would be proud.

Wizzardman
2009-11-20, 02:11 AM
Laptop($0),
speakers($0),
tons of music of various types($0 thanks to the internet--I think a little stealing is justified in the name of saving a village),
solar charger--($200),
The Zombie Survival Guide ($20),
Basic Applied Chemistry textbook ($100),
Basic Electronics for Dummies ($100),
20lbs Iodized Salt ($16 for 100gp),
9mm Hunting Rifle with scope ($300),
500 9mm rounds ($120),
Tarot Cards ($0, to prove I'm a wizard),
Maglite ($0),
Wheelbarrow ($0).

Behold. I shall acquire my XP from hundreds of feet away, sell my salt for cash, purchase Wizarding lessons, and, at the same time, scare the hell out of the locals with my magical Bard-in-a-Box.

Eloel
2009-11-20, 02:24 AM
Flashlight x2 0$
Bunch of Batteries 0$

Find a way to convert 1000$ into gold pieces.

When in there, go to a local temple, convince them I'm a divine creature (with 'holy' lights), and start my ascension with the local town as my followers.

Wizzardman
2009-11-20, 02:26 AM
Find a way to convert 1000$ into gold pieces.


Check the PHB's equipment/stuff list, and the internet. Salt's got the best real-world-money-to-gp ratio on the list.

BobVosh
2009-11-20, 02:29 AM
Rent a hummer (not going to have to pay the cost beyond that, ain't returning it)
Steal my friends shotgun (I'll need it more than him)
Buy ammo
Buy a solar charger.
Touch up on my laptops collection of D&D books
Buy the encyclopedia Britannica
Download everything I can in the form of construction, engineering, metallurgy and other such things.
Go to Kinkos, get the most important documents printed.
Write a general note to everyone I am leaving behind
Download a bunch of recipes of foods that are delicious and...not medieval.
Buy large amount of paper. Should sell for a ton of gold on D&D side.

Ecalsneerg
2009-11-20, 02:36 AM
Check the PHB's equipment/stuff list, and the internet. Salt's got the best real-world-money-to-gp ratio on the list.
I'd likely need to do this, or at least benefit more. I'm in the UK, so can't acquire firearms, and melee weapons like knives, etc... well, if I get a better price ratio in the D&D world... woohoo!

Hmmm... if I take all my Wiccan apparel do I gain a Cleric or Druid level since it might work under D&D rules? :P

Wizzardman
2009-11-20, 02:42 AM
I'd likely need to do this, or at least benefit more. I'm in the UK, so can't acquire firearms, and melee weapons like knives, etc... well, if I get a better price ratio in the D&D world... woohoo!

Hmmm... if I take all my Wiccan apparel do I gain a Cleric or Druid level since it might work under D&D rules? :P

Eh. You've at least got a Wizard's outfit.

...Speaking of which, why aren't any of us taking clothing? Can you imagine how much local nobles would pay for some of the fancy crap we see everyday (provided you got the right stuff)? How much they'd pay for durable silk garments? Clothing made from non-natural materials? Sequins?

Temet Nosce
2009-11-20, 02:54 AM
Eh. You've at least got a Wizard's outfit.

...Speaking of which, why aren't any of us taking clothing? Can you imagine how much local nobles would pay for some of the fancy crap we see everyday (provided you got the right stuff)? How much they'd pay for durable silk garments? Clothing made from non-natural materials? Sequins?

I intend to be high level within a week, I see no point in it.

Also, @Bob I love the hummer idea. I'm stealing that if we can get full vehicles through the portal and using my savings to add some stuff to my collection (I'll make a new full list later).

Set
2009-11-20, 03:08 AM
Download a bunch of recipes of foods that are delicious and...not medieval.


Very important! Medieval food was nasty, and occasionally unsafe.

And, in that vein, sign up for every 'going to a foreign / third-world country' vaccination regimen you can get. Diseases in a pre-industial society weren't fun. Bring some useful medicines and a big book of medical information like 'how not to get dysentery, for dummies.'

SilverSheriff
2009-11-20, 07:21 AM
so, what is salt worth IRL?

Because I think I can make a killing in Paper...:smallamused:


A Pallet of A4 Paper. (http://www.officeworks.com.au/retail/products/Office-Supplies/Paper-Labels-and-Envelopes/Copy-Paper/White-A4-Copy-Paper/Officeworks/OWCOPYA4PT)

This Pallet of Paper costs $480 Dollars (Australian), there are 20 cartons of paper in a pallet.

There are 2500 pieces of Paper per Carton.

1 piece of Paper is worth 4 Silver pieces in Dungeons and Dragons.

That is 20,000 Gold Pieces.

BobVosh
2009-11-20, 07:30 AM
Very important! Medieval food was nasty, and occasionally unsafe.

And, in that vein, sign up for every 'going to a foreign / third-world country' vaccination regimen you can get. Diseases in a pre-industial society weren't fun. Bring some useful medicines and a big book of medical information like 'how not to get dysentery, for dummies.'

I thought of that, but cure disease is easy enough to get. Especially if you plan to bring stuff to sell. I figure I would waste more of my 1k than my gold on the flip side to be protected.

Kurald Galain
2009-11-20, 07:42 AM
I would use the $1000 to do some flash marketing, and sell tickets. I'm sure I can find more than ten people willing to spend $100 on a one-way trip to fantasy land. Easiest $10000 I've ever made :smallbiggrin:

Fastmover
2009-11-20, 07:53 AM
I would negotiate with the priestess so that I could bring one other person instead of any animal or the money, I have enough on hand already to be well on the safe side.

I’d use my own money to go pick her up from the states, which would end up being like a 20hour round trip, grab all my weapons and armor I have: Kitana, wakazashi, machete, my motorcycle armor (better than or equal to hard leather armor), Shield for girlfriend, Homemade hand held flame thrower for girlfriend with my daggers, First Aid kit, Solar flash lights, canned rations, tooth brush, tooth paste, soap, rope, my composite longbow, Nunchucks, PHB, and after that I think good.

Not going into another world without my girlfriend. She the wizard, me the duskblade.

SpikeFightwicky
2009-11-20, 07:54 AM
To everyone getting rifles and scopes.... DON'T!!!

Remember, as soon as you cross that portal, you're in D&D land, thus, NO HEADSHOTS allowed. Plus, your gun deals piercing damage, so all zombies get their DR against it. Also, you'll only have d20 + Dex to fire that thing, so you'll have to hope for some lucky shots to kill anyone before they get you.

Temet Nosce
2009-11-20, 07:57 AM
To everyone getting rifles and scopes.... DON'T!!!

Remember, as soon as you cross that portal, you're in D&D land, thus, NO HEADSHOTS allowed. Plus, your gun deals piercing damage, so all zombies get their DR against it. Also, you'll only have d20 + Dex to fire that thing, so you'll have to hope for some lucky shots to kill anyone before they get you.

Are there official rules for firearms? I don't know of any, but even if you're right about piercing damage and no headshots... The ability to kill something a couple football fields away is still absurdly useful (also, I already have guns so...) If nothing else I can use it to grind up to near teens on animals.

SpikeFightwicky
2009-11-20, 08:14 AM
As long as those animals aren't house cats :smallbiggrin:

I'm not sure what the damage type is (there's a small section of the DMG for 'odd' weapons, but I can't remember what damage type they give to firearms), but I assume piercing. d20 Modern has a 'ballistic' damage type for guns. Everything else considered, I doubt guns'll do the 'Slashing' damage required.

Besides, if Saturday morning cartoons taught me anything, there'll be a diminutive figure showing as soon as we enter the portal to hand out magic items and give us general advice.

Fendalus
2009-11-20, 08:17 AM
DMG Page 146 lists modern weapons stats for D&D. A hunting rifle has an 80ft range increment, 2D10 damage, and does piercing damage. All the other guns are the same of worse. Guns might not be such a good idea against zombies here...

dsmiles
2009-11-20, 08:24 AM
@OP:
1st: Stand there and wonder why an educated priestess can't spell the word 'heroes'...:smallwink:

2nd: Fact: Flamethrowers can be constructed for under $1,000 US.

3rd: Fact: Corpses still have body fat, and fat burns goooood.

4th: Even in DnD, you can acquire naphta/greek fire/pitch/etc.

5th: Flame on, Flamey McFlamester!

Amphetryon
2009-11-20, 08:26 AM
Dig up my compound bow, external frame backpack, and water purifier; buy one metric buttload of arrows, a flak jacket, and the biggest dog at the pound.

Temet Nosce
2009-11-20, 08:26 AM
... Wow, they have lower range than a heavy crossbow and their damage is pretty sad as well. That could put a serious crimp in my ability to grind up on animals, or at least make it a bit more difficult. I'm gonna need multiple shots on most animals.

Acanous
2009-11-20, 08:26 AM
First off: Everyone going Pazuzu->Punpun; You're assuming Forgotten realms. If this is Eberron, Greyhawk, Ravenloft or Homebrew, you're zombie chow.

That's a 1/5 chance of survival. 20%. Not high enough for me.

So here's what I'd do: Phone up Karoht. Make sure he got the magic portal message too. If so, we gear up in armor and grab some swords.

I'd take the following:
One family size Superstore jar of Hot Peppers. (Many, many uses.) $6
Toilette Paper, one giant bagfull. ($11)
Backpack (With Wheels!)
Bedroll
Small metal Mirror
Rope- Nylon. 50 feet.
Clothing- 7 day's worth. In a Suitcase.
Rations. Mostly in the form of Powerbars. ($40)
Canteen
Combat Knife
Three energy drinks. One Druid, one T-Virus Antidote, one Monster.
Lighter ($2)
Laptop.
Pillow.
Extra battery for Laptop
Bicycle. (Best means of transportation that doesn't require gasoline)
Sheena (Husky/Chow crossbreed)
Holy Symbol.
Sleeping Bag.
As much MtG as I can Carry. Can sell them off as Art.
Orange Juice. ($4)
Eggnog ($6)

bosssmiley
2009-11-20, 08:36 AM
Hire a cement truck and bury the portal. There's no telling what damage the illogical physics of the D&D world will do to ours. :smallamused:

The call to adventure is going to get my voicemail. :smallwink:

SilverSheriff
2009-11-20, 08:37 AM
Hire a cement truck and bury the portal. There's no telling what damage the illogical physics of the D&D world will do to ours. :smallamused:

Make sure you seal me and my pallet of paper on a pallet-jack in the portal first.:smallamused: I'd be more than happy to take your place.

warmachine
2009-11-20, 08:39 AM
Stay the **** away. Apart from the likelyhood that I'm hallucinating, D&D is a violent world and I'm not a warrior. Worse, not only is unlikely technology would work, their world uses different laws of physics, and therefore biology. My body would fail in a painful fashion. That $1000 goes towards psychiatric treatment.

Oslecamo
2009-11-20, 08:42 AM
Throw somebody I really don't like into the portal, run with the 1000 bucks laughing.

Altough I really like D&D, I would wish to no one to live in a place where colossal centipedes apearing out of nowhere to try to kill you is a common event. Unless I was assured I could get a 7th cleric buddy really quickly.

Vizzerdrix
2009-11-20, 08:49 AM
In 24 hours the blueprints to a reliable steam engine and several other useful devices (the basics of firearms and the wright brothers flier amongst others)

As for the zombies, A gas generator, some jumper cables and razor wire. Razor wire deals slashing and slows them and a generator would be enough power to cook them (if their is only a few). Back this up with a few small trebuchet and polearms (built there). On top of that, the Unibomber as has shown us that cow pies make good explosives.

I own several functional weapons. Swords and knives of all shapes and sizes. spears. a few axes. some other random weapons. I'd bring them all. Now I fully expect them to supply me basic battle gear, but I'm not sure what I'd want. Chain most likely, but I'd try a breastplate on. A good polearm too. I like spears.

As for taking classes, I'd want to get into wildshape ranger and some aberrant feats, as I think rust monsters and chuuls are cute.

I'd like to say that I'd considder walking into the gates of hell if it would get me away from my job:smallamused:

Yrcrazypa
2009-11-20, 08:57 AM
Why is everyone automatically assuming that the world would function exactly like a game of DnD? What if rifles and such worked perfectly the same as they do in the real world, the rules are only the way they are because it wouldn't be a fun game if getting hit with a sword twice killed you.

That said, I don't really have a plan besides not going in the portal, because screw that world, I don't want to die. Besides, I'm way too tiny and unskilled in anything but useless knowledge in such a world. Who would need to know how to fix avionics systems on a specific plane when planes don't exist period?

Blackfang108
2009-11-20, 09:34 AM
Grab my Dagger and Wooden Practice Katana, go grab a pipe, and then go to the army surplus store and buy fatigues, a helmet, some MREs, and a bunch of flares.

There, I'm set.

At first level, I'll take a level of Ranger, and then Warblade until I can use Iron Heart Surge, thereby using it to stop the Zombie Apocalypse.

I've already got Weapon focus in my two weapons, so I'd decide my feats later.

EDIT: if it uses 4e rules, I'll start taking levels of Rogue. I'm good with light blades already.

Frerezar
2009-11-20, 09:42 AM
Use the 1000 bucks to start a small bussines dedicated to sending people into the crazies vacation ever. The money will mostly go on web advertisement and legal counceling for all the complications with unexpeted deaths and WoTc

Talya
2009-11-20, 09:54 AM
Sadly, the exchange rate is rather poor. $1000 isn't even a single 1oz gold coin by today's prices, so it's not like you could use the money to buy gold and bring it with you to get gear. Then again, you may have better luck buying some trade goods.

Tyndmyr
2009-11-20, 10:00 AM
Alternative plan.

Offer the government a very affordably priced, permanent solution to poverty and housing of criminals.

misterk
2009-11-20, 10:27 AM
I am not particularly physically capable, not having spent a life working with my hands as most citizens of a D&D worls will have. As a result I will have less physical capacity than that. My combat ability would be less than them, I'd have no faith in a particular deity, and no particular arcane inclination. I have no idea whether any modern contrivances will work there, and certainly don't have the ability to

A-create a magic portal
B-send magical messages.

The logical conclusion is not to use the portal. I don't even know if the message is genuine, and even if it is, I'm not sure I could help. Even if I could, living in the D&D world just isn't fun. Roleplaying removes all the hard work bits from hacking limbs off a zombie...

dsmiles
2009-11-20, 10:38 AM
I still think the flame thrower is the best option.

Burning Hands, anyone?

Cyanic
2009-11-20, 10:38 AM
Have:

Riot Gear and Tact Shield (have it, yes i'ma cop)
Motorcycle (have it, mount)
Chainsaw (have it, not for zombies :smalltongue:)
Machette /w Camp Saw on back tine (have it)
Shotgun and about 40 lbs of shells (have it)
Camping Gear (have it)
Small Tool Set, hammers, saw, etc. (have it)

Buy:

Bull horn (buy for ~ 50$)
Cheapo Crank Generator (~100$)
Nail Gun x2 (~200$)
200 lbs of Nails, bolts, screws etc. (~500$)
20 gallon tank of gas (for chainsaw/motocycle) (~65$)
Carton of Smokes (24$)


Plan:

Use thunderstick/metal horse to impress the people into letting me lead them and build a fortification to attempt a holdout. Kill other PCs. :smallamused:

Level up in wizard assuming survival, break reality in approx. 10 years. Lead my own zombie swarm against the world in 15 years. ..profit :smallcool:


Edited for forgetting the damn smokes ! :smallfurious:

Kurald Galain
2009-11-20, 10:39 AM
Alternative plan.

Offer the government a very affordably priced, permanent solution to poverty and housing of criminals.

See also: The Many-Colored Land, by Julian May.

Fastmover
2009-11-20, 11:47 AM
I still think the flame thrower is the best option.

Burning Hands, anyone?

As cool as it might seem, in our world torching zombies would be a No No. Imagine being eaten alive by flaming undead... :smalleek:

Since we are coming over into the D&D world... I'm sure that part of our world would transfer over with us. So I don't think the fire would be a good idea. They may just keep coming.

Homemade granades on the other hand... Big Fire Crackers in small glass bottles filled with ball barings. Oh yeah... That might be better.

Vizzerdrix
2009-11-20, 11:49 AM
Zombies got DR/Slashing. Swap them bearings for razor blades.

Fastmover
2009-11-20, 11:52 AM
Plan:

Use thunderstickBoomstick/metal horse to impress the people into letting me lead them and build a fortification to attempt a holdout. Kill other PCs. :smallamused:

Level up in wizard assuming survival, break reality in approx. 10 years. Lead my own zombie swarm against the world in 15 years. ..profit :smallcool:




There we go, Fixed!

Tyger
2009-11-20, 12:01 PM
Why is everyone automatically assuming that the world would function exactly like a game of DnD? What if rifles and such worked perfectly the same as they do in the real world, the rules are only the way they are because it wouldn't be a fun game if getting hit with a sword twice killed you.

Because the title says "a portal that leads to the DnD world" maybe?

I like the buying paper to take over with me. Though, all things considered, I'd probably just grab a case or two of paper to take through the portal (office supply room is 10 feet from my office door!) for 5000 sheets of paper. That's a few hundred gold for either equipment there, or riches when I return. Pound for pound you can exchange salt for silver though, so its probably the best one to take.

Notwithstanding the issues noted with firearms, and the zombie horde's near immunity to that damage, I'd likely still go with a hunting rifle and shotgun (both borrowed from friends). Sure, it may take a couple shots, but I can use a gun. I don't know anything about swords or crossbows. :smallsmile: I can grab these, and pretty much as much ammo as I need from some friends. Cost $0.

My bike goes with me. No need for gas, no need for food for a mount, just my muscles. My bike kit (spare tubes, chain kit, tools, new cables, etc.) ditto. Cost $0

A supersoaker (my son's shoots about 30 feet, and has a backpack). Cost $0

Holy water. I have a friend who's a priest, and plays D&D. Should be a piece of cake to get him to bless as much water as I can carry. Assuming the clerics of the land are also gearing up to help out, a borderline endless supply of holy water should be available. Either way, it might be a more effective weapon than the guns. Cost $0.

My laptop (with all D&D books and the Encyclopedia Britanica on it) plus the solar charger. Already own both. Cost, $0.

My camping equipment, and at least a week's worth of freeze dried camping food. Sure, it tastes pretty bad (though the spagetti's good!) but I know it is parasite and disease free. Cost, $0.

So far, no money spent.

