Handbook of Heroes

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #450: "Dice Jail"

I don't know how they play the harmonica, but you'd better believe there's some "Sad Hours" wafting out of there.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #452: "Un-Prepared Casting"

Those darn drow! Always trying to goth the place up.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #454: "Freebies"

The primary function of Street Samurai's scouter is to look cool. Its secondary function is to look up Arthur C. Clarke quotes.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #456: "Precious Math Rocks"

d4 for the daggers under the ribs,
d6 for the dragon’s breath in a fiery cone,
d8 for hit dice, (better roll high!),
d20 for the DM on his dark throne
In the Land of Basement where the Nerds lie.
d10 for vampires, percentile for Mythos,
d12 for barbarians, and their greataxe crit-o’s,
In the Land of Basement where the Nerds lie.

[Kantaki]

Antipaladin is the living- for now -example why you should always invest into knowledge skills like Heraldry or Genealogy when available.
Especially if your power and or status depend on it.

Sure, other skills might be more immediately useful, but when the situation inevitably arrives you will regret not having them- just like our friend Antipaladin.

Also, regarding the dice I'm very much with Thief.
Sure, a fancy die is nice- to look at.
But if you actually want to use them?
Quantity has a quality on its own.

Loosing one is less tragic for one.
And if one of them rolls badly the following demonstration for the others can be much more... drastic.

Forget the dice prison. It's execution time.

[DRD1812]

Also, regarding the dice I'm very much with Thief.
Sure, a fancy die is nice- to look at.
But if you actually want to use them?
Quantity has a quality on its own.

Hey, you know my stance on that topic. The ugly ones try harder.

[DRD1812]

Also, regarding the dice I'm very much with Thief.
Sure, a fancy die is nice- to look at.
But if you actually want to use them?
Quantity has a quality on its own.

Nothing quite as satisfying as that click-clack of a well-stocked dice box. Or trunk as the case may be.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #468: "Unmasked, Part 1/4"

In which a professional thief is out-stealthed by a unicorn climbing a wall.

[Kantaki]

The horse works for the Spanish Inquisition?

On older pages, the Vampire Werewolf looks kinda cuddly.
Also, Sorcerer is a jerk*. If you have unlimited cleaning spells you share.
At least cover up the smell.

*Not that he's alone in this...

[DRD1812]

The horse works for the Spanish Inquisition?

It's a noble equestrian tradition: https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2...ssassins-steed

On older pages, the Vampire Werewolf looks kinda cuddly.

Miss Gestalt has a strict regimen of personal grooming. That midnight howling you always hear? Waxing sessions.

Also, Sorcerer is a jerk*. If you have unlimited cleaning spells you share.
At least cover up the smell.

Everybody in Handbook-World is a jerk. I think it might be a campaign trait.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #472: "In Character"

Toss a coin to your boatman.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #474: "Light Stabbing"

If Mr. Babau Demon was serious about impalement, he wouldn't have half a dozen spiky bits on that glaive-guisarme-guisarme-glaive.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #474: "Hostage Crisis"

On the one hand, I acknowledge that's not a halberd. On the other hand, shut up.

[Keltest]

As far as it goes, I think the silver rule of DMing applies here: only have a roll when success and failure are both interesting outcomes. If a (N)PC is executing a helpless captive without resistance, having them fail to cut the throat because their damage is too low is only interesting in a "hah, the game rules are broken" kind of way. If its the middle of a chaotic combat and people are actively being attacked, there can be some real tension if somebody tries to line up a killing strike on an incapacitated opponent, so the rules do have a place, that place just isn't a hostage crisis.

[Kantaki]

Five minutes later:
"What do you mean "There's no resurrection in this setting/system"?"

[DRD1812]

As far as it goes, I think the silver rule of DMing applies here: only have a roll when success and failure are both interesting outcomes. If a (N)PC is executing a helpless captive without resistance, having them fail to cut the throat because their damage is too low is only interesting in a "hah, the game rules are broken" kind of way. If its the middle of a chaotic combat and people are actively being attacked, there can be some real tension if somebody tries to line up a killing strike on an incapacitated opponent, so the rules do have a place, that place just isn't a hostage crisis.

I think the rules can be interesting here if they represent an element of risk: the damage might or might not be enough to do the deed. But it's hard to do the calculus as a player when you're not sure if you're facing DM fiat, a had-and-fast rules interpretation, and how tough the hostage is vs. how much melee damage the hostage-taker can dish out. In other words, the stakes are all over the place.

It makes me wonder if a couple of knowledge rolls to help gauge the situation could make this a more interesting encounter type.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #477: "Rusty and Co. Crossover, Part 1/5"

For those of you who missed it, the Handbook of Heroes gang put in an appearance on the fabulous Rusty and Co. webcomic a few weeks back. Here's the other end of the trade.

[Keltest]

I think the rules can be interesting here if they represent an element of risk: the damage might or might not be enough to do the deed. But it's hard to do the calculus as a player when you're not sure if you're facing DM fiat, a had-and-fast rules interpretation, and how tough the hostage is vs. how much melee damage the hostage-taker can dish out. In other words, the stakes are all over the place.

It makes me wonder if a couple of knowledge rolls to help gauge the situation could make this a more interesting encounter type.