Maybe a quick trip to the local Walmart for about 20 more Super Soakers to arm the villagers with. Hey, if a 7 year old can hit me when playing in the backyard, these farmers can learn to hit things too. Say $400 for the decent Soakers. Now we all walk in a line and melt the zombies as they come. :smallbiggrin:

Now the rest gets spent on petroleum jelly and gasoline. Rig up a few trenches filled with that, add in the Heavenely Super Soakers, and we stand a chance of repelling the undead horde.

daggaz
2009-11-20, 12:08 PM
Guns with all ammo (no need to buy these, I'm well provisioned), some form of off road vehicle (probably a dirt bike though I dislike them, I'd really prefer a dune buggy), a Dog, laptop with my entire collection of D&D rulebooks and a solar charger, and a supply of real world stuff I can't do without till high levels (vitamins, toilet paper, glasses, water purifiers, medication, etc).

After that I'd go use the guns to kill off anything (or anyone) I could find at a great distance until I'd leveled enough to be capable of dealing with the natives (I'd at least want methods of communications, defense, basic spells to take care of myself, etc).

(emphasis mine)

Bahahhahahaha! Stay outta the woods, city-slicker! You'd probably be dead long before the zombies ever got to ya...

In all honesty, I would be pretty hesitant about going as well. Zombies are cool in movies and games, but in real life? SCREW THAT! But then again, my sense of decency and my lust for adventure would get me on the move.

I would buy the nicest katana I could find on e-bay, then I would pack my normal real life trekking gear (which is light weight, doesnt cost a thousand dollars, and doesnt waste space on things like toilet paper), and hop in the portal.

dsmiles
2009-11-20, 12:12 PM
Because the title says "a portal that leads to the DnD world" maybe?

I like the buying paper to take over with me. Though, all things considered, I'd probably just grab a case or two of paper to take through the portal (office supply room is 10 feet from my office door!) for 5000 sheets of paper. That's a few hundred gold for either equipment there, or riches when I return. Pound for pound you can exchange salt for silver though, so its probably the best one to take.

Notwithstanding the issues noted with firearms, and the zombie horde's near immunity to that damage, I'd likely still go with a hunting rifle and shotgun (both borrowed from friends). Sure, it may take a couple shots, but I can use a gun. I don't know anything about swords or crossbows. :smallsmile: I can grab these, and pretty much as much ammo as I need from some friends. Cost $0.

My bike goes with me. No need for gas, no need for food for a mount, just my muscles. My bike kit (spare tubes, chain kit, tools, new cables, etc.) ditto. Cost $0

A supersoaker (my son's shoots about 30 feet, and has a backpack). Cost $0

Holy water. I have a friend who's a priest, and plays D&D. Should be a piece of cake to get him to bless as much water as I can carry. Assuming the clerics of the land are also gearing up to help out, a borderline endless supply of holy water should be available. Either way, it might be a more effective weapon than the guns. Cost $0.

My laptop (with all D&D books and the Encyclopedia Britanica on it) plus the solar charger. Already own both. Cost, $0.

My camping equipment, and at least a week's worth of freeze dried camping food. Sure, it tastes pretty bad (though the spagetti's good!) but I know it is parasite and disease free. Cost, $0.

So far, no money spent.

Maybe a quick trip to the local Walmart for about 20 more Super Soakers to arm the villagers with. Hey, if a 7 year old can hit me when playing in the backyard, these farmers can learn to hit things too. Say $400 for the decent Soakers. Now we all walk in a line and melt the zombies as they come. :smallbiggrin:

Now the rest gets spent on petroleum jelly and gasoline. Rig up a few trenches filled with that, add in the Heavenely Super Soakers, and we stand a chance of repelling the undead horde.

Hacking up zombies: Priceless.

Tyndmyr
2009-11-20, 12:16 PM
I propose that this idea be explored within the context of a pbp campaign.

Fastmover
2009-11-20, 12:22 PM
I propose that this idea be explored within the context of a pbp campaign.

I second this idea.

dsmiles
2009-11-20, 12:26 PM
I might actually get involved, if I knew how to PbP.
So....
...thirded?

EDIT: Played in a PnP campaign with this premise, but since we all are military, we had our choice to start as warriors or experts. I picked expert.

Dusk Eclipse
2009-11-20, 12:29 PM
I fourth (?) the idea of turning this into a pbp campaing

stenver
2009-11-20, 12:35 PM
I would buy lots of drugs for 1000$

Go to D&D world.

Sell and grow the drugs

???

PROFIT


And the zombie horde... im sure DM will cancel it, because its nor CR eqvuvalent encounter

Yukitsu
2009-11-20, 12:50 PM
Buy 900$ worth of shotgun shells, and 100$ worth of chainsaw fuel.

Gpope
2009-11-20, 12:51 PM
Hmm. I'd take a stockpile of weapons (I imagine you could build a fair number of IEDs with that kind of money) along with instructions on how to use them (the priestess should be able to cast comprehend languages), carefully load them up on a wagon, and push the wagon through. The instructions would attribute these mysterious artifacts as being gifts from the gods and remind the villagers to gift the gods liberally with valuable treasure once they have won their deliverance through these divine gifts.

I've probably just thrown $1000 down the toilet, but if not, I now have a D&D village worshiping me as a god. Also, I'm not going to get eaten by a zombie (this is a plus.)

dsmiles
2009-11-20, 12:53 PM
Also, I'm not going to get eaten by a zombie (this is a plus.)

Good point...

SolkaTruesilver
2009-11-20, 01:15 PM
I buy the largest amount of aluminium I can find, and I use it as my starting capital. Since aluminium is extremely rare and precious in those time, I will start of well. :smallbiggrin:

Fhaolan
2009-11-20, 01:55 PM
Oddly, I'm almost fully geared for such an expedition. Nominally I wouldn't go through, because I'm married and I'm unwilling to leave my wife. However, assuming that we both could go through....

Horse + tack (we have two, trained for combat even.)
Long-term camping/survival gear (bedrolls, tarps, etc. all fitting into the saddlebags on the horses. We go horse camping on occasion.... Actually, that brings up a thought. We do have a cart to harness one of the horses to, and they're trained to drive as well. That way I could bring the viking tent, and more trade goods.)
Weapons (Swords, axes, lances, horsebow & arrows for me, crossbow & bolts for wife, flintlock blunderbus, shotgun + reload tools. Arrow & bolt tips to include silver and glass capsules, remember to bring the rowan wood specials, and gun loads to include silver pellets, the scrap rowan wood, and rock salt. Huh, as long as I've got the cart, I might as well bring the scorpion through as well. I can always dump stuff if it proves to be too much of a hassle.)
Defences (Shields, scale armour for me, brigandine for wife, spare maille shirts. We have suits of full plate, but if we bother to bring them it would be for resale value. They're not fitted quite right and are of poor quality relative to what we could get on the other side of the portal.)
Food (MRE's and other preserved foodstuffs from the pantry.)

Now, given I have some foreknowledge of the main enemy on the other side, I would purchase:

Supersoakers (for holy water)
Wide blade tips (to attach to the lances and the scorpion bolts)

Oh, and Trade goods (Mostly knives, machetes, etc. from Bud K. Cheap, and I can get them fast enough to make the deadline. Add that to the stash of crystals and gems we have for jewelry making)

Now, we supposedly have knowledge that the world beyond is a DnD world. However we don't know what edition it is, what campaign setting, or what houserules are in play. We could be walking into 2nd edition Ravenloft for all we know. We also don't know if we're going to pass through a translation layer, that will convert ourselves and equipment into their game equivalents, or how *much* translation will happen if it does. It's possible we may not be restricted by the game rules on the other side, but if that's true we also likely won't have access to the game rules and will have to treat it like this reality which means no levelling, no super-powers, etc. All of the equipment I'm bringing should have DnD equivalencies in most editions, except the guns who's stats are highly variable between editions, and in some cases depend on whether they use Dragon articles or not. I wouldn't bother bringing holy water from here, as the chances of it still retaining anything on the other side is pretty much zilch.

Quincunx
2009-11-20, 02:06 PM
Holy water qualification would probably come down to whether enough D&D wealth-equivalent had been spent on its blessing. Taking a bucket to the nearby holy well won't yield zombie-bane water; taking a silver cup to the richly carved font might.

root9125
2009-11-20, 03:15 PM
Anyone interested in the PbP idea?

Recruitment Thread Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7352037).

Saurus33
2009-11-20, 03:59 PM
I spend a while downloading stuff from the internet, then grab the many guns and ridiculous amounts of ammo I have on hand.

After equipping and training the people around me in how to use some of the simpler guns, we fight off the zombies.

Then, I take my whole bunch of textbooks and start bringing this area into the industrial age and beyond.

I shall wear the time-traveller shirt of qwantz.

Keshay
2009-11-20, 04:17 PM
For all those looking for ways to parley the $1000 into massive amounts of gold, I suggest buying boxes of matches. 1 tindertwig is 1 gp.

You can buy a box of 500 matches for $1.99. Your $1000 will get you 250000 matches. Sell those at half price, viola 125kgp. Go buy yourself something pretty.

WeeFreeMen
2009-11-20, 05:49 PM
Guerrilla warfare (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_warfare), not Gorilla (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla) warfare. One involves a small group taking advantage of terrain and ambushes to defeat a larger force. The other one involves sending an army of very large apes at the enemy to rip their arms off.

Hm... I wonder how much a gorilla would cost?

Tehe..Grammar isn't my specialty..
:smallredface:

Asbestos
2009-11-20, 06:42 PM
Tehe..Grammar isn't my specialty..
:smallredface:

Oh?
http://www.funbrain.com/grammar/index.html
Or maybe its the third guy in the first panel that you seek...
http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/051026

Schylerwalker
2009-11-20, 07:07 PM
7. After visiting the Giantitp forums, you find that four other players have found strange portals like it and are willing to work with you.

Well, looking over the thread (At least so far), let's see who I'd most likely "Be willing to work with" and take with me.

Acanous. This fellow has his priorities straight. And, considering the butt-ton of MtG cards I have/could steal from friends, we could become the richest "artists" in the world very quickly. If we survive the "Zombiepocalypse." Which, remember people, is only a zombie force attacking a small town. It's not that bad!

Wizzardman. Our party shall need a wizard!

Fhaloan. Are you in the SCA?! Good lord!! In answer to your last paragraph(s), I'd assume a 3.5, average homebrew campaign setting. Regular deities from the PHB, no funky houserules, average medieval kingdoms. Etcetera. Of course, we'll probably be taking real-world rules with us, so those guns will be somewhat more useful.

Lastly? Hmmm. Probably Cyanic. It would be useful to have a trained police officer with us.

To all you people bringing your laptops and D&D books? Fie on you! Unless we were in a specific campaign setting, like Faerun or Eberron (And the OP never stated we were), they won't be THAT useful. And the laptop? No internet, thus eliminating most of its usefulness. It would just be an unnecessary, extravagant hassle. I'd prefer a sturdy 250 page notebook and a hundred mechanical pencils, honestly.

I'd bring my suit of chainmail, both swords (In lousy condition, but I'm sure that can be remedied with a simple Mending), a duffel bag with my leather vest, some sturdy pairs of jeans, my sallet (A type of medieval warhelmet), and whatever non-perishable foods I can pilfer. Don't forget those Magic cards!

Assuming that we weren't in a specific campaign world, I'd take several novels/scripts with me from off of the Internet, so I can set myself up as the greatest author of this world. Nobody needs to know my real name. >.>

Hmmm. I'm under 18, so I can't buy guns...but I can steal at least one or two of my grandpa and uncle's HUGE supply of rifles and shotguns. And maybe that Japanese officer's sword he has. Yeah, definitely that.

I'd buy a few light-weight luxuries. Chocolate, one last bottle of Orangina (Tear), that sort of thing. Maybe 20$ worth.

I still have plenty of money left over. I'd defer to my party member's superior knowledge, after getting, say...a sturdy pair of hiking boots, a leather jacket, some gloves, scabbards and holsters for my various tools of war, a deck of Tarot cards, and some period-appropriate clothing from a costume store.

Once more, I'd let my party mates spend the rest of the money on what they think would be most useful. What do you guys suggest? :smalltongue:

Once again, my party members are: Acanous, Wizzardman, Fhaolan, and Cyanic, provided you guys would have me. You seem like sensible, more-or-less reliable folks.

Shame on all you Pun-Punners. :smallmad: I absolutely despise Pun-Pun and the very idea of him. :smallfurious: However, to each his own. If any of my party-mates says Pazuzu so much as ONCE, I'll put a bullet through their head in my attempt to preserve humanity.

Now, after my rambling, unorganized post...

BRING ON THE ZOMBIE HORDES!

Slayn82
2009-11-20, 07:11 PM
The most interesting question in a long time

I want to try my hand at this

Well, im a chemist, and i've studied industrial mechanics; also i live in Brazil, and most things i would take are cheaper here, and there's the monetary conversion factor, so thats a plus...

I wold fill one bag with my Books of organic chemistry, mineralogy and basic engineering. An english/portuguese dictionary and my small, my notebooks and an old 1980 encyclopedia colection would be fine too. I own it, so cost is zero.

I would buy some small chemistry kits, i guess they are US$ 12,5 dollars a piece last time i checked (im converting from my local money). I would buy 8 small ones, and a better one for $100. TOTAL $ 200

Then i would buy some garlic, salt and other assorted spices. Let´s say $100. Some sugar would be good as well, but the trouble is travelling lightweight.

Some small glassworks, the kind of thing you can find at giftshops, with unusual forms, or cristals, will get good prices too. Lets put $100.

Then, time to some serious business.
I would need to buy raw sulfur , with is a needed reagent to the making of Sulfuric Acid, and gunpownder. Its reasonably cheap At (US$ 69,06/ton), and so is Sodium nitrate. Both are used as fertilizers, and i already have the legal licenses to buy it, and could get it by morning. So i guess i could get 500 Kg of each, in my city, for $200 at most.

While im at it, i would buy some seeds of cotton, rice, beans, potato and other edible vegetables.Those are dirty cheap, so $50 would fill a box of assorted tipes. Maybe take some sugar cane "mudas""sprouts?" and grass seeds.

Sulfuric acid can react with iron to release hidrogen, wich EXPLODES under the right conditions. Some Steel for construction can be bought for $50. Also, i would need some good polymer blanket to keep the hidrogen under. More $50 for one like those used in trucks. I will need some parafine or fat on the other side, thought.

Finding a old distiller made of cooper would be a bigger trouble, but fortunatelly i know where to find one free, would just take a couple hours to get and come back. But it weights 300 kg Well, with sulfuric acid could become a big bomb in a pinch, if i was desperate enought, i guess...

For locomotion and carrying capacity, my bike and a friend's old Volkswagen Transporter vehicle are the best. The VT can conceivable go anywhere an carriage can, and its wheels are sturdy. Funny enought, an old beetle would be a good battle car, with an steel frame, but i can have only one, so the VT it is. This model has a diesel motor, the best choice because its easier to obtain fuel from animal fats. I can count also with an "backcart?" where to put the cooper distiller and the steel bars. One full tank, 2 spare ones in the backcart.

A few sacks of Sodium Hidroxide is good also, i will need to manufacture some alcohols and biodiesel (or soap). $50 for 80Kg.


What else do i have that would be good to take? So far i guess i can count on: clothes, some knifes, an Casio eletronic calculator, an diesel motor/eletric motor , 2 car batteries, an toolkit, an vehicle toolkit, one set of spare tires, over 50 empty glass bootles, an battery recharger, some rechargeable bateries (obviously), three bundles of cooperwires, one fishing kit, one small refrigerator, one axe, one small hunting rifle, one box full of nails, one box full of screws. A small DVD player/radio set with some movies could be good. If i found a good illusionist, i could show him some interesting ideas. Also, there is Pron..that ought to interest some people...

Still have some money, and some things that i could take. Maybe buy a diesel chainsaw. I guess my best help in the other side would be find an item with a craft spell ( the spell from lvl 5).

My PROS: My vaccines are all in check, and im familiarized with the work in farms with no eletricity. I know how to handle cows, pigs, and birds. I can make good steaks. I used to camp as a boy scout when younger. I studied modern ironwork, tempering, welding, mechanics and mineralogy. I work sometimes as a teacher to adults.

MY CONS: im a little overweight, a little lazy, use glasses and im not that good of an english speaker. I tried cartography, but while i can read a map and find the north, i can't draw well, unless i have Autocad.

Karoht
2009-11-20, 07:32 PM
Well, I am part of a medieval production company. I already own two sets of authentic and battle ready armor (mastercraft seeing as it is better than anything made back then), a host of a swords and other medieval weapons (again, mastercraft), and I'm already proficient in use of all this stuff. I have clothing and finery appropriate to many parts of the medieval europe.

I'm also aware of how castles and keeps were constructed, defended, etc. I know that, if made of concrete, a medieval castle could have withstood any siege weapon ever created back then (though that says nothing for dragons or mages fireballing the crap out of the place) and I do know how to make concrete the old roman way (the stuff was invincible I tell ya).

So my 1000 bucks will be spent on a book detailing how to make wooden bows and arrows, procurable from any reputable archery supply store. I will also buy a modern compound bow, the most durable one I can find, and a supply of arrows, also the most durable ones I can find. This would be the in game equivilant of MC I guess...

Finally, I go and find books on metallurgy and weapon craft. Particularly guns.

I'm also going to buy a book full of old medieval songs (I have modern day ranks in perform sing, perform drums, perform dance, and perform stage combat).

When I get through the portal, I shall enlist with the nearest mercenary group I can find. Odds are I have more combat experience than any of them, and a higher Knowledge Tactics than they do. After about a year of service with them, I will rise to whatever rank I am able to in their organization.

My next level is Bard or Wizard. Either one will do, but I think Bard will be a better fit for myself. And I have the finery for it. With some magic tricks up my sleeve, I'll return to the mercenary life, for as I feel it needed.

When I have enough money, by hook or by crook, I'll set up my keep, recruit some people to live and work there. I will pay well to ensure loyalty, and give them free health care, lodging, and food. I will educate them all personally if need be. I will pretty much build a small little town of free and empowered people. I will then, leave them, taking only enough wealth to repeat the process once again, in another nearby location.

In each of these towns, I will offer unique services. All of these towns will be home to the largest schools in the known world, with vast amounts of knowledge, shared freely.

Between the guns, the universities, and my contacts, I'll have allies in various kingdoms, and given my low military profile, I will hopefully never be perceived as a threat. The minute I am perceived as one, my castles will be defended by the best guns, bows, mercenaries and mages possibly seen in this period of the world's history. The best and brightest mages, guns and bows and siege weapons never seen before. Castles which withstand unimaginable amounts of damage. Agricultural techniques which can produce food in abundance. Battle tactics never before seen.

Or, I'll buy as much pot seeds as 1000 bucks will get me, and grow pot and hemp in massive supply. Not for me to consume, but for others.

Asbestos
2009-11-20, 07:46 PM
Shame on all you Pun-Punners. :smallmad: I absolutely despise Pun-Pun and the very idea of him. :smallfurious: However, to each his own. If any of my party-mates says Pazuzu so much as ONCE, I'll put a bullet through their head in my attempt to preserve humanity.


Yeah... you're not allowed in my party. PAZUZU PAZUZU PAZUZU!

Asbestos
2009-11-20, 07:48 PM
Or, I'll buy as much pot seeds as 1000 bucks will get me, and grow pot and hemp in massive supply. Not for me to consume, but for others.

???
Hemp already exists in D&D. You'll be just another dude growing weeds. And get beaten/eaten by zombies that don't die from headshots.

Slayn82
2009-11-20, 08:15 PM
Wait, exactly 25 words? Thats a sending spell!!!:smalleek:

" Sage agree helping, sending some spare gold pieces will allow to help better. You reserve coal, iron, fat, leather, wood, artisans, alchemy lab, dye vats."

Asbestos
2009-11-20, 08:38 PM
Btw, Zombies? Everyone spend that money on 10ft pole-like objects with blade-like objects on the end. Teach the villagers how to 5ft step. Done.

rockdeworld
2009-11-20, 08:46 PM
7. After visiting the Giantitp forums, you find that four other players have found strange portals like it and are willing to work with you.

Also... once you enter the DnD world then you are effectively a lvl 1 Human Expert (or commoner) but you can level up by gaining XP and can multiclass into pretty much whatever class you can think of. The people around you have no idea what you mean by XP and don't know the rulebooks.

So, what would you do?
I wouldn't do 7. Also, the person on the other end can cast Persisted Gate but can't find better than level 1 experts?

In any case, I'd probably convert the $1000 to gold and go through the portal. Sh** happens :smallsmile:

Karoht
2009-11-20, 09:25 PM
I wouldn't do 7. Also, the person on the other end can cast Persisted Gate but can't find better than level 1 experts?

In any case, I'd probably convert the $1000 to gold and go through the portal. Sh** happens :smallsmile:


Gold is over 1000 dollars an ounce. You would get 1 gold piece, approximately. Maybe 5, depending on the size.

rockdeworld
2009-11-20, 09:28 PM
But is 1 ounce = 1 gp?

If so, I buy a sword from the local knife shop, then go.

Wings of Peace
2009-11-20, 09:30 PM
I buy $900 worth of gold and spend the next $100 melting down and converting the gold into "pieces" I take an experienced Investigator with me and upon moving through the portal have him track down a merchant who will sell me a Candle of Invocation.

Edit: Ninjad with gold costs.

golentan
2009-11-20, 09:32 PM
I use to buy big plastic containers, and go to the local catholic church (who provide holy water free) I don't know if they would do so in bulk, or if it would transfer over to DnD equivalent holy water, but I get as many bottles of the stuff as I possibly can.

I dust off my old super soakers, saddle up The Dragon (a pedal powered covered vehicle I have), and check out every book on low tech engineering in the library (can't see them tracking me down for late charges). Into the back I toss my trusty monster manual (and every other DnD sourcebook I can think of), and all of my prepared material. I also, having checked the pricing guide, see that we seem to have the advantage in complex manufactured items for pricing, I assume matches count as tindertwigs, which means that a box of strike anywhere matches would yield massive funds, and I would bring many of them.

I don't bother with firearms or gasoline powered vehicles, I assume I couldn't keep them running long enough anyway. I do bring great heaping gobs of propane (which I can leach from my house while I'm making preparations, again, nobody would stick me with the bill), stored well away from the matches and my homemade flamethrower. I also bring as much canned food as I can. I toss a rat in before I go through, to make sure it's safe. Just in case, I bring a holy symbol, and I grab the sword my boss keeps in his office, a couple hunting knives, and my crossbow.I loot the house for anything useful on the other side, and step through on day 2 or 3 depending on how quickly I finished the errands.

This hopefully gives me time to help evacuate the town if that's an option. If not everyone gets a super soaker and I get the flamethrower (it's not much, but 30 feet is better than nothing).

rockdeworld
2009-11-20, 09:35 PM
everyone gets a super soaker and I get the flamethrower (it's not much, but 30 feet is better than nothing).
Lol. I like it.

Karoht
2009-11-20, 09:42 PM
But is 1 ounce = 1 gp?

If so, I buy a sword from the local knife shop, then go.

I had a coin made of precicely 1 troy ounce of silver. It wasn't very big.

But I'll be generous and assume that 1 ounce will make 10 gold coins, equivilant to 1 gp each.

Wow. you blow 1000 bucks for 10gp. lame.

Randel
2009-11-20, 09:45 PM
One thing about the person who summoned you, she's pretty low level. She was only able to summon people by using a special scroll of a homebrewed spell that summons five adventurers of a few levels below the casters level. (so she's like... level four tops. Probably an adept or something other than a cleric.)

So, she basically used a one-use plot device scroll to summon you, and it was her only copy that was left by some sort of wandering wizard to help in case they got into trouble. She has no idea how to control it or use it again and once its used up the scroll goes blank and everything.

If you want to return home then you'd have to find someone who can cast Plane Shift (or a similar spell) or level up until you can do it yourself.

Karoht
2009-11-20, 09:47 PM
First off: Everyone going Pazuzu->Punpun; You're assuming Forgotten realms. If this is Eberron, Greyhawk, Ravenloft or Homebrew, you're zombie chow.

That's a 1/5 chance of survival. 20%. Not high enough for me.

So here's what I'd do: Phone up Karoht. Make sure he got the magic portal message too. If so, we gear up in armor and grab some swords.

I'd take the following:
One family size Superstore jar of Hot Peppers. (Many, many uses.) $6
Toilette Paper, one giant bagfull. ($11)
Backpack (With Wheels!)
Bedroll
Small metal Mirror
Rope- Nylon. 50 feet.
Clothing- 7 day's worth. In a Suitcase.
Rations. Mostly in the form of Powerbars. ($40)
Canteen
Combat Knife
Three energy drinks. One Druid, one T-Virus Antidote, one Monster.
Lighter ($2)
Laptop.
Pillow.
Extra battery for Laptop
Bicycle. (Best means of transportation that doesn't require gasoline)
Sheena (Husky/Chow crossbreed)
Holy Symbol.
Sleeping Bag.
As much MtG as I can Carry. Can sell them off as Art.
Orange Juice. ($4)
Eggnog ($6)

Yay! I go too. Heh, didn't see your post before I posted.
And yes. Druids from 7-11 for all.
Pardon me if my plan sounded a bit like Arthur. Great minds think alike?

But I'd have your back, any day.

John Campbell
2009-11-20, 09:51 PM
Also... once you enter the DnD world then you are effectively a lvl 1 Human Expert (or commoner) but you can level up by gaining XP and can multiclass into pretty much whatever class you can think of.

Eh. If I've got to trade my existing multiple levels of Fighter in for one measly level of Expert, I'm not going.

I'd probably forget how to change my grip on a polearm!

Asbestos
2009-11-20, 09:51 PM
Pun-Pun might not work outside of FR... but I'm pretty Pazuzu is generic D&D.

Slayn82
2009-11-20, 10:18 PM
One thing about the person who summoned you, she's pretty low level. She was only able to summon people by using a special scroll of a homebrewed spell that summons five adventurers of a few levels below the casters level. (so she's like... level four tops. Probably an adept or something other than a cleric.)

So, she basically used a one-use plot device scroll to summon you, and it was her only copy that was left by some sort of wandering wizard to help in case they got into trouble. She has no idea how to control it or use it again and once its used up the scroll goes blank and everything.

If you want to return home then you'd have to find someone who can cast Plane Shift (or a similar spell) or level up until you can do it yourself.

Banishment or Dismissal would do. I hate to do laundry, that would be a good bonus.

Also, flametrowers golentan? Waaay ahead of you, take a propane welding kit, its more than adequate.:smallwink: just adjust the pressure. I used one to help burn the fur and skin of the pigs abated for the feasts in my father's farm. Usefull to take a iron crossbow arrow tip, and make it hot enought to pierce a well placed bag full of hidrogen - Instant fireball

Coidzor
2009-11-20, 10:22 PM
I had a coin made of precicely 1 troy ounce of silver. It wasn't very big.

But I'll be generous and assume that 1 ounce will make 10 gold coins, equivilant to 1 gp each.

Wow. you blow 1000 bucks for 10gp. lame.

relevant SRD tables



Coins

The most common coin is the gold piece (gp). A gold piece is worth 10 silver pieces. Each silver piece is worth 10 copper pieces (cp). In addition to copper, silver, and gold coins, there are also platinum pieces (pp), which are each worth 10 gp.

The standard coin weighs about a third of an ounce (fifty to the pound). (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/wealthAndMoney.htm)



Wealth Other Than Coins

Merchants commonly exchange trade goods without using currency. As a means of comparison, some trade goods are detailed below.

Table: Trade Goods Cost Item
1 cp One pound of wheat
2 cp One pound of flour, or one chicken
1 sp One pound of iron
5 sp One pound of tobacco or copper
1 gp One pound of cinnamon, or one goat
2 gp One pound of ginger or pepper, or one sheep
3 gp One pig
4 gp One square yard of linen
5 gp One pound of salt or silver
10 gp One square yard of silk, or one cow
15 gp One pound of saffron or cloves, or one ox
50 gp One pound of gold
500 gp One pound of platinum



Euro, GP per Pound, and USD math stuffs about gold price.It is 50 coins to a pound. So 1/50th of a pound = a coin. so 16 oz / 50 = how many ounces a gold coin is.

So a single coin is 0.32 oz of gold. Which is very close to a third of an ounce. (If pure gold, which is the assumption, so, yeah.)

Source on gold's price per ounce. In Euros though. (http://goldprice.org/gold-price-euros.html) And to convert euros to USD... (http://www.x-rates.com/d/USD/EUR/graph120.html)

So, as of my checking it, it's about USD 1.48 (rounded monthly average for October) per euro. It's about 770 Euros (fluctuating from low 760s to high 770s, can't find one that collates the data for a monthly average for me, so, yeah)

770 * 1.48 = $1139.60 per ounce of gold.

$1000.00 / $1139.60 = how much of an ounce of gold we could theoretically come by.

.87750088 (to be generous, ish) or 0.8775 oz. of gold.

.8775 / .32 = 2.74219 coins worth of gold.

.8775 / .33 = 2.6590933 coins worth of gold.

So... about the value of two gold coins, seven silver coins, four copper coins, and two (broken off) tenths of a copper coin. or two gold, 6 silver, and 6 copper but one of them is a bit dinged.

Compared to trade goods such as salt which is pound for pound worth what silver is. and available much more cheaply than gold, though I can't say for sure what prices would be on it, though it is relatively stable throughout the US, so it wouldn't be too different.

Or, y'know, matches/paper as were mentioned earlier.

taltamir
2009-11-20, 10:31 PM
1. Buy a whole lot of spices
2. Buy a gun and a whole bunch of bullets.
3. Use the rest of the money to buy college textbooks. Download and bring with you as many detailed specs for building as many basic technological items as you can.

The goal is:
1. Survive, the gun is for "cheating" when you are faced with unusually tough odds.
2. Learn magic
3. Industrialize the world
4. Become a ruler of a nation and incredibly wealthy, use the technology that you set up in that nation to conquer the DnD world, use magitek to come back and conquer this world

Temet Nosce
2009-11-20, 10:58 PM
(emphasis mine)

Bahahhahahaha! Stay outta the woods, city-slicker! You'd probably be dead long before the zombies ever got to ya...


Heh, my friends and I have a joke. We don't camp, we go get wasted and crash in the woods. We usually bring enough stuff to have trouble fitting it all in a van.

That said, I'm actually pretty decent at hunting (and this is my favorite type - where I just drive around watching for things in areas with wide sight lines then shoot them. Three cheers for animals which don't know what motors mean.)

And given how quickly killing animals accrues EXP in D&D I should be perfectly fine, since I'll be mid level before they even arrive.

Coidzor
2009-11-20, 11:38 PM
Anyone already done the animal slaughtering for XP math elsewhere that we can just link to or shall I have to get to it myself?

By my reckoning, rats'll give 38 XP individually up until level 7. (http://www.penpaperpixel.org/tools/d20encountercalculator.htm)

but ten rats at once would give 375...which is the smallest plague mentioned (10-100, possibly at 100 or over they count as a swarm, can't recall offhand.) 3750 for the 100 rat variety, but, eh, looks like a single rat is the best value, possibly anyway, depending upon the cost of getting rats in order to engineer it.

A dog will give 100, a pack of 5 (smallest organization past solitary) 500, and so on, keeping the even 100 xp per dog rate. Note, these are dogs, not riding dogs. like terriers, possibly chihuahuas, dachsunds, spaniels, maybe the smaller retrievers.

Now, riding dogs are CR 1 creatures and include huskies, german shepherds, collies, st. bernards, mastiffs, rottweilers, probably most shepherds actually. And they're 300 XP each.

cats are 75 xp each, and come solitary or domesticated (read: however many as the people keeping them feel like dealing with and not have the cats all kill one another off)

lizards are 50 xp a pop. Stuff like green anoles if I read it right. Which probably includes the smaller lizard types.

Prices on critters on this side will vary by region... No prices given for these animals other than for dogs (well, trained guard dogs) and riding dogs, I think.

If we accept bison stats to work for cows (or at least, bulls) as the wording in the srd suggests, (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/bison.htm) then for 2 pounds of salt, or 10 gp, one can acquire a cow in DND land, kill it as a CR 2 creature, and then sell the flesh to a butcher or as appropriately dispose of its meat and hide. which would be 600 XP a pop until 5th level.

Asbestos
2009-11-20, 11:54 PM
I have a question, why aren't D&D farmers all rather high-level? Presumably they kill quite a bit of livestock.

rockdeworld
2009-11-21, 12:32 AM
A) You've found out their secret! Don't go to sleep tonight...

B) Domesticated cows get CR 0.

Tyndmyr
2009-11-21, 12:34 AM
Yeah, bullfighting strikes me as slightly more challenging than killing tame cows.

That said, I could see some D&D farmers and such having a few levels under their belts...it's just that it's in expert or commoner.

golentan
2009-11-21, 12:37 AM
I have a question, why aren't D&D farmers all rather high-level? Presumably they kill quite a bit of livestock.

My rule when a player picks a fight with a commoner? Roll 2d20. That's their level. All commoner levels, of course. Occasionally I'll even make them chicken infested.

Hey, killing things. Cornerstone of the world economy, right?

Sliver
2009-11-21, 01:31 AM
So many people will enter the portal and start slaying animals.. Or buy animals and take them with them, to slay them there..

Fhaolan
2009-11-21, 01:32 AM
Fhaloan. Are you in the SCA?! Good lord!! In answer to your last paragraph(s), I'd assume a 3.5, average homebrew campaign setting. Regular deities from the PHB, no funky houserules, average medieval kingdoms. Etcetera. Of course, we'll probably be taking real-world rules with us, so those guns will be somewhat more useful.


*laugh* Nope, though a lot of our friends are in the SCA and we make a lot of gear for them.I'm a survivalist, and a former martial artist and stage combat choreographer. My wife's a martial artist and horsetrainer who deals with search and rescue/police horses. Our other hobbies include various heritage crafts, such as blacksmithing, woodworking, fiber work (spinning, stitchery, etc.), leatherworking. We used to do demos and the like as members of the Seattle Knights, a stage combat group. We were part of a subset of the group that would do the historical vs movie demos in schools and libraries. I blew my knee at a Shakespeare festival several years ago, so I'm not as active with it as I used to be. I'm still functional, but I wouldn't mind access to D&D clerical healing to finish the fixing that the surgery didn't quite do.

Demons_eye
2009-11-21, 01:48 AM
Well it would be all or nothing for me so I would steal my Dads gun collection complete with ammo + bows (He loves hunting and has insurance on them all).

Weapons-$0

Get the old Shadow working by calling in a friend

Transport-$0

As said above case loads of slat/spices and other things willing to spend maybe 500 dollars on that.

Wealth-$500~????? Gold?

I work at a library and would be sad to do so but steal/check out like 200 of them.

Entertainment-$0

The rest I would put in a safe deposit for my sister with a note about what happened to be opened on her 18th birthday by witch I would hope to be a high level caster and come back with lots of money and a good story that I could sell as a book + neat tricks.

taltamir
2009-11-21, 01:48 AM
My rule when a player picks a fight with a commoner? Roll 2d20. That's their level. All commoner levels, of course. Occasionally I'll even make them chicken infested.

Hey, killing things. Cornerstone of the world economy, right?

so... 50% chance of the commoner being epic level? lol.

Sliver
2009-11-21, 02:15 AM
Is there epic progression for the commoner class?

taltamir
2009-11-21, 02:20 AM
how much XP is a 40th level commoner worth?

Coidzor
2009-11-21, 02:23 AM
It's not like they have class features or anything. They just get more crappy BAB, HD, and Saves.

Schylerwalker
2009-11-21, 02:39 AM
Oh no, it's ONLY a 40th level commoner.

...

WE'RE FIRST LEVEL. ~Flees in terror.~

Anyways, that's pretty cool Fhaolan. I look forward to fighting zombie hordes alongside you. :smallbiggrin:

golentan
2009-11-21, 03:06 AM
No, no. That's only the rule if, on first meeting an unstatted NPC in the village tavern or working the fields, the PC starts picking a fight. It usually goes something like:

PC: "Hey, I'm an adventurer. Show some respect."
NPC: "I'm sorry, friend? What did I do wrong?"
PC: "I said respect. Call me sir, or I'll stave your head in."
NPC: "No, I don't think I will. You don't really want to fight me.
*PC knocks NPC's hat off*
Me: You're new to playing with me, aren't you?
Other PCs begin backing away
PC: Yeah, so? I'm evil. I'm just playing my alignment. Are you going to do some smiting? *PC draws sword.*
Me: No, I'm going to do what it said in the handout you evidently skipped. Okay... *rolls dice* 36... What's your initiative?
PC: Um... +6
Me: Okay. Don't need to bother rolling initiative then... *rolls* What's your fort save against massive damage... Oh, looks like you only have 40 hit points anyway. Nevermind then.