If their ability to kill the hostage is uncertain, I think that rather defeats the purpose of having a hostage in the first place, no?

[Kantaki]

If their ability to kill the hostage is uncertain, I think that rather defeats the purpose of having a hostage in the first place, no?

I mean, it depends on the tone you're aiming for.
In a more comedic game the druid repeatedly failing to cut the herbs he needs or the bandit having to slash the hostage's throat several times to get through their HP or assassins carrying battleaxes and ballistas during their missions isn't inappropiate, but in a more serious game it kinda ruins the mood.

The Rusty&Co crossovers are great by the way. Maddie and the evil party are great.
Not that they're in any danger. Her eyes are open.

[DRD1812]

If their ability to kill the hostage is uncertain, I think that rather defeats the purpose of having a hostage in the first place, no?

Imagine a PC trapped in the same situation. Can the get their hands up in time to dodge the knife point? Are they tough enough to take a shank to the shoulder? The ending of Rob Roy or Indiana Jones getting his hands under the garrote in Temple of Doom are relevant touchstones.

[DRD1812]

The Rusty&Co crossovers are great by the way. Maddie and the evil party are great.
Not that they're in any danger. Her eyes are open.

Is that a thing I missed? Is Maddie's game face always with closed eyes?

[Keltest]

Imagine a PC trapped in the same situation. Can the get their hands up in time to dodge the knife point? Are they tough enough to take a shank to the shoulder? The ending of Rob Roy or Indiana Jones getting his hands under the garrote in Temple of Doom are relevant touchstones.

I disagree. If theyre a hostage being used for a moral dilemma, then they don't have the ability to resist like that. If theyre able to put up a fight, then the Bad Guy doesn't have the ability to use them as a shield, or quickly kill them or whatever it was they planned to do. Indy hasn't been taken hostage, he's grappling with the enemy. The contest to see if he can be restrained is still ongoing. Basically, I think that if the Bad Guy is able to restrain somebody so utterly that they can attempt to just execute them, or otherwise force them to take a full on attack against their will, they've already won the contest and should get their prize. Ditto if a PC manages to wrestle an enemy into submission for whatever reason.

[Kantaki]

Is that a thing I missed? Is Maddie's game face always with closed eyes?

Kinda sorta?
She has that odd habit of fighting with her eyes closed.
I'm not entirely sure why- it might be she's just so goody two shoes that she can't bear to see even her foes get hurt -but it certainly is effective.

Usually she opens them during a fight it's when there's a pause- to talk with people and stuff and closes them when the battle continues.

Considering she isn't actively fighting right now having her eyes open actually fits.
Also because it is a funny moment, not a badass one.

[DRD1812]

I disagree. If theyre a hostage being used for a moral dilemma, then they don't have the ability to resist like that. If theyre able to put up a fight, then the Bad Guy doesn't have the ability to use them as a shield, or quickly kill them or whatever it was they planned to do. Indy hasn't been taken hostage, he's grappling with the enemy. The contest to see if he can be restrained is still ongoing. Basically, I think that if the Bad Guy is able to restrain somebody so utterly that they can attempt to just execute them, or otherwise force them to take a full on attack against their will, they've already won the contest and should get their prize. Ditto if a PC manages to wrestle an enemy into submission for whatever reason.

I think it's related to the "called shot" rules:

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemasteri.../called-shots/

There's an impulse to make games less lethal because you don't want PCs to call "no fair, you took my agency." Couple that with the need to make the same rules work for PCs and NPCs, and you wind up with a situation where it's very difficult to make one-hit-KOs possible in almost any situation. The 3.X coup de grace rules can't be readied, for example, since they're a full-round action. I think we see a little of that in the Indiana Jones garroting example.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #482: "Dog Park"

Today's comic makes me want a druid-themed campaign based on "The Dog Whisperer." .

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #484: "Ding"

If you think about it, Rangers are the natural chefs of the D&D world.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #486: "Philosophizing"

Cyborgs are less prone to navel-gazing once they upgrade to a synthetic navel-free abdomen.

[DRD1812]

Handbook of Heroes #488: "For Whom the Toll Tolls"

No surer way to court death than to ask a murderhobo to pay.

[Kantaki]

Meh. That sort of thing depends.
Just cause you saved the king of Somewhere doesn't mean you don't have to pay tolls and stuff in Elsewhere.
But generally taxes, Inn rooms, the adventurers guild fees and stuff like that* should be abstracted away.
Worst case just deduct it from whatever loot gets handed out.
Ideally before it gets handed out.


*Within reason. Replenishing basic expendable resources outside survival campaigns should be fine, actual equipment or specialist stuff not.
So regular arrows? Covered. Arrows of Fireball? Have to be bought separately.
Spices for cooking covered, garlic for vampire hunts not. Drinking water yes, Holy water no.

[Keltest]

I tend to lean in the direction of "if it isn't interesting for the party to run out of food, they don't have to worry about it."

Running out of holy water that they need to restock is interesting in a "limited resources are important" way. Running out of food because they didn't specifically declare they bought rations while in town is not. Doubly so because foraging is a thing, so unless theyre trapped in the arctic for a month, it doesn't even really have any chance of hurting them.