There's a reason why I almost never have repeat "Stupid Evil" characters. Smart evil yes (not necessarily smart characters, but smart evil), stupid evil no.

taltamir
2009-11-21, 03:10 AM
how often does this actually occur to need such a thing?

Also, wouldn't it make more sense that he just kills the innocent villager and then is tracked down and executed by a level 20 paladin? (still heavy handed... make it a balanced level 10 good party)... only happens to those who are blatent about it and don't even hide what they are doing...

Heck, don't even have it happen right away, he gets away with killing the first villager, then the second... then he kills a whole family... you tally it up and then, boom... "you are wanted for 17 murders in 3 counties, make peace with your maker".

Although... I guess, letting him play a few levels being stupid evil before snuffing him out more cruel then insta death.

golentan
2009-11-21, 03:27 AM
how often does this actually occur to need such a thing?

Only twice.


Also, wouldn't it make more sense that he just kills the innocent villager and then is tracked down and executed by a level 20 paladin? (still heavy handed... make it a balanced level 10 good party)... only happens to those who are blatent about it and don't even hide what they are doing...

Also a fun variation, though there it's more often that the paladin comes to bring him to trial.


Heck, don't even have it happen right away, he gets away with killing the first villager, then the second... then he kills a whole family... you tally it up and then, boom... "you are wanted for 17 murders in 3 counties, make peace with your maker".

Although... I guess, letting him play a few levels being stupid evil before snuffing him out more cruel then insta death.

Yep. Keep handing him rope till he hangs himself. I generally prefer to deal with it quickly and brutally though, to prevent stupid evil from stabbing the rest of the party in their sleep (and generally my parties have agreed with me).

taltamir
2009-11-21, 03:33 AM
point.. if he is randomly killing villagers because his alignment is stupid evil, he will be stabbing the party in their sleep for their loot... haven't thought of it.

You could just have a discussion explaining what is and isn't appropriate to do as a character and tell him to play a good character until he matures enough to be trusted to be evil and not ruin the game for everyone...

... I just suggested using logic and a sensible explanation to educate an immature munchiken... what was I thinking? Yea... "it is a dragon in its human shape" is probably a good abject lesson.

golentan
2009-11-21, 03:46 AM
point.. if he is randomly killing villagers because his alignment is stupid evil, he will be stabbing the party in their sleep for their loot... haven't thought of it.

You could just have a discussion explaining what is and isn't appropriate to do as a character and tell him to play a good character until he matures enough to be trusted to be evil and not ruin the game for everyone...

... I just suggested using logic and a sensible explanation to educate an immature munchiken... what was I thinking? Yea... "it is a dragon in its human shape" is probably a good abject lesson.

Like I said, I cover it before the campaign, and specifically ask Evil and Chaotic Neutral characters if they think they can handle "sanity."

Thus anyone who senselessly picks a fight and goes for a lethal weapon when it's not required (a barroom brawl doesn't trigger, it's when he goes for the sword having picked a fight and failed to get a rise out of the fellow) I follow through with what I said I'd do. It's only happened twice, and makes for some fun comedy and running gags about "Eric the Chicken Lord, master of Bar Stools."

Acanous
2009-11-21, 03:50 AM
Woo! I'm first in the draft pick! Thanks, Schylerwalker :D
I'd reccommend you bring a shovel and a two handed saw.
That way, we could help the villagers dig a trench in shifts, and possibly put up a fence on the other side (Chest high walls which we hide behind for partial cover while we hack at the incoming zombies)

High ground bonus AND partial cover. Would up our survival chances greatly.

Also, if we could break up the terrain, it would reduce the zombie move speed drastically on the other side of the wall. Funds gleaned from selling "Art" could presumably be used to employ several locals to aid us in this- if they don't want to help for free (The ingrates >.>)

Tyndmyr
2009-11-21, 04:25 AM
Got into the Pbp myself. Already picked my stuff, and while I neglected a few things, I don't believe I missed anything that'll be too much of a problem for the zombie wave, at least.

Probably should have taken extra tanks of gas, oh well. I wonder if you can awaken a vehicle...

Randel
2009-11-21, 05:18 AM
One thing I thought of is that while it might be difficult to get gas or electricity for things, maintaining them could be fairly easy with access to Make Whole or repair damage (not sure if a computer would need Make Whole or Repair Damage... or if Repair could just fix a regular item in the same way that a cure light wounds might heal plants and trees... can cure spells heal plants?)


I suppose if you could get access to wizard spells soon enough, and had the right set of electrical equipment to harness electric spells then you could just magic up the power for your electronics. And if the machine gets broken or fried then a Make Whole spell could repair burned out fuses and stuff.

Heck, even in 4th edition where Make Whole is a ritual that costs money... it might be really cheap to repair modern world technology. Well... if one gold piece is worth a ton of money in our world, and therefore a laptop or car would just cost a few gp... then fixing your car to spiffy condition would just take a few gp worth of ingredients.

And though for the purposes of this exercise, it wouldn't really be feasible to grab every broken down computer you may have laying around... or to get a bulldozer and shove an entire garbage dump worth of trash into the portal... then its possible that Make Whole magic could be used to just zap garbage into perfectly working condition if you really feel like it.

Actually... things like blown out batteries and stuff are pretty inevitable with most electronic goods... so with magic then laptops might actually have an opportunity to last for far longer in a DnD world then in our own. A lich who can whip up a suitable power source for his lair (either a battery that absorbs lightning, or a water turbine run by decanters of endless water) could keep his laptop in perfect working order for... centuries with access to Make Whole. and if he can figure out how it works and gets access to Craft (electronics) then he's just a Fabricate spell away from turning sand and gold pieces into CPUs and circuitry.

Vizzerdrix
2009-11-21, 06:00 AM
gold is just over $1800/oz

PHB says 50 coins= 1 pound.

1 pound = 16 ounces

16/50= .32oz<-how much each coin weighs.

Would a permanent Animate object work? Maybe then bond it as a familiar somehow (to give it an Int score) and some feat to absorb electric spells in a positive way?

Slayn82
2009-11-21, 09:13 AM
Well, given how much current you would need to harm someone, i guess if you have craft wondrous item and shocking touch spell, you could at lvl 3 enchant a common battery to become eternal. Some constructs your wizard could craft at lvl 5 can attack with eletricity at will, so if needed they could be used to replendish lead car batteries.

Also, at wizard lvl 3, you can get levitation. With some thinkering, you could create a very efective industrial press, or use it to raise a weight and then let it fall to power a mechanism, like a drill or a milling machine, to make some good things. And you can use the Craft wondrous item feat to increase the DR of itens, so you could get extra hard tools. Hum, an adamantium drill, anyone?

Edit: and of course, once you have an useable battery, you can do ELECTROLYSIS!!! Mwhawhawhawha:smallbiggrin: Get sodium hidroxide for cheap "acid" damage, and turning fats into diesel.... And nets some Clorine too, always useful.

Oslecamo
2009-11-21, 09:18 AM
That said, I'm actually pretty decent at hunting (and this is my favorite type - where I just drive around watching for things in areas with wide sight lines then shoot them. Three cheers for animals which don't know what motors mean.)

And given how quickly killing animals accrues EXP in D&D I should be perfectly fine, since I'll be mid level before they even arrive.

How good is your spot modifier? And your listen? Because in D&D animals don't just stand there waiting to be shot. They hide and sneack towards you. And some of them can burrow. Pretty quickly. And shooting them on the face only makes them angrier.

Also, remember that the DMG clearly states that only a challenging ecounter gives out exp. Killing domesticated/restrained oponents wich were never able to threaten you provides no exp whatsoever.

Temet Nosce
2009-11-21, 09:26 AM
How good is your spot modifier? And your listen? Because in D&D animals don't just stand there waiting to be shot. They hide and sneack towards you. And some of them can burrow. Pretty quickly. And shooting them on the face only makes them angrier.

Also, remember that the DMG clearly states that only a challenging ecounter gives out exp. Killing domesticated/restrained oponents wich were never able to threaten you provides no exp whatsoever.

Wonderful, they'll come towards me. Given that my updated plan includes renting a hummer (the military version) this does not bother me in the slightest. I'll run over any which actually approach, the rest are unlikely to even know what is attacking them and unable to do anything about it regardless (given that I'll be hundreds of feet away).

I'm not suggesting killing domesticated or restrained opponents. Just unaware ones.

vrellum
2009-11-21, 09:28 AM
Are we talking about a world where DnD rules actually model reality? 'Cause then I wouldn't be interested because that world couldn't really exist. Not because of magic, but because of too many internal inconsistencies. And nothing really makes sense.

Or is it a world that DnD rules try to emulate in game form? Becuase that could be pretty interesting.

Eldan
2009-11-21, 09:33 AM
Just assuming...

I have a catholic priest in town. I buy the largest water tank I can find, some kind of wagon to put it on, a few hand pumps, two garden hoses and pay the priest twenty bucks to bless the water for me. He's a nice guy anyway, he might do it for free.

Oslecamo
2009-11-21, 09:43 AM
I'm not suggesting killing domesticated or restrained opponents. Just unaware ones.
That's ok, I was more of talking to all the people claiming that they would buy domesticated rats and stuff, but...


Wonderful, they'll come towards me. Given that my updated plan includes renting a hummer (the military version) this does not bother me in the slightest. I'll run over any which actually approach, the rest are unlikely to even know what is attacking them and unable to do anything about it regardless (given that I'll be hundreds of feet away).


But you're in D&D world now. Your trampling attack from your hummer would only take down really weak animals, and unless you're some military, trying to hit a target hundreds of feets away isn't very likely to happen due to range increment penalties. You can't take aim in the D&D world.

Animals in there, on the other hand, as well as all other wildlife, are quite agressive, and once they hear the gunshot(or any noise for the matter), you can bet they'll be either charging towards you or running for cover. Any creature that just stands there when attacked would've just been killed by other monsters before you got to it.

This is assuming there are only normal animals of course. Where do you run when singing harpies or shadows apear? A digester wich can melt your hummer and has an insane hide check?

Amphetryon
2009-11-21, 10:02 AM
Just assuming...

I have a catholic priest in town. I buy the largest water tank I can find, some kind of wagon to put it on, a few hand pumps, two garden hoses and pay the priest twenty bucks to bless the water for me. He's a nice guy anyway, he might do it for free.

Doesn't count unless the priest is using the vast amounts of silver the PHb calls for to make the damp silver bricks we call Holy Water in D&D. :smallwink:

Temet Nosce
2009-11-21, 10:02 AM
That's ok, I was more of talking to all the people claiming that they would buy domesticated rats and stuff, but...

Ah, fair enough.


But you're in D&D world now. Your trampling attack from your hummer would only take down really weak animals, and unless you're some military, trying to hit a target hundreds of feets away isn't very likely to happen due to range increment penalties. You can't take aim in the D&D world.

Animals in there, on the other hand, as well as all other wildlife, are quite agressive, and once they hear the gunshot(or any noise for the matter), you can bet they'll be either charging towards you or running for cover. Any creature that just stands there when attacked would've just been killed by other monsters before you got to it.

This is assuming there are only normal animals of course. Where do you run when singing harpies or shadows apear? A digester wich can melt your hummer and has an insane hide check?

It depends on what the stats of my guns are, honestly if they're the suggested ones you're right, I won't be shooting anything over 160 ft away. Still useful, but not nearly as great. As far as trample with a hummer - well, I'm unsure if that's actually what it'd amount to but if so trample might get fairly absurd and would quite likely kill any typical animal in a single trample. I don't know how we'd calculate a Hummer's slam damage, but based on horse power (293) and horse strength being 16, the trample would do an obscene amount regardless of the slam total.

Of course, if this world functions as what the D&D rules are attempting to model instead of strictly by RAW this is all irrelevant. Amusing though.

Also, I disagree about the noise, their most likely response is to freeze due to lack of experience. It's a normal defensive reaction for many animals even now.

You're right about the chance to end up fighting things other than what I'm hunting though. It'd be kind of funny if they needed adventurers for the zombies, but had a village surrounded by worse threats honestly.

Eldan
2009-11-21, 10:09 AM
Doesn't count unless the priest is using the vast amounts of silver the PHb calls for to make the damp silver bricks we call Holy Water in D&D. :smallwink:

Oh. Right, I forgot that. What's the price for silver? And can I just steal my parent's silver cutlery? That's a few kilos right there.

Slayn82
2009-11-21, 10:24 AM
I always wondered if D&D holywater are actually silver nitrate solutions. But even then, it would be way over concentrated, so probably not.

Acanous
2009-11-21, 10:31 AM
Maybe it IS silver nitrate, and the excess silver went towards buying equiptment to make it?

Eldan
2009-11-21, 10:32 AM
Or it's just water, stored in gigantic silver bottles.

Amphetryon
2009-11-21, 10:34 AM
Either way, it has enough silver content that it should do Bludgeoning damage. [/aside]

The Dark Fiddler
2009-11-21, 11:25 AM
I would die, likely. I have no fighting skills.

Although, if the world runs on D&D rules, I suppose that a Reach weapon + 5 foot step would work.

I think this idea would make a better webcomic than a PbP game.

I can kind of see it now... after just barely fending off the zombies through rules abuse, the main character realizes he/she has no way to get home, and joins an adventuring group to try and find a way to get home. Most of the group realizes that he actually sucks and has no powers, and starts getting a bit uneasy about having him there, but one person could be interested in this world he came from, and how he can find such unexpected ways to win battles. Bonus points if said person is the group's worst fighter, learns from main character, and becomes the best fighter.

It'd be best if, unlike most webcomics, it doesn't break the fourth wall and be aware they're in a game.

Prime32
2009-11-21, 11:51 AM
Just assuming...

I have a catholic priest in town. I buy the largest water tank I can find, some kind of wagon to put it on, a few hand pumps, two garden hoses and pay the priest twenty bucks to bless the water for me. He's a nice guy anyway, he might do it for free.I was thinking of stealing a tanker used to transport petrol, filling it with water, having the water blessed by a priest, and rigging it with explosives. Then get someone to drive it or cast animate objects on the wheel/pedals and send it into the middle of the zombies.

Or, y'know, just leave the petrol in. The explosion should be enough to kill the necromancer behind all this, or the petrol could be used to replicate wall of fire. Would a sufficiently high-powered torch count as sunlight for purposes of damaging undead?

For that matter, if someone's ordering the zombies around then you could use modern technology to confuse him. For instance, you could use walky-talkies with the volume turned up to lure him into an ambush. They're non-magical, so they're hard to find. Alternatively you could provoke him into trying to dispel some of your "magic" then claiming that it didn't work because you are an epic wizard (behold my strange clothing of otherworldly fabrics!), and will disintegrate him if he does not take his army and leave immediately.

Slayn82
2009-11-21, 12:30 PM
Dont remember the mad wizard of Desintegration rays, please!!!:smalleek:

I would prefer to hit him with a car or bike. Are cars good against Lighting bolts? But personally, i think the smarter move is staying away from him, to not receive a charm person or an scorching ray.

taltamir
2009-11-21, 02:19 PM
Doesn't count unless the priest is using the vast amounts of silver the PHb calls for to make the damp silver bricks we call Holy Water in D&D. :smallwink:

not only would he have to use 25gp worth of silver per flask, he also would have to cast the spell once per flask... while chanelling positive energy from the positive energy plane.
Last I checked priests don't actually cast magic spells so its not gonna work.

Fhaolan
2009-11-21, 02:52 PM
Just as a note for those bringing vehicles, it's easier if they're diesel. Biodiesel is fairly easy to make if you know how, and if it's a seriously robust diesel engine like a tractor or an old army truck you can use filtered vegitable oil (with some alcohol added to get it started). Not something I recommend for modern diesel cars as they've got tighter tolerances and it'll eat all the seals, but older farm/military-type vehicles can usually handle it. Afterall, that was the primary purpose for diesel way-back-when, running the tractors on a fuel the farmers themselves could make.

My wife just mentioned that the wide blade for the lances and the scorpion bolts are fairly easy to get. Just get some edging tools from the hardware store and sharpen them. Hadn't thought of that myself.

She also says she's used to dealing with zombies, as they have quite a resemblance to the parents of the kids she coaches for vaulting. (Vaulting is gymnastics on horseback.) :smallbiggrin:

Random832
2009-11-21, 03:19 PM
Is there epic progression for the commoner class?
Easy enough to work out - just extrapolate the commoner's normal class features.

Table: The Epic Commoner
{table]21st|—
22nd|—
23rd|—
24th|—
25th|—
26th|—
27th|—
28th|—
29th|—
30th|—[/table]

A few bonus feats might not be out of line, since some other classes without a non-epic bonus feat progression get them. Your call as DM.

Oslecamo
2009-11-21, 03:25 PM
I don't know how we'd calculate a Hummer's slam damage, but based on horse power (293) and horse strength being 16, the trample would do an obscene amount regardless of the slam total.
Not a really logic comparison. A hummer in no way has the strenght of 293 horses, be it here on the real world.

For example, a large creature with 36 str in D&D can lift an hummer and walk around with it as an heavy load (6000 lb).

But put an hummer over another hummer, and I doubt the one below will go anywhere anytime soon.

And 293 horses can carry more than ten times that however.



Also, I disagree about the noise, their most likely response is to freeze due to lack of experience. It's a normal defensive reaction for many animals even now.


Not in the D&D world. In the real world that's kinda of a viable tactic, because most predators prefer to attack moving targets (following the logic that mobile= tasty meat). In D&D however natural evolution would've changed the animals to react, because standing still is an horrible idea in there, as the predators have normaly extra senses to detect their preys, so standing still doesn't cut it. And hey, what was the last time you heard of a monster freezing with fear just because it had heard a sound?

About zombies:they can partial charge(move+attack as a single action), so 5 foot step+reach weapon alone won't save you.

Asbestos
2009-11-21, 03:27 PM
Although, if the world runs on D&D rules, I suppose that a Reach weapon + 5 foot step would work.

Hence my decision to make up a bunch of polearms and distribute them to the farmers while teaching them to 5 ft step. Converting a car into some sort of death chariot with blades all over it would probably work too. Go all Death Race 2000 on those zombies.

Those bringing guns... do guns do slashing damage? Do you realize that these are 'massive damage' type zombies and not 'headshot' zombies?

Asbestos
2009-11-21, 03:36 PM
[/b]About zombies:[/B]they can partial charge(move+attack as a single action), so 5 foot step+reach weapon alone won't save you.

5ft step, move, ready action to attack zombie when it gets in range. Rinse, repeat. The stupid things have to double move to get within 5ft of me and they're probably not smart enough to figure out what's going on. Also, that suggestion of disrupting terrain works too. Also, someone might look into how much a mess of throwing axes would cost, could be really useful if you reinforced a building and used the roof/windows as a throwing platform.

Oslecamo
2009-11-21, 03:51 PM
5ft step, move, ready action to attack zombie when it gets in range. Rinse, repeat. The stupid things have to double move to get within 5ft of me and they're probably not smart enough to figure out what's going on.
Except that they cannot double move. Single action per turn. If they move, they attack whatever's at the end. They can, however, still use ranged weapons. Since D&D zombies really don't care about eating brains, just killing them, they won't mind throwing stuff at you untill you stop moving.

(and actualy, you can't even 5 foot step and move on the same turn as per the rules!)



Also, that suggestion of disrupting terrain works too. Also, someone might look into how much a mess of throwing axes would cost, could be really useful if you reinforced a building and used the roof/windows as a throwing platform.

A good tactic against anyone actualy, but now you have axe throwing zombies!:smalltongue:

Asbestos
2009-11-21, 04:36 PM
Except that they cannot double move. Single action per turn. If they move, they attack whatever's at the end. They can, however, still use ranged weapons. Since D&D zombies really don't care about eating brains, just killing them, they won't mind throwing stuff at you untill you stop moving.

(and actualy, you can't even 5 foot step and move on the same turn as per the rules!)



A good tactic against anyone actualy, but now you have axe throwing zombies!:smalltongue:

Doh! Forgot about how they can't double move... there must be a way to abuse the rules to polearm zombies to double-death. Also, I forgot that they can shoot at me. The mini-fortress with throwing axes still works. Open windows to throw stuff out, have dude next to me with a readied action to close the window after the axe is thrown. Hope that zombies don't ready actions to throw back axes. Or... axe-slits? does that even work?

I could also use leveling/economy abuse to become some sort of relatively low-level zombie murdering machine. Then, I wipe out the zombies and use my new levels to reset myself on the path to godhood at whatever pace I feel like.

Edit: Once we get in world how aware are we of our current stuff? How do we gain levels/feats? Do we just say that's what we're taking? Can we see our Character Sheet? Are we like Red Mage from 8bit Theater?

Vizzerdrix
2009-11-21, 05:08 PM
Here's a though. What if you didn't enter as an expert, but as the result of a test (http://easydamus.com/character.html)?

Schylerwalker
2009-11-21, 05:11 PM
That's a good thought. On to the test!

Schylerwalker
2009-11-21, 05:39 PM
Neutral Good Human Bard (2nd Level)

Ability Scores:
Strength- 12
Dexterity- 16
Constitution- 12
Intelligence- 13
Wisdom- 12
Charisma- 17

Seems good to me!

Fhaolan
2009-11-21, 06:59 PM
Those bringing guns... do guns do slashing damage? Do you realize that these are 'massive damage' type zombies and not 'headshot' zombies?

The guns I'm bringing are just part of the general kit. In the same way as the silver, iron, rowan wood, and rocksalt stuff. They're just in case zombies aren't the only thing waiting on the other side of the portal, and because the original message didn't actually specify the game system or edition (where zombies might have different weaknesses, depending). I'm being paranoid and bringing general supernatural-bane gear to cover a bunch of bases.

Asbestos
2009-11-21, 07:20 PM
Neutral Good Human Bard (2nd Level)

Ability Scores:
Strength- 12
Dexterity- 16
Constitution- 12
Intelligence- 13
Wisdom- 12
Charisma- 17

Seems good to me!

Ha!
True Neutral Human Wizard (3rd Level)
Ability Scores:
Strength- 13
Dexterity- 10
Constitution- 12
Intelligence- 16
Wisdom- 11
Charisma- 14

I've got second level spells!

AslanCross
2009-11-21, 07:26 PM
$1000 dollars is worth about 3 months' worth of my current salary. I will stay away and buy myself new gadgets and some D&D merchandise. :P

Eldan
2009-11-21, 07:45 PM
Actually...
Just imagine how much gold a wizard would pay you for a complete set of DnD rulebooks...

Inhuman Bot
2009-11-21, 07:52 PM
Buy 900$ worth of shotgun shells, and 100$ worth of chainsaw fuel.

But no shotgun?

And why waste 100$ on chainsaw fuel? There are more efficent ways of getting rich then being a lumber jack.

Asbestos
2009-11-21, 08:10 PM
Actually...
Just imagine how much gold a wizard would pay you for a complete set of DnD rulebooks...

And imagine how easy it'd be for a wizard to just take those books from the prophetic and fearsome... level 1 expert.

Vizzerdrix
2009-11-21, 08:16 PM
Simple. get the books to a temple of baccob and trade them for clerical training.

Oslecamo
2009-11-21, 08:16 PM
And why waste 100$ on chainsaw fuel? There are more efficent ways of getting rich then being a lumber jack.

Chainsaws are a somewhat popular anti-zombie measure in a lot of B movies, just like shotguns.

Tyndmyr
2009-11-21, 08:30 PM
Ah, fair enough.



It depends on what the stats of my guns are, honestly if they're the suggested ones you're right, I won't be shooting anything over 160 ft away. Still useful, but not nearly as great. As far as trample with a hummer - well, I'm unsure if that's actually what it'd amount to but if so trample might get fairly absurd and would quite likely kill any typical animal in a single trample. I don't know how we'd calculate a Hummer's slam damage, but based on horse power (293) and horse strength being 16, the trample would do an obscene amount regardless of the slam total.

Of course, if this world functions as what the D&D rules are attempting to model instead of strictly by RAW this is all irrelevant. Amusing though.

Also, I disagree about the noise, their most likely response is to freeze due to lack of experience. It's a normal defensive reaction for many animals even now.

You're right about the chance to end up fighting things other than what I'm hunting though. It'd be kind of funny if they needed adventurers for the zombies, but had a village surrounded by worse threats honestly.

Um, the DMG has weapon stats, yknow. Lesse, modern weapons table, page 146. Hunting rifle, as it's something reasonable for people to have, as opposed to grenade launchers and such.

M: 2d10, x2 crit, 80ft range increment, piercing.

Yeah, at level 1, that's death on a stick. Basically, it's a repeating heavy crossbow with a slightly shorter range increment, but double the damage. I'm quite ok with that trade.

So, by RAW, a level 1 player with a rifle has pretty good odds on leveling.

Coidzor
2009-11-21, 10:08 PM
No, no. That's only the rule if, on first meeting an unstatted NPC in the village tavern or working the fields, the PC starts picking a fight. It usually goes something like:

PC: "Hey, I'm an adventurer. Show some respect."
NPC: "I'm sorry, friend? What did I do wrong?"
PC: "I said respect. Call me sir, or I'll stave your head in."
NPC: "No, I don't think I will. You don't really want to fight me.
*PC knocks NPC's hat off*
Me: You're new to playing with me, aren't you?
Other PCs begin backing away
PC: Yeah, so? I'm evil. I'm just playing my alignment. Are you going to do some smiting? *PC draws sword.*
Me: No, I'm going to do what it said in the handout you evidently skipped. Okay... *rolls dice* 36... What's your initiative?
PC: Um... +6
Me: Okay. Don't need to bother rolling initiative then... *rolls* What's your fort save against massive damage... Oh, looks like you only have 40 hit points anyway. Nevermind then.

There's a reason why I almost never have repeat "Stupid Evil" characters. Smart evil yes (not necessarily smart characters, but smart evil), stupid evil no.

Well that's just silly. How are you supposed to have a bar fight that ends up setting fire to half of the entire town then?

Temet Nosce
2009-11-21, 10:19 PM
Not a really logic comparison. A hummer in no way has the strenght of 293 horses, be it here on the real world.

For example, a large creature with 36 str in D&D can lift an hummer and walk around with it as an heavy load (6000 lb).

But put an hummer over another hummer, and I doubt the one below will go anywhere anytime soon.

And 293 horses can carry more than ten times that however.

True, HP isn't even really made to measure that really but my point was more that it's as logical as gun being suddenly weaker. Is it logical? No, but assuming that the D&D world works as RAW instead of as what the rules are trying to model it's a reasonable possibility.


Not in the D&D world. In the real world that's kinda of a viable tactic, because most predators prefer to attack moving targets (following the logic that mobile= tasty meat). In D&D however natural evolution would've changed the animals to react, because standing still is an horrible idea in there, as the predators have normaly extra senses to detect their preys, so standing still doesn't cut it. And hey, what was the last time you heard of a monster freezing with fear just because it had heard a sound?

A few months ago, it was making a hide check. Not all animals/monsters in D&D are going to be able to detect things which freeze and try to blend in, it doesn't make sense to just assume that all animals will have completely different reactions.

Temet Nosce
2009-11-21, 10:22 PM
Um, the DMG has weapon stats, yknow. Lesse, modern weapons table, page 146. Hunting rifle, as it's something reasonable for people to have, as opposed to grenade launchers and such.

M: 2d10, x2 crit, 80ft range increment, piercing.

Yeah, at level 1, that's death on a stick. Basically, it's a repeating heavy crossbow with a slightly shorter range increment, but double the damage. I'm quite ok with that trade.

So, by RAW, a level 1 player with a rifle has pretty good odds on leveling.

Yeah, that's what I meant by "suggested ones" and yes as I've noted my plan should work even using those. It just won't be quite as rapid and lethal.

It's certainly one of the most useful weapons at low levels, but still doesn't really model the weapon very well.

Inhuman Bot
2009-11-21, 11:40 PM
Chainsaws are a somewhat popular anti-zombie measure in a lot of B movies, just like shotguns.

I realize that. But while a shotgun could conceviably be used as a weapon, a chainsaw? Not so much.

Fhaolan
2009-11-21, 11:59 PM
I realize that. But while a shotgun could conceviably be used as a weapon, a chainsaw? Not so much.

There's a fun chainsaw on a stick thingy used to prune larger branches off of trees. That'd be a cool, if over-complicated, poleweapon.

Sliver
2009-11-22, 01:33 AM
You could always go for chainsaw launchers...
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/8/85/ImageD.jpghttp://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/d/d1/ImageC.jpg


Also, help for the uninformed, there is a wiki for everything! zombiesurvivalwiki (http://www.zombiesurvivalwiki.com/)!

Baelathil
2009-11-22, 07:54 AM
But is 1 ounce = 1 gp?

No: it's (a smidgin over) 3 gp: 50 gp = 1 lb gold (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/wealthAndMoney.htm#wealthOtherThanCoins), 1lb = 16 oz. As others have pointed out, salt matches silver pound-for-pound on value; and matches (presumed to be tinder twigs (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#tindertwig), 1 gp each) are likely better. Also consider (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#tableAdventuringGear): ink @ 8 gp / oz, good steel chain (1 lb per 5 ft) @ 3 gp / ft, superlative locks (up to 150 gp, 1 lb), well-made mirrors (10 gp for an 8 oz piece of polished steel shouldn't be hard to beat), paper (4 sp / sheet, but that may be for good hemp paper, not the crappy dead-tree-pulp it's easy to buy in bulk, but even that should qualify for parchment's 2 sp / sheet), sewing needles (5 sp each) and &ndash; oooh ! why did no-one mention this already &ndash; a decent telescope or pair of binoculars should qualify as a spyglass (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#spyglass) worth a whole sweet thousand gold pieces. That sounds like the one to go for, especially as the ones you can get are probably way better than the DnD world has to offer &ndash; you can easilly beat x2 magnification by my guess. Some of the others may well be worth having anyway, for the sake of using them, just because you can get them significantly cheaper here than there, but spyglass sounds like it's got the widest profit margin.

Of course, the money's incidental, at least in the short term: your portal takes you to a small village that doesn't have the resources to defend itself against an imminent zombie attack, so your vast store of valuables won't be immediately convertible to anything useful. You would need to travel to a larger settlement with great enough assets that its denizens are able to buy your highly valuable trade goods and supply you with zombie-fighting weaponry. If such a settlement were near enough to do that before the zombies are due to arrive, it's probably fair to suppose the villagers would have sent a messenger already. Maybe they have and you're the "let's see what further help we can get" insurance. Anyway, you're going to have to deal with the zombies before you can trade your precious goods - although they may be useful in their own right (e.g. a good spyglass lets you see them coming well in advance), in the short term.

Razor-wire is evil but perfect for dealing with zombies - they won't have the Dex or Int to deal with it any clever way, so they'll blunder through it, taking all the slashing damage it can offer. It'll also slow them, making it a good place to hit them with one of the assorted ranged attacks that have been discussed - flame-thrower, holy soaker.

A variant on flame-thrower, possibly worth considering if you can reasonably hope to get to a secure elevated position up-wind of the advancing zombies (if their orders are to hit the village and you're not between them and it, they'll probably ignore you until it's too late): get one of the sprayers gardeners use to spray pesticide / fungicide / etc. on crops, fruit trees and the like; the one my dad used last time I saw one in action was a big tank on his back, a stirrup pump to drive air into the tank to create the pressure that drives the liquid up the exit pipe that leads to the tube to the long handle with the sprayer nozzle on the end, controlled by a trigger on the handle. Find a model made of one of the plastics that isn't petrol-soluble (USAians should read "gas" where I say petrol), fill the tank with petrol. As long as there's a moderate breeze on the day of the zombie attack, you can create a cloud of petrol-aerosol; even if the droplets drop out of the air before drifting down-wind to the zombies, the air will be saturated with petrol vapour. Hopefully the one who summoned you can do some basic low-level magic that'll serve as a flame attack targeting the zombies - thus igniting your cloud of petroleum vapour/aerosol. Done right that should be pretty devastating - use ear-plugs and warn your allies to do the same ! In terms of impact per unit of available petrol, it has the advantage, relative to a flame-thrower, of delivering all of the burn where it's wanted, rather than wasting most of the burn on the way there.

Not sure I'd be so keen on actually going through, though; my Str and Con are way down on my youth and I'm only a few years short of Old already. Still, I could reply to the sending with advice to prepare comprehend languages (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/comprehendLanguages.htm) (in case my written English isn't common), then go blow k$1 on useful stuff and a cart to load it on, then push that through with a letter giving instructions on what to do with it all (and labels on much of the kit, to make sure they know which things are which). It'd improve their chances without risking my skin ! Worst case, a few boxes of binoculars should provide for the villagers to simply flee, sell the spyglasses and have the wealth to get set up somewhere else less zombie-threatened.

Acanous
2009-11-22, 09:03 AM
Ha!
True Neutral Human Wizard (3rd Level)
Ability Scores:
Strength- 13
Dexterity- 10
Constitution- 12
Intelligence- 16
Wisdom- 11
Charisma- 14

I've got second level spells!

Lawful Good Human Cleric (4th Level)
Ability Scores:
Strength- 13
Dexterity- 13
Constitution- 15
Intelligence- 13
Wisdom- 15
Charisma- 15

I've got second level spells and a pretty darned good Turn check!

Prime32
2009-11-22, 09:22 AM
Those traditional zombie survival guides aren't really too useful here - D&D zombies don't hunger for brains and keep going when their heads are destroyed. Now, if it was a ghoul apoclypse...

Shotguns should still work well, as should fragmentation grenades (deal slashing damage by D&D rules), claymore mines and anything which deals spread-out damage.

Yahzi
2009-11-22, 11:57 AM
If you want to return home then you'd have to find someone who can cast Plane Shift (or a similar spell) or level up until you can do it yourself.

You might find this book interesting: it's a story about going to a D&D world with what you have in your pockets:

Sword of the Bright Lady (http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Bright-Lady-M-Planck/dp/B002ACW00Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258908756&sr=8-1)

I don't understand the people buying swords. They already have swords over there, and some of them are magical. Nothing in our world - not even the best hand-made katana (the best swords in our world) can compare to a +4 Holy Defender.

What to take:

1) Books. Basic chemical/mechanical/civil/electrical engineering, math, and medicine. Not astronomy, though.

2) Seeds. Preferably modern super-wheat, or just a 100 packets of different things in the hopes that you'll take over something tasty they don't have (if it's like medieval Europe, they don't have potatoes. How rich could you get by inventing french fries?)

3) A good semi-automatic hunting rifle and a case of ammunition. This is only because of the zombieclypse. Even by D&D rules a hunting rifle is going to be the best weapon (short of a machine gun) you can have. Long range, high damage, and easy to use. I don't care how good you SCA knights are, I am going to kill a lot more zombies a lot more safely with a .30-06 than you are with a sword. Put me in a bell tower and watch the fun. By both D&D and movie rules, Zombies have crap for Climb checks. :smallbiggrin:

If there wasn't an immediate danger, a Sharps .50 caliber black powder rifle would be better. You can make ammo for it over there, and you can teach others how to make more rifles.

Yahzi
2009-11-22, 12:18 PM
No, no. That's only the rule if, on first meeting an unstatted NPC in the village tavern or working the fields, the PC starts picking a fight. It usually goes something like:

PC: "Hey, I'm an adventurer. Show some respect."
NPC: "I'm sorry, friend? What did I do wrong?"
PC: "I said respect. Call me sir, or I'll stave your head in."
NPC: "No, I don't think I will. You don't really want to fight me.
*PC knocks NPC's hat off*
Me: You're new to playing with me, aren't you?
Other PCs begin backing away
PC: Yeah, so? I'm evil. I'm just playing my alignment. Are you going to do some smiting? *PC draws sword.*
Me: No, I'm going to do what it said in the handout you evidently skipped. Okay... *rolls dice* 36... What's your initiative?
PC: Um... +6
Me: Okay. Don't need to bother rolling initiative then... *rolls* What's your fort save against massive damage... Oh, looks like you only have 40 hit points anyway. Nevermind then.

There's a reason why I almost never have repeat "Stupid Evil" characters. Smart evil yes (not necessarily smart characters, but smart evil), stupid evil no.
There are many things wrong with this.

1) Your PC is not role-playing evil. He is role-playing. PCs fighters are knights; that means they are of the noble class. In many times and places, commoners striking them, failing to bow to them, or insulting them were crimes punishable by death. In even the most eglitarian societies, the professional warriors who could kill anything that moved were accorded automatic respect because a) they are needed for protection, and b) they can kill you, and you live in a world where "I get to tell you what to do because I was born in a castle" is considered a sound basis for government.

2) If your NPC farmers have epic levels, then why do they need heroic adventurers? If I was in your world, and zombies attacked the town, I would run into the nearest tavern and insult all the day-laborers until I found the epic level commoners, and then let them kill the monsters.

There is a way to deal with Stupid Evil without destroying the mechanics of your world. First off those peasants belong to somebody, who won't appreciate them being abused. Slapping around guys who are supposed to be working is going to get you a visit from the local Baron and his Knights, all of whom are bad-asses. Secondly the local Paladins might decide you need to be challenged to a duel or just possibly a crusade.

Your characters live in a world where personal power = political power. Thus, the response to an abuse of power is to send in other powerful personnel. Not to make the peasantry so powerful they don't need knights.

Acanous
2009-11-22, 12:24 PM
^^That'd be why I'm not taking a sword.

Not in the SCA myself, but as far as modern weapons go I'm abiding by the prime directive here. Seriously, I don't think I could live with myself if I gave one culture such a giant leap in the art of war. The ripples it would cause would be bloody, indeed.

Further, with 3 days to prepare and only what you can carry through (Because OP stated a single one-man vehicle only) Textbooks wouldn't really be of that much help. While yes, you could prepare some pretty decent fertilizer bombs- you're not going to revolutionize the production industry.
Not with 4 guys, 3 days, and presumably little to no practical experience in the field.

While ranged weapons are a good idea, specifically those which deal an average of 6+ damage- If these undead are being led by a Wizard, there are some pretty low level spells which make all ranged attacks in an area useless. Mostly to counter Ranger-cheese.
Going in with ranged and at least something for melee options is a better idea.

Prefferably, you'd want to spend that prep time learning the terrain and making traps. KISS so you can get the villagers to help out.

Vizzerdrix
2009-11-22, 01:13 PM
We get a vehicle? I thought it said NO vehicle! I'd spend the cash on a plane ticket to the mid west and steal a combine harvester (http://www.freefoto.com/images/07/28/07_28_3---Combine-Harvester_web.jpg) then. Can't be much harder to drive than a skidder (http://www.lantz.ca/imagesMoosonee/2005_08/800mr_skidder_sunset_MG_2142.jpg)


Also: we simply must now find a way to make that chainsaw launcher! Maybe using dragonmech?

Volkov
2009-11-22, 01:37 PM
I'd close that portal ASAP. The people of that world be damned.

Yahzi
2009-11-22, 02:43 PM
Seriously, I don't think I could live with myself if I gave one culture such a giant leap in the art of war.
Um... the culture you're helping is a human culture. The culture they are getting a giant leap over are flesh-eating zombies.

Not seeing the moral dilemma here... :smallbiggrin:

It may be true that giving guns to a medieval baron would lead to some ugliness, but it can't be as ugly as whoever is creating zombie invasions.


you're not going to revolutionize the production industry.
No, but the OP didn't mention you coming back after the zombie fight. So you should plan on staying there for a while.


If these undead are being led by a Wizard, there are some pretty low level spells which make all ranged attacks in an area useless.
So you use the rifle on the wizard. If the wizard is high enough level to shut down rifle attacks, then honestly: nothing you can do is going to matter. Certainly not battering around with a sharp stick. The people in the village already know how to do that. They've got that angle covered.


Going in with ranged and at least something for melee options is a better idea.
Melee is a terrible idea. If you think it's hard to restart the industrial revolution with only limited experience, then fighting zombies with limited experience is going to be 10x as hard. I'm going to leave the melee to the guys who have been doing it for a living for their entire life.

Asbestos
2009-11-22, 04:06 PM
Not in the SCA myself, but as far as modern weapons go I'm abiding by the prime directive here. Seriously, I don't think I could live with myself if I gave one culture such a giant leap in the art of war. The ripples it would cause would be bloody, indeed.

Giving them modern weapons might help them topple the inevitable wizardocracies.

Baelathil
2009-11-22, 06:24 PM
One topic no-one's covered yet: the Expert gets to nominate ten skills as class skills; and has 4*(6 + int modifier) ranks to spend on skills. So, what skills would you chose as class skills, and how would you spend those copious skill ranks ?

As a first-level human, you have a bonus feat at level 1: what do you spend it on ? Or doesn't that apply to an NPC class ?

Jacey
2009-11-22, 06:46 PM
Tractor with a snowblower attachment. There's your slashing damage. :smallbiggrin:


I Dm'ed a group through a similar situation, they made their own stats and played themselves with a D&D style zombie horde to deal with (albeit in our world). They basically did a smash and grab at a Wal-Mart and parked themselves on the roof of a nearby Burger King. Propane tanks, motlov coctails, rifles, shotguns plus some axes to cover the only ladder up with attacks of opportunity. They blew up half the parking lot fairly well, but had to take shifts when someone was making con checks to keep fighting at the choke point.

taltamir
2009-11-22, 06:57 PM
You know, I get that spices are expensive in DnD... but why is SALT so expensive? it is an order of magnitude more expensive then pepper...
And WALL OF SALT is an instantaneous 2nd level spell. Meaning any 3rd level wizard can cast several times a day to create tons (literally) of salt.

TheWerdna
2009-11-22, 08:39 PM
ok i am a blackbelt in Karate and i know how to fight sorta decently with a sword, so i would probably be a level 1 Warrior/ Level 1 Expert with inproved unarmed Strike

i would get this

Katana

0$- alredy have

BB-gun

0$ alredy own

Bow and Arrows

0$ alredy own

Laptop with D$D books on it
0$-alredy own


A good combat knife

50-100$?

Camping gear

Alredy own

Chain mail

Have a friend who knows how to make some, so he might be able to give me some, if not makeshift armor from Sparing pads and leather clothing

Crank battery for laptop

100-200$?

Wooden Sheild

0$ alredy own


copper coins

Spend rest of money on this so i can buy stuff in D&D world

Grab everything i can posibly find that i could sell for alot in D&D world

I am not waisting money on a gun as is peircing damage and will run out of Ammo

First thing i do is kill stuff until i level, atwhich point i will start takeing levels as a warblade. Sell all my stuff and hopfuly get about 3000gp and get my armor and sword enchanted.

Within 4 days i plan to atleast have 2 levels of warblade and some +1 stuff. then i can start killing zombies

Slayn82
2009-11-22, 08:40 PM
You know, I get that spices are expensive in DnD... but why is SALT so expensive? it is an order of magnitude more expensive then pepper...
And WALL OF SALT is an instantaneous 2nd level spell. Meaning any 3rd level wizard can cast several times a day to create tons (literally) of salt.

Well, it's because salt of good quality was extracted mostly from cristalized deposites in mines, and not everyone used to live by the sea. The sea water is a solution of diferent substances, and without some chemical processes, you end up with an product that contains other salts and impurities that turn it either impalatable or cause unexpected colateral effects - all that Magnesium could give you Diarhea, for instance. Other fonts of sodium cloride were employed, like plants and seafood, to sustain a good diet. But since you needed salt to preserve your food ( no refrigerators), it was always on high demand.

Sodium Nitrate, used to make blackpowder, was often used as an substitute for NaCl in the conservation of foods, after the discovery of large deposits of it in the Americas, more specifically in Chile. But it's not as good, since our bodies have a lesser tolerance to it.

The mining of Salt and Sulfur were behind the foundations of the first institutions that would become the craddle for the Chemistry. Germany has a big history in this chapter.

taltamir
2009-11-22, 08:44 PM
congrats, you are a level 1 warrior with average for level 1 non magical gear... you have a 90+% chance of dying on your first adventure; by level 10 wizards and clerics have rendered you irrelevant (assuming you even survive that long)...

Why in the world would you forgo guns; technology; etc and bring a sword, a shield, and a chain shirt to a DnD world... they already HAVE those things there; you have no advantage over the locals, at all.

A diesel bike and the knowledge to make biodiesel? awesome idea.
Guns and bullets, lots of them? awesome idea.
College textbooks and a plan to industrialize them? awesome idea.
becoming a level 1 warrior in a place where there are about a million other level 1 warriors with nothing to distinguish yourself? a one way trip to an early grave.

Also, gold coins... 1000$ worth of gold IRL = about 3gp worth of gold in DnD.
1000$ worth of spices IRL = millions of gp in DnD.
So you are better off bringing spices than buying gold.

TheWerdna
2009-11-22, 09:07 PM
[QUOTE=taltamir;7364228]congrats, you are a level 1 warrior with average for level 1 non magical gear... you have a 90+% chance of dying on your first adventure; by level 10 wizards and clerics have rendered you irrelevant (assuming you even survive that long)...

QUOTE]

note: i only said i start out as a Warrior, like everyone starts out as a expert or a commoner. I would defently take a level as a wizard, cleric, or warblade as soon as possible. Also, i plan on not useing a gun because eventualy i would run out of ammo, so the sword is a better choice


I would buy Copper and spices, and raid my house for anything i could sell (paper, jewlery, exetra) and probably get about 3000-10,000 gp once in D&D land. Get my Katana, armor, and sheild enchanted, grab some healing potions.



Then i meet up with the 3 other poeple who got the same message and form a party, convinveing them to be a Cleric, Wizard, and a Druid

i would then try and level up, get a level of Ranger (for undead as my favored enemy) and then go for Warblade.

Hopefuly we will be atleast level 4 befor the zombies hit,

Asbestos
2009-11-22, 09:09 PM
Well, it's because salt of good quality was extracted mostly from cristalized deposites in mines, and not everyone used to live by the sea. The sea water is a solution of diferent substances, and without some chemical processes, you end up with an product that contains other salts and impurities that turn it either impalatable or cause unexpected colateral effects - all that Magnesium could give you Diarhea, for instance. Other fonts of sodium cloride were employed, like plants and seafood, to sustain a good diet. But since you needed salt to preserve your food ( no refrigerators), it was always on high demand.

Sodium Nitrate, used to make blackpowder, was often used as an substitute for NaCl in the conservation of foods, after the discovery of large deposits of it in the Americas, more specifically in Chile. But it's not as good, since our bodies have a lesser tolerance to it.

The mining of Salt and Sulfur were behind the foundations of the first institutions that would become the craddle for the Chemistry. Germany has a big history in this chapter.
Yes, but this does not solve the problem of a low level spell creating hundreds of pounds of pure salt instantly.

Slayn82
2009-11-22, 09:43 PM
Yes, but this does not solve the problem of a low level spell creating hundreds of pounds of pure salt instantly.

Who said it's adequate to proper consumption? As i said, salty, but you can get a bad stomach consuming it. Anyway, it's not like it's very far from creating water, and i remember that there used to be an elemental demi plane of salt, in older 2nd edition books, somewhat between the proper elemental planes and the negative plane.

Well, this remembers me, it's said that Netheril used magical itens charged with negative energy to kill the cattle for the consumption of the population of the flying cities. Now, someone else is disturbed by the thought of Undead Cow carcasses attacking people? Or people eating their meat and becoming ghouls and ghasts? :smalleek:

And here we thought the Mad Cow disease was bad. Karsus was a man of a Genius only equaled by his poor planning skills.

JerichoPenumbra
2009-11-23, 12:20 AM
Because the title says "a portal that leads to the DnD world" maybe?

I like the buying paper to take over with me. Though, all things considered, I'd probably just grab a case or two of paper to take through the portal (office supply room is 10 feet from my office door!) for 5000 sheets of paper. That's a few hundred gold for either equipment there, or riches when I return. Pound for pound you can exchange salt for silver though, so its probably the best one to take.

Notwithstanding the issues noted with firearms, and the zombie horde's near immunity to that damage, I'd likely still go with a hunting rifle and shotgun (both borrowed from friends). Sure, it may take a couple shots, but I can use a gun. I don't know anything about swords or crossbows. :smallsmile: I can grab these, and pretty much as much ammo as I need from some friends. Cost $0.

My bike goes with me. No need for gas, no need for food for a mount, just my muscles. My bike kit (spare tubes, chain kit, tools, new cables, etc.) ditto. Cost $0

A supersoaker (my son's shoots about 30 feet, and has a backpack). Cost $0

Holy water. I have a friend who's a priest, and plays D&D. Should be a piece of cake to get him to bless as much water as I can carry. Assuming the clerics of the land are also gearing up to help out, a borderline endless supply of holy water should be available. Either way, it might be a more effective weapon than the guns. Cost $0.

My laptop (with all D&D books and the Encyclopedia Britanica on it) plus the solar charger. Already own both. Cost, $0.

My camping equipment, and at least a week's worth of freeze dried camping food. Sure, it tastes pretty bad (though the spagetti's good!) but I know it is parasite and disease free. Cost, $0.

So far, no money spent.

Maybe a quick trip to the local Walmart for about 20 more Super Soakers to arm the villagers with. Hey, if a 7 year old can hit me when playing in the backyard, these farmers can learn to hit things too. Say $400 for the decent Soakers. Now we all walk in a line and melt the zombies as they come. :smallbiggrin:

Now the rest gets spent on petroleum jelly and gasoline. Rig up a few trenches filled with that, add in the Heavenely Super Soakers, and we stand a chance of repelling the undead horde.

Great minds think a like I suppose. While I don't have as much access to resources as everyone else being a high school student but the overall use of trenches and fuego was what I was think before I read most of the posts. That being said let us say I spend about $800 on various supplies to fight off a bunch human zombies and to set up a somewhat stable amount of other living luxuries (such as my laptop, a way to charge it, toilet paper, etc.) and $200 on spice goods. Saying myself, whomever I brought, the village and it's inhabitants survive (most likely gaining a tasty chunk of EXP. in the process) I/we have a small fortune in spice goods to start funding our new adventuring career and/or helping set-up repairs to the town and/or making it a trading village indebted to me/us. :smallbiggrin:

After that, go off to adventure, multi-class into an arcane magic using class/(es) and maybe some thing else. Considering that I/we can gain levels quickly, depending on the challenges, plus the fact that I/we will have most of the knowledge of magic and monsters, hitting 10th level is possible in a month or two. Maybe more, maybe less. :smallamused:

From there I/we Plane Shift back home with a fortune in gold, worth even more in our world and repeat the spice trading becoming rich in both worlds, maybe meeting up a few times a week to adventure. :smallwink:

From the forums, I would most likely have Schylerwalker in my group if he would have me, simply because were good friends.

Now time to clear up this damned Pazuzu & Pun-pun crockery. First Pazuzu then Pun-pun. Pazuzu, Prince of the Lower Aerial Kingdoms can be found on page 76 in Fiendish Codex I. One of his major abilities is called Temptation. That is were saying his name 3 times comes in. Once you do that he can detect your thoughts, how good and lawful you are, understand your language and he tries to figure if your trying to capture him or not. Within one minute of that he can Greater Teleport and Plane Shift right to you. He asks why he was called but almost always gives aid, which usually comes in the form of his 1/day Wish spell-like ability. Calling him makes you one step closer to chaotic and if your chaotic you move one step closer to evil. The changes are considered voluntary. If your chaotic evil he beats you bloody for calling him. Calling him doesn't make him more powerful directly but paves the way for you to become dependent on his aid. People who called more than once him begin to crave his power and eventually join his cults, thereby increasing his followers, making him more powerful.

Pun-pun while technically being legal wouldn't be able to exist. Assuming he did, he's a Divine Minion. He answers to a higher power, most likely Kurtulmak. Going by that Kurtulmak could just apply the Pun-pun build to himself rather than having an omnipotent minion (imagining gods are mortal power omnipotent) who could break away and kill him. Kurtulmak would be the omnipotent one, thereby being able to kill off the other gods and making all of creation worship him as the sole superior being. Looking at it this way we can liken the christian god/ christianity itself to the worship of a green scaly midget. (HAHAAAHAAHAAHAHAHAAAAHHHAAAAAHAAHAAAHAA... HAHAAHAHAAAHAAHAA...HAHAHA..HA.....HA..HA...HA.... ............HA.... whew)

But seriously the people who made the game probably didn't make their DC 0 Spot check to see Pun-pun coming even a centimeter away. They don't check every book for any outrageous loop-holes that may come up and even though it is a real published ability the creators didn't expect such gross abuse. Any DM worth his or her dice would keep something that ridiculous from happening. The prevention is completely legal because it says in the DMG that the rules presented are just guidelines that the DM can create on the fly or drop like a hat. It also says the DM technically can't cheat because what he or she says is what the Multiverse and those who inhabit it do. So a DM can just say that raging ogre barbarian crit-ed power attacking for full with his great axe even though he rolled a natural 1 but usually doesn't because that would be acting like a douche. She or he doesn't usually want to act like that because if players always get beaten bloody, barely surviving, nobody'll want to play that campaign or with that DM ever again. DMs usually follow those rules not because they have to but to show fairness and partial equality to the players (players can't control reality and almost everyone in it on whim). If the DM did allow Kurtulmak or Pun-pun do the Pun-Pun build that would essentially leave no Pantheon in the Multiverse. With the fact that Kurtulmak would become an Over-deity, he would become bored with that Multiverse, leave it make a new one, etc. That being said you would either be in a Campaign where a kobold ruled the gods or a godless world (so namely no divine magic, so no cleric or favored soul buddy to heal you).

Also even if Pun-pun did exist for those of you trying to summon him with the Gate from a Candle of Invocation: A) Pun-pun doesn't have to appear if he doesn't want to, B) Even if shows up or not, he is under no compulsion to serve you, he could just eat or make your existence as demeaning as possible.:tongue:

P.S. A Master of Many Forms can't replicate the abilities of the creature it can turn into until 7th level.

P.P.S. going by the test I'm a:
Chaotic Good Human Ranger/Sorcerer (1st/1st Level)

Ability Scores:
Strength- 14
Dexterity- 14
Constitution- 14
Intelligence- 15
Wisdom- 14
Charisma- 14

sambo.
2009-11-23, 12:45 AM
hmmm;
here's what i'd get/take:

horse'n'cart: $0-, i can steal these (seriously, there's a bunch of carts not far from me that are perfectly serviceable and not locked up. as for horses: The Town Common, i know which ones are cart broken already).
Trail Bike, 250cc: $0-, already have.
6x 44gal drums of premium fuel: $0-; consider them stolen.
several 5l bottles engine oil: $100-
6x 44 gallon drums of Holy Water (i know several priests): $0-
2x Bush Fire backpack spray rigs: $0- (stolen from CFA) can be filled with either Petrol (flamethrower) or Holy Water (anti-zombie).
1x Zippo Lighter with spare flints: $0-, already have
1x Swag + Sleeping Bag (a mundane Hewards Fortifying bedroll)
1x Black Powder using, muzzle loading blunderbus ($0, i know where i can steal one from)
1x black powder revolver rifle with scope: ($0, already got)
2x black powder revolver pistols ($0, already got)
10,000 priming caps ($200 for the ones i don't have, or $0 if i rob the ammo shop)
1x set of bullet moulds for rifle & pistols (thankfully, they use the same slug), $0, got. does 30 slugs at a cast
10,000 cast lead slugs (i probably have close to the amount of lead needed to do this onhand)
however much black powder i can get my hands on (probably a pretty scary amount. i know a lot of people with rifles)
tool-kit ($0, already got)
large packet of Puri-Tabs (i don't trust this DnD water...)

solid-state laptop+solarcharger (would need to get the charger, so say $500 on that?) load up with all DnD books, The Little Black Book Of Boom Boom and as much chemistry related how-to-cook-up-XX stuff as i can get my hands on.

finally: raid kitchen for as many different basic food flavourings as i can (spices etc) and a BIG bottle of Tobasco sauce.

animal i take: mah dawg!

Fhaolan
2009-11-23, 12:55 AM
Why in the world would you forgo guns; technology; etc and bring a sword, a shield, and a chain shirt to a DnD world... they already HAVE those things there; you have no advantage over the locals, at all.

Mainly because I already have this stuff, I know how to use it in a reasonable way, and I'm reasonably sure it will still work on the other side. I'm not sure vehicles, guns, or explosives of any kind will work, or at least work well enough to be helpful. Their version of gunpowder might have a completely different formulation in order to work. For all I know, I pull the trigger on the shotgun and all I'll get is a nice puff of smoke and the buckshot dribbles out the barrel. I *know* physics is different on the other side, I'm not going to assume chemistry is identical. I bring the guns, and my knowledge of how to make explosives and fuel (helps having a Chem Eng degree), to see if they do work, but I'm not going to gamble 100% on them.

Also, if I've got armour and weapons, even if they're cheap compared to the local stuff, at least I've got *something* when I step through. I'd rather have cheap armour and weapons that I can count on, than walk through in a T-shirt with a gun that turns out not to work, and immediately get jumped by a single zombie bunny rabbit and get my ass handed to me. :smallsmile:

RandomAction
2009-11-23, 01:21 AM
I have loved reading this thread.

What I would buy.
Electrical parts = $1000
(Includes extra bateries and all needed gear.)
Construct a giant adjustable shock collar and remote.

Once I enter the world, find the nearest fire-breathing dragon and beg it to let me worship she/he/it. Place collar arround neck, TRAIN the dragon to obey me. Burn the zombies to a crisp.

I have a few ideas on what I would really bring, but I could not resist the dragon training idea.

Jayngfet
2009-11-23, 01:45 AM
I'm confident enough in my abilities to rig up a stun glove for 50 bucks, and another100 for enough batteries to last me years, now with my years of martial arts study I can kill anything hostile. From there rig up a flame thrower and fuel for 200. I can make a bow and arrows with some string and a good knife(owned).

My dirtbike is my primary transport, outdoing most things in DND. The rest goes to an attack dog, canned food, and books on science and medicene. Survive a hero leveled in duskblade from zeds

Tetsubo 57
2009-11-23, 06:34 AM
Since it would mean abandoning my wife, friends and family plus all of my obligations in this world... I wouldn't go. Sorry. I'm 45 years old, diabetic and have high blood pressure, bad cholesterol and crappy knees. All of these things are under control, *here*. I am not by any measure, a hero. Not my prime material plane, not my problem.

Acanous
2009-11-23, 06:41 AM
$0 if i rob the ammo shop

Wait wait wait


$0 if i rob the ammo shop


Who are you, Batman??

is it just me, or does robbing an ammo shop seem like a very suicidal idea?

Tetsubo 57
2009-11-23, 06:45 AM
Wait wait wait




Who are you, Batman??

is it just me, or does robbing an ammo shop seem like a very suicidal idea?

I remember reading a news article a few years ago about a guy that tried to rob a gun store with a knife. Things did not end well for him. Though they did end.

The Vorpal Tribble
2009-11-23, 06:57 AM
Why is everyone buying guns for zombies? Chainsaw and some barrels of gasoline seems to be much more effective.

Prime32
2009-11-23, 06:58 AM
Why is everyone buying guns for zombies? Diesel chainsaw seems to be much more effective.Fixed .

Tetsubo 57
2009-11-23, 07:00 AM
Why is everyone buying guns for zombies? Chainsaw and some barrels of gasoline seems to be much more effective.

Because firearms kill the zombie when it is over *there*. Not right next to you. You also avoid the blood splatter.

Mystral
2009-11-23, 07:58 AM
I'd bring:

A Rifle with plenty ammunition. (Own that)
A Pistol with plenty ammunition. (Own that)
A Super Soaker (Holy Water... what?)
A taser gun (I don't want to kill everything, just most things)

Plenty of spices and salt that are valuable in the game world (need to get some in game wealth). I'll use a wheelbarrow to get that stuff over there. I'll put a few more guns on that one, too.
A small collection of books about chemistry, medicine, military tactics, gun fabrication and engineering.
Basic survival gear (A compass, binocular, survival knife, flint...)

Mount: A sturdy Mountain Bike with big bags to carry the stuff, and repair equipment.

I'm pretty sure I'd still have some money left at that point. I think I'll buy spare ammunition from that, and more trade goods, too.

ravenkith
2009-11-23, 06:22 PM
Return Message:
"OMGWTFBBQ. Dig a moat, fill it with water and BLESS THE WATER. Then Shoot the zombies. Grow a brain."

Vizzerdrix
2009-11-23, 06:27 PM
Return Message:
"OMGWTFBBQ. Dig a trench, fill it with water and BLESS THE WATER. Then Shoot the zombies. Grow a brain."

Yeah? a trench around a town in 4 days, with enough holy water to stop the zombies? Where are you going to get that much silver and man power? Also, the holy water isn't just going to disolve the zombies. the "Dead" will build up in the trench, and soon they will be able to cross on the backs of those before them. What will you do when they bridge the trench with their own dead?

KellKheraptis
2009-11-23, 06:30 PM
Wonder how many XP a horde of CR 1-10 zombies is worth to a level 1 Expert...$1000 worth of homemade explosive and marbles to keep them in place should do the trick, and my bow or rifle to pick off the stragglers. With the XP go up to high level wizard, reformat away that pesky lost CL, and proceed to take over both this world and the one I came from. Best $1000 toy spree ever.

ravenkith
2009-11-23, 06:55 PM
Yeah? a trench around a town in 4 days, with enough holy water to stop the zombies? Where are you going to get that much silver and man power? Also, the holy water isn't just going to disolve the zombies. the "Dead" will build up in the trench, and soon they will be able to cross on the backs of those before them. What will you do when they bridge the trench with their own dead?

Everybody digs. Everybody donates.

If they are serious about surviving, they will do this....

As for filling the trench with their dead, they can't it is specifically described as working like acid (which dissolves human flesh and bone fairly easily).

Finally, I said this was the return message...not that I was going.

Although, if I did go, I'd be all right...just grab a few changes of clothes, a copy of the monster manual, some MREs , a modern bow and arrows, and head on through. <shrug>.

oxybe
2009-11-23, 07:13 PM
well, i've got mundane bags needed for the travel:

-sturdy backpack
-duffle bag
-large CCM hockey equipment bag on wheels w/ handle

that should be enough to carry most anything i need and several sets of clothing (warm & cold weather)

for transportation, a horse and buggy. carry my stuff AND travel in style. feed horse when possible, absolute worst case scenario, i can eat the horse and travel by foot. i prefer to save my energy in case i need to fight.

animal... the horse, i guess. i can't imagine what kind dog would want to attack a putrid & rotten zombie, unless it's VERY well trained.

stuff i would buy (and probably missing as i'm writing this off the top of my head):
-bedroll
-LOTS of strong, watertight garbage bags
-fishing kit (lots of strong line, lots of hooks, maybe a sinker)
-crowbar
-shovel
-2 large first aid kits. also: tylenol, peroxide, healing cream, antacids, anti-diarrhea medicine, anti-constipation medicine. my little aloe plant.
-2xtoothbrush and a few tubes of toothpaste. several bars of soap & shampoo. my shavers.
-a handsaw
-machette
-chopping axe
-several real knifes + whetstone
-a few notebooks + lots of pencils
-2 waterskins
-lots of cheap preserves (stew, alphagetti, ect...)
-warm blankets
-a few pots, pans, forks & spoons
-dish soap
-crank-powered flashlight
-a few rolls of duct tape
-a sewing kit or two
-water purification tablets

a lot of this stuff i have already, and carrying it isn't a problem.

armor:
swimmer's chainmail over my t-shirt, a thick leather coat. thick leather gloves. thick pants. my army surplus boots. some sort of helmet, probably hockey or football.

for weapons:
melee: knives.
ranged: gun/bow. i'd use the bow primarily at range and save my bullets in case of emergency.

for books, i'd go to the library and check out as many as i can on survival, carpentry, farming, medicine/first aid, easy to reproduce technology, ect... also, internet is your friend for stuff like this.

taltamir
2009-11-23, 11:01 PM
Wait wait wait

Who are you, Batman??

is it just me, or does robbing an ammo shop seem like a very suicidal idea?

http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/darwin1993-06.html
Yes, it IS a suicidal idea...


[QUOTE=taltamir;7364228]congrats, you are a level 1 warrior with average for level 1 non magical gear... you have a 90+% chance of dying on your first adventure; by level 10 wizards and clerics have rendered you irrelevant (assuming you even survive that long)...

[QUOTE]

note: i only said i start out as a Warrior, like everyone starts out as a expert or a commoner. I would defently take a level as a wizard, cleric, or warblade as soon as possible. Also, i plan on not useing a gun because eventualy i would run out of ammo, so the sword is a better choice


I would buy Copper and spices, and raid my house for anything i could sell (paper, jewlery, exetra) and probably get about 3000-10,000 gp once in D&D land. Get my Katana, armor, and sheild enchanted, grab some healing potions.



Then i meet up with the 3 other poeple who got the same message and form a party, convinveing them to be a Cleric, Wizard, and a Druid

i would then try and level up, get a level of Ranger (for undead as my favored enemy) and then go for Warblade.

Hopefuly we will be atleast level 4 befor the zombies hit,

Your quote thingie is broken... anyways, yes this is a MUCH BETTER plan than the one you originally STATED.
How was I to assume that you meant "bring the weapons and armor I already own in ADDITION to guns and spices"... Yes, if I had it i'd certainly bring it. At least to sell...


PS. Someone mentioned chemistry not working the same and thus guns not working...
If chemistry doesn't work there/ or works differently there, you DIE the moment you step through the gate. Life = Chemistry.

Adonis1x23
2009-11-23, 11:53 PM
1. Bribe (or ask, I suppose) to bless 100 tiny, 8oz bottles of water--holy hand grenade? Cost: $50-75.

2 Pack all my books, at least the good ones assuming it is a 3.5 world--PHB,DMG,MM1,2,3,4,Lords of Madness, Complete Arcane, C Scoundrel, C Adven, C Warrior, Miniatures Handbook, XPH, Com Psion, Lords of Madness, Unearthed Arcana, Libris Mortis and MIC at the very least. Cost:Mostly free, might have to print out some copies.

3. Buy a weather/water proof chest for the books. Cost:$30-40.

4. Bring an assortment of pocket knives, hunting knives, a gun with several clips/ammo(for the early levels). Also, a huge sledge hammer for the zombies. Cost: free

5. Non-perishable Rations for several weeks. Cost:$50ish.

6. Crow bar, flashlight, lighters, over the counter medicines, matches, rope, bags, hidden pouches and other utility items.Cost: $200 worth of stuff

7. Get my friends to come up with a b*tchin catch phrase and name.

8. Have a kick-ass time.

Fhaolan
2009-11-24, 01:23 AM
PS. Someone mentioned chemistry not working the same and thus guns not working...
If chemistry doesn't work there/ or works differently there, you DIE the moment you step through the gate. Life = Chemistry.

Not necessarily. Life here = Chemistry, but in D&D Life = Positive Energy.

The elements in D&D are Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, plus the two Energies. Not Carbon, Potassium, Nitrogen, and Sulfur (the RL elemental makup of crude black powder.)

Mind you, in most macroscopic cases Alchemistry and Chemistry are almost identical. You breathe in RL to oxyginate the blood. If you don't get enough oxygen you become lethargic. If D&D follows the medieval Alchemic practice, then you breathe to allow Air to renew the Air-based humour (Blood). If you are not getting enough Air to renew your blood, you will cease to be Sanguine (Re: you'll become lethargic). The problem comes in the details. In modern medicine, the oxygination of blood happens in the lungs. In D&D-level medieval medicine, the Air/Blood transfer happens in the *liver*.

It all depends on exactly how much of a translation happens when we step through the portal. If no translation at all, we do in fact die. Our alien metabolism will not be able to cope with the elemental makeup of that world. We won't be able to extract oxygen from the air, because there *isn't any* to extract as Air is an indivisible element in D&D. If we have simple translations, we live, but our gunpowder/fuel/explosives may not have the same effect that we expect. If we have perfect translation, then our high-quality guns will convert into masterwork or possibly magical arquebus as per the DMG. Over-enthusiastic or error-prone translations, and we may not even emerge through the portal as humans, but whatever races fit our particular personallity and physiques. My wife and I have speculated that with over-enthusastic translations both of us might come out the other side as half-orcs.

taltamir
2009-11-24, 01:26 AM
Not necessarily. Life here = Chemistry, but in D&D Life = Positive Energy.

Yes but -I- am made of chemistry, just like my gun...
What I am saying is, if I traverse that portal, either me and my gun both go poof for being chemically incompatible... or we are both ok..

Unless maybe a deity or something decides to transform ME into a living organism that runs on positive energy instead of chemistry and lets my gun go poof...
that is always an option but that wasn't part of the deal.


It all depends on exactly how much of a translation happens when we step through the portal. If no translation at all, we do in fact die. Our alien metabolism will not be able to cope with the elemental makeup of that world. We won't be able to extract oxygen from the air, because there *isn't any* to extract as Air is an indivisible element in D&D. If we have simple translations, we live, but our gunpowder/fuel/explosives may not have the same effect that we expect. If we have perfect translation, then our high-quality guns will convert into masterwork or possibly magical arquebus as per the DMG. Over-enthusiastic or error-prone translations, and we may not even emerge through the portal as humans, but whatever races fit our particular personallity and physiques. My wife and I have speculated that with over-enthusastic translations both of us might come out the other side as half-orcs.
Ha, neat idea to consider...

Tyndmyr
2009-11-24, 04:28 PM
1. Bribe (or ask, I suppose) to bless 100 tiny, 8oz bottles of water--holy hand grenade? Cost: $50-75.


People like you are why I can't bring water on airplanes. :smallbiggrin:

Fhaolan
2009-11-24, 05:29 PM
Unless maybe a deity or something decides to transform ME into a living organism that runs on positive energy instead of chemistry and lets my gun go poof...
that is always an option but that wasn't part of the deal.


Isn't it? :smallbiggrin: Our 'in-character' knowledge is from:

1) Images of classic D&D monsters in the portal. *Specifically* classic D&D monsters, so that tells us that it's not only a fantasy world, but based on D&D. This does not tell us edition, however, unless some of the creatures shown exist in only one of the editions (and even then, it would likely be 2nd edition due to the sheer volume of creatures unique to that edition.) It may even tell use campaign setting, as some creatures are unique to setting.
2) Image of a woman dressed in priestly garments reading from a scroll. This implies she is the message sender, especially if her lips move with the words in our head. That was not specified in the OP, but I think we can assume that.
3) The count of words matches that of the spell of 'Sending'. This actually gives us a lot more information than at first glance. First off, it's 25 words *in our language*. Technically the spell guarentees our comprehension, but not that the end message will have the same word-count as the sender's own format. This may be a coincidence, and whatever language the sender is using may match the word count of the message, but it's likely we're using a shared language. Also, sending was added to D&D in 2nd edition, as a 5th level Wizard spell. In 3rd edition it was opened up the Clerics as a 4th level spell. Likely we're then dealing with 3.x or higher edition of the rules due to the priestess casting the spell, but she could also be a 2nd edition wizard who just happens to be dressed like a priestess. Or a rogue using UMD in 3.x edition, or a 10th level+ Thief in 2nd edition.
4) The gate itself is not behaving like the Gate spell in the 3.x PHBs, as it's duration is considerably longer, and the viewscreen effect is odd. Which means this is possibly *not* a D&D universe, but just something similar to it, or a custom spell/artifact. Possibly the temporal rates between the planes are very different allowing for the duration of the spell to be quite long on this side, but the correct length on that side. In which case, the caster is aware of the temporal difference in order to specify 24 of our hours before the gate closes. Or we're in for a surprise when the gate stays open or closes early. :smallsmile:
5) The sender of the message is anticipating a zombie attack in four days. This does not mean that there won't be things before or after the zombie attack, that are *not* zombies, that we will need to deal with.

The rest of the information in the OP is not derivable from the message and the portal. We know it because the OP wants us to have this information, and for no other reason. There is no deal except for the *exact* wording of the OP, and I can't find any mention in that deal specifies that guns will work in the the other world. I'm an old-time gamer. I've been through the Wish Wars. I don't trust phrasing unless it's *very* clear. :smallbiggrin:

Unfortunately, I see nothing in the information from the message, or the images shown in the portal that actually guarentees that we will survive walking through the portal. In fact, given the known severe differences between this reality and that one in terms of physics and biology, the chances are slim that we could survive the trip without some kind of translation layer.

Given the OP does say that we will survive the trip in the list of extra details, then there must be a translation layer. However, exactly what will get translated and what won't is up to the mechanics of the Gate itself (and the DM's whim.)

So I'm not going to depend on more complex mechanical, electrical, or chemical devices. I'll *bring* them, as likely they will work in some manner, but I'm not going to bet my life on their effectiveness until I have a chance to prove they still work on the other side of the Gate.

Vagnarok
2009-11-24, 06:51 PM
So IRL I'm a reverend that's officially recognized by the US government. Does that mean I could bless an unlimited amount of holy water over there?

taltamir
2009-11-24, 07:08 PM
So IRL I'm a reverend that's officially recognized by the US government. Does that mean I could bless an unlimited amount of holy water over there?

you need:
1. A spell that channels positive energy. that spell can be converted to "cure light wounds" at will by you. If you cannot do that, you cannot bless water.
2. 25gp worth of silver per vial.

Yahzi
2009-11-24, 10:29 PM
The elements in D&D are Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, plus the two Energies.
Hehe.. good point.

On the other hand, while science might not work over there, Weird Science probably would. My automatic rifle is not a weapon, it's a Class Feature. :smallwink:

Taking over D&D rule-books is a pretty good idea, too. At best they will translate into factual volumes about the world; at worst, you could introduce a new line of games without worrying about copyright law. :smallbiggrin:

Slayn82
2009-11-27, 10:54 AM
Not necessarily. Life here = Chemistry, but in D&D Life = Positive Energy.

The elements in D&D are Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, plus the two Energies. Not Carbon, Potassium, Nitrogen, and Sulfur (the RL elemental makup of crude black powder.)



Well, in D&D there are things like iron, cooper, silver, sulfur and platinum , they make bread, beer. This suggest that things in most prime material planes are like our world. The main reason it takes forever to manufacture things is the artesanal production methods that are favoured in most scenarios. Mostly because when you have a big problem, magic is involved instead of technology, but hardly in a sistematic way. Althought industries already existed in the 20th century, it was the fordist model, by employing lines of prodution, that gave the jump for the modern civilization. Back on topic, the existence of watermills could demonstrate so much about physics working like in our reality/universe. The magical elemental classes (earth, fire, water, air, energy + or -) are mostly an reflex of the consensual models of the wizards, their epistemology. How they group the magical fenomena they observe, not how the reality is. I guess that without magic, most worlds would be kinda like ours, but magic can rewrite the reality somehow, and allow weird things like ghosts, elementals and the like.

A main concern of someone in the other world, if scientist, isn't "does gunpowder works" but "are the proportions the same"? Also, a lot of resouces that you can easily get in our world, are not explored in the tipical medieval world.

Faerun goes with "the laws are the same, except where magic supperposes" and "the gods dislike technology, and Mystra erases the knowledge of travellers from their minds". That superticious ludist.

That said, as a chemist, guess i would look with a lot of atention to the processes of salt refine and become as richer than a red dragon.:smallwink: Also, there are some funny passtimes, like Xenology.

Fhaolan
2009-11-27, 11:57 AM
Well, in D&D there are things like iron, cooper, silver, sulfur and platinum , they make bread, beer. This suggest that things in most prime material planes are like our world.

Yes, but iron, copper, silver, sulfur, and even platinum in D&D may not be precisely the same thing as it is here. In D&D, those aren't elements on their own but are all Earth with different mixes of impurity from the other elements. Given that we're moving from one reality to another, there's no guarentee that just because something has the same name as what we are familiar with, doesn't mean it's actually the same thing.

For example, the process of using an annode such as zinc rivets to provide cathodic protection to steel armor may in fact work in D&D. Heck there might be some Alchemical way of describing the process so that it works within the epistemology. But I don't *know* that.

In serveral editions of D&D it's actually specified in the ruleset that gunpowder as we understand it doesn't work. Not that nobody's invented it, but that *it doesn't work*. In those editions there is usually another material that is used in the same manner, called 'smokepowder' or 'dragonpowder' if I remember correctly, that is created using a different formula. What the formula is, is never specified to my knowledge, just that it's not the one we're familiar with. I have vague memories of the dragonpowder one requiring the dung of a dragon (any kind of dragon, it didn't necessarily need a fire-breathing dragon.) Likely they would process that to produce saltpetre via the standard nitre-bed method, and it actually could be any kind of dung, but that kind of detail is never specified.

Yes, in most cases immediately observable macroscopic properties are the same. And, many of the bizzare physics and biology issues in the game may be just artifacts of the need to build a ruleset rather than the actual physical rules of that reality. However, there's no way for us to know that until we actually get there. And if we're depending on our knowledge of those artifacts of the rules to ensure our success there... and it turns out they're not really there... we've got a problem.

So, my point is that while it's likely that this stuff will work, there's never a guarantee printed on a tag attached to the portal anywhere. And while I'm willing to bring stuff along that may or may not work because I've got access to a horse and cart and can dump the junk that *doesn't* work after I've tested it on the other side, I'm still not going to rely on it. I view it the same as bringing a LORAN reciever across (LORAN is a older form of GPS that uses radio towers rather than satelites). While there's a slight, and completely random, chance that wizard towers are all producing LORAN pings that I can adapt the system to, I'm not going to depend on it. :smallbiggrin:

Dixieboy
2009-11-27, 12:14 PM
Hehe.. good point.

On the other hand, while science might not work over there, Weird Science probably would. My automatic rifle is not a weapon, it's a Class Feature. :smallwink:

In which case it's confined to dealing a set number of d's every 6 seconds. :smallwink:

Slayn82
2009-12-01, 02:47 PM
Yes, but this does not solve the problem of a low level spell creating hundreds of pounds of pure salt instantly.

Althought i already aswered part of the problem, right after the original quote, i just realized another strange aspect of this reality. Salt is useful for food conservation, so it has an inflated price.

BUT THEY HAVE LOTS OF ICE SPELLS!!!:smallsigh:

Fine, i will concede that, in our world, it was Sir Francis Bacon that apparently had for the first time the insight that snow or cold could be employed to preserve meat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Francis_Bacon
"Although his political career ended in disgrace, he remained extremely influential through his works, especially as philosophical advocate and practitioner of the scientific revolution. Indeed, his dedication may have brought him into a rare historical group of scientists who were killed by their own experiments."
- There is some fine snark here heh?

Other people during the history probably had come to this conclusion, but aparently didn't bothered to tell the world. Since sawdust is a good and cheap way to help to store ice for large periods (and better for your heath than all that salt), and how easy is to produce ice in D&D with magic, well, i guess we have an market. And think about all the tasty ice cream we could get.

Or better yet, enchanted ice weapons for the butchers... fresh fish and chicken, anyone?

This remembers me of this quote


Now you have me picturing someone using a Pretentious Fantasy Sword of Destiny for mundane tasks.

"It is called Chirodin, Blade of Eternity! It was forged in the heart of the sun by the god Dathir, using the moon as a hammer and the corpse of Turtaris, Mother of All Dragons, as an anvil. No physical barrier can divert its blow, for it always goes exactly where its wielder wills it. So, as you can imagine, it cuts simply amazing flank steaks!"

Prime32
2009-12-01, 03:01 PM
Or better yet, enchanted ice weapons for the butchers... fresh fish and chicken, anyone?


The mighty weapon of Discworld's Chaos is a sword as rule-breaking as he. It is made of blue flame, which burns with absolute coldness. When he's not fighting, it creates a handy freezer that keeps his dairy products cold and fresh. Combining this with teleportation powers akin to Death's he becomes Ronnie Soak, the Discworld's greatest milkman, able to deliver said dairy products anywhere, anytime, always fresh. Most importantly, everyone's milk arrives at 7:00 AM sharp. Everyone's. Sir Terry Pratchett is making this up, not I.
Someone needs to find that Fate/stay night doujin where Excalibur and Unlimited Blade Works are used in a cooking duel. :smalltongue:

Slayn82
2009-12-01, 03:13 PM
Nifty! if you find that doujin, send me a link please.:smallwink:

And i had forgot Ronie Soak. Wow, Terry Pratchet is really good in his subverted tropes.

Slayn82
2009-12-01, 05:55 PM
Hey Fhaolan, i just remembered a funny thing i saw some time ago, and kinda fits in the discussions about D&D paradigms and science that have been around latelly.

Serious Scientific Lessons from

Direct Observation of Atoms through Clairvoyance

http://www.chem.yale.edu/~chem125/125/history99/8Occult/OccultAtoms.html

An curious chapter in the history of science of the early 20th century.

Would something like that be possible in a D&D world? Specially the aspect of the coletive self deception. Supose the mages "could" do something like that. Since they would have a hard time figuring out what they are seeing, they would go for their pre existing paradigms. Just a model.

Prime32
2009-12-01, 06:41 PM
Hey Fhaolan, i just remembered a funny thing i saw some time ago, and kinda fits in the discussions about D&D paradigms and science that have been around latelly.

Serious Scientific Lessons from

Direct Observation of Atoms through Clairvoyance

http://www.chem.yale.edu/~chem125/125/history99/8Occult/OccultAtoms.html

An curious chapter in the history of science of the early 20th century.

Would something like that be possible in a D&D world? Specially the aspect of the coletive self deception. Supose the mages "could" do something like that. Since they would have a hard time figuring out what they are seeing, they would go for their pre existing paradigms. Just a model.Hmmm... I once had the idea that if I ever got stuck in a fantasy world I would show a bottle of hydrogen and a bottle of helium (which I got... somewhere :smallconfused:) to a diviner and tell him "this has got twice as much of something as this. I want you to figure out what that is".

Fhaolan
2009-12-01, 06:57 PM
Hey Fhaolan, i just remembered a funny thing i saw some time ago, and kinda fits in the discussions about D&D paradigms and science that have been around latelly.

<snippies>

Would something like that be possible in a D&D world? Specially the aspect of the coletive self deception. Supose the mages "could" do something like that. Since they would have a hard time figuring out what they are seeing, they would go for their pre existing paradigms. Just a model.

Oh, very likely. Especially since that's basically all *we* have in RL, is a series of models that match the evidence we have discovered to lesser or greater degrees. We use experimentation to validate our models, but that doesn't mean our models are perfect and that we have a true understanding of reality. Just that we have good models.

There's a series of books, but I unfortunately can't remember the titles, that has a very odd premise that is appropriate to this discussion. The idea was that our so called 'universal' laws that we have discovered so far are actually local and temporary. Meaning that there are areas in the universe that work under different base principles, and the boundaries between these areas shift around. I have vague memories of a spaceship that has to switch from using nuclear propulsion to mana-fueled telekinetics when traversing such a boundary. And that the other sentient species in the universe thought it was amusing that we humans hadn't figured this out earlier because we are in an unusually stable region of the universe that has undergone paragrim shifts relatively rarely. Since we observe the rest of the universe remotely then all our observations are based on the local physical laws. If we could move our observation point to a different part of the universe, we'd come up with different physical laws.

Dervag
2009-12-04, 03:29 PM
There's a series of books, but I unfortunately can't remember the titles, that has a very odd premise that is appropriate to this discussion. The idea was that our so called 'universal' laws that we have discovered so far are actually local and temporary. Meaning that there are areas in the universe that work under different base principles, and the boundaries between these areas shift around... Since we observe the rest of the universe remotely then all our observations are based on the local physical laws. If we could move our observation point to a different part of the universe, we'd come up with different physical laws.This kind of thing makes physicists cry when presented seriously, and some people do present it seriously, probably because they read the fiction and don't notice the catch.

Anyone care to guess the catch in a setup like this?

Brendan
2009-12-04, 03:40 PM
spend everything on pencils. steal my friend's books, and grab some nice steel alloy weaponry and a composite longbow. Also, my brother's sword, daggers, and kukri. Easy. anyways, pencils and paper are extremely pricey over there, so I would sell all that. Oh, and raid my house. Then: heinously multiclass. A lot. Finally, I would bring over a laptop and lots of batteries after downloading the whole srd and this and a few other sites.

Random832
2009-12-04, 03:44 PM
This kind of thing makes physicists cry when presented seriously, and some people do present it seriously, probably because they read the fiction and don't notice the catch.

Anyone care to guess the catch in a setup like this?

If for example gravitation is stronger in the other parts of the universe, strong enough to make two objects collide whereas by 'our' rules they would miss each other, does that mean we see them miss when they actually collided? What about all the other things they would have interacted with but didn't?

If some gas is opaque in the other parts of the universe but transparent here then does that mean light that hits it and is absorbed reaches us anyway?

I'd have to know the specifics to come up with a better example.

Fhaolan
2009-12-04, 04:15 PM
This kind of thing makes physicists cry when presented seriously, and some people do present it seriously, probably because they read the fiction and don't notice the catch.

Anyone care to guess the catch in a setup like this?

The main catch that I see is that if the universe was actually set up this way, we would be able to observe objects out there reacting to each other differently at different times as they passed through the boundaries. The most obvious being that we would likely have boundaries that are destructive. Meaning that some boundaries would be between two completely incompatable set of physical laws, and any objects (be they made of particles, waves, or some other manifestation) would have serious issues travelling from one to another. If they didn't just cease to be altogether (assuming that the laws of conservation of mass and energy is one of those laws that is local), then they would have to be converted into something that *is* compatable, likely a burst of energy of some kind. Which would make some barriers actually visible providing the energy released is sufficiently compatable with all the different 'realities' between us and the event to make it this far.

Of course the handwavium explanation to this is that we *are* seeing this kind of behaviour but we are misinterpreting it severely. For example, one version is that the boundary between our universal laws and any of the others is at the edges of the universe as we understand it. The reason why we can't see anything beyond the quasars and whatnot is because beyond that point the laws are different and incompatable. The unfortunate end station for that train of thought is that if our universe is expanding, we may in fact be overwriting part of the bigger 'universe' that we aren't even aware of because the laws of reality are different out there.

TheFallenOne
2009-12-26, 09:06 AM
Awesome thread

OK, here's what I'd do:

1) Wonder why I get $1000 in Germany. Curse the bad Dollar-Euro exchange rate
2) Coordinate with the other "Chosen" here on the forum, talk about party composition and exchange useful tips and information. I'd probably become a Warblade. My stats would be better suited for Wizard, but most likely everyone else will want a wizard too. Warblades are more fun and will level faster in the given timeframe since they don't run out of spells. If I'm really lucky I can hire a spellcster to use a divination to find a way to go Gestalt. Warblade/Wizard would rock.
Make a note of anyone mentioning Pazuzu. Upon arrival on the other side, find out which setting this is in. If FR, kill them immediately. If any other, kill them after outleveling them before they find some other cheese that works there.
3) Borrow chainskirt and a nice sword from friends. Sword will need to be sharpened. Also take my beloved trenchedcoat and on the other side instruct a tailor and smith how to make an MW Armored Greatcoat(Iron Kingdoms) from it. +2 AC and DR 5/Bludgeoning on a mundane item? Deal, this will help me especially on the early level grind.
Get some transport for my equipment and a good bicycle.
Get stuff that's cheap here but will give me a lot of money in D&D. Somebody already beat me to it, the best I could find was loads of ink and paper, needles, spyglasses(x2 for 1000 gold, on a quick amazon search I found x12 for 30 bucks. This will get you loads of money, though I'd definitely keep one for myself). Matches = Tindertwigs is a nice idea, though tindertwigs work on any rough surface, regular matches won't be the same thing. Strike anywhere matches might sell good though, as well as regular lighters.
Get lots of survival gear already mentioned here, as well as my notebook, a solar charger and rent a lot of books about science and engineering from the University Library.
4) Go through the portal once I'm ready. Immediately head for the next town(once the Pazuzu thing is taken care of), distribute Walkie talkies to the other guys to be able to communicate over short distances. Sell my stuff in town and buy the best equipment I can use right now. Level up as fast as I can. Since I can reuse my maneuvers infinitely the only thing I can run out of is HP, so I'd keep about half my money to buy Cure Light Wounds spells at the local temple.
Some scrolls of Locate Creature should speed up leveling a lot, though the condition of having seen such a creature up close might be a problem.

edit: actually, not at all. I'll max out Use Magic Device in the beginning in some cheesy way(just have to ask here o the forum for obscure ways to increase the skill), Use Magic Device a scroll of Locate Creature to find rats, there should be lots in the city. Then I'll kill them either with weapons or UMD'd wands of magic missile. I need about 160 for fourth level, then I'll get some information where to find Goblins around here and find them via Locate Object(after all, the MM tells me what equipment they typically have :D ). Using divinations to find my pretty little chunks of XP should be far more reliable than running around in the woods tryping to find something to shoot with a rifle

taltamir
2009-12-26, 04:03 PM
edit: actually, not at all. I'll max out Use Magic Device in the beginning in some cheesy way(just have to ask here o the forum for obscure ways to increase the skill), Use Magic Device a scroll of Locate Creature to find rats, there should be lots in the city. Then I'll kill them either with weapons or UMD'd wands of magic missile. I need about 160 for fourth level, then I'll get some information where to find Goblins around here and find them via Locate Object(after all, the MM tells me what equipment they typically have :D ). Using divinations to find my pretty little chunks of XP should be far more reliable than running around in the woods tryping to find something to shoot with a rifle

The biggest failure, by far, of DnD is the godmode cheat of "killing things makes you amazingly stronger / smarter / educated / etc".
Avoiding combat is bad for you. Diplomatically resolving things is bad for you.
etc...
Monsters aren't scary things that can kill you, or that you run away from. Consumes are not precious limited resources that should be conserved...
You want to go through consumables ASAP to kill stronger things, effectively converting the consumables to XP and levels (permanent and true power).
You want to hunt down every goblin... and face that scary dragon / manticore / troll / whatever rather then "it could kill me" you think "if I don't kill it, I miss out on XP"...

CRPGs try to address that by giving XP for quests... which results in the beginning always being silly fetch quests and rapid advancement of levels from quests.. "Wee, I delivered a package, I can now cast powerful spells that I didn't know before".

seraine
2011-01-02, 02:19 PM
I'd mainly focus on seige weapons,molotov cocktails,nail bombs if possible, and taking out the necromancer.

Shopping List

x1 Pickup/Car to haul everything-Already own.
x2 2.34 gallons of Kerosene negligable cost.
$150 of gas.
x250 glass bottles -Already own(my dad has a old fashioned pop machine).
x1 Pistol-Already own.
x100 ammunition-Already own.
x6 rifles-already own.
Rifle ammunition-already own.
Books on creating ballista,maybe catapults, maybe even scorpions 50$
springs,ropes,etc. 100$
30$ of strike anywhere matches
100$ paper,spyglasses,binoculars,other stuff for making me money.
x20 cheap wheels-200$?
The rest on cannon grade black powder.

Plan

Make 250 molotov cocktails.
Make seige machinery-3 days of round the clock work should make a fair amout.
Teach a marksmen group of 5 to use rifles.
Make some nail bombs.

When zombies come,combat by having people hit and run with nail bombs/molotovs. Also set seige machinery on carts and have them just fire into the horde of zombies.
Have the special group with rifles to try perforate the necromancer into a strainer if he comes to help out his zombies.

Please try to shoot down my plan so I can improve it.

Pseudolich
2011-01-02, 04:02 PM
This appears to be a case of thread necromancy...I thought we were supposed to kill the zombies, not make more of them.

The Glyphstone
2011-01-02, 04:04 PM
Great Modthulhu: Locked for Necromancy.