is it just me or...

[Jayngfet]

...do the core rulebooks seem a tad disorganised, wouldn't it make more sense for prestige classes, epic level rules and some other information to go into the phb.


also, is it just me or more often than not the books refer to the reader as female, even when there are two example players/DM's they're both female.

thoughts?

[Kantur]

Well, prestige classes and epic rules are optional rules, so fully under the DM's sphere of influence really.

I'd like to see the Magic Items moved to the PHB, but as far back as I have DMG/PHBs it's always been that way, and it would make the PHB a lot bigger, and the DMG a lot thinner...


As for the gender part, it semi-annoys me, but only because I feel apart from examples of play, it should be gender neutral as in they, The [Class]..., etc.

[EvilElitest]

Meh, disorganization is something i've come to expect from WotC
from
EE

[Smiley_]

I always thought that WotC flipped a coin to decide the gender of the theoretical character of a class. It's easier to type him or her or he and she than the paladins, or the character's and it takes up less space. Also, it is easier for the brain to handle monosylabic pronouns rather than a more complex noun like Sorceror or Arcane Archer, and the pronoun it would just be silly.


As for disorginization, well, I would just be repeating what was said.

[sonofzeal]

I was told they alternate. So if one PrC gets referred to as male, the next gets referred to as female. Could just be a rumor though.

I agree about PrCs though, they should have been in the PHB. On the other hand, the PHB's pretty full as it is, and I guess they were last in line for inclusion, which makes sense I guess.

[Ascension]

As I was going through the PHB I did notice it seemed like there were more shes than hes... I assumed that their marketing department convinced them that it's more inclusive to default to female pronouns when referring to the anonymous player/DM/whoever.

[Chronos]

The pronouns for characters always match the sex of the example character for that class. So, for instance, whenever they're talking about rogues, they'll say something like "A rogue can use her Disable Device skill...", because Lidda is female. Of the twelve example characters, five are female (Alhandra the paladin, Ember the monk, Vadania the druid, Lidda the rogue, and Mialee the wizard), so one would expect a little under half of the pronouns to be female. There are relatively few pronouns referring to anyone other than characters, so I haven't noticed a pattern there.

[Collin152]

The pronouns for characters always match the sex of the example character for that class. So, for instance, whenever they're talking about rogues, they'll say something like "A rogue can use her Disable Device skill...", because Lidda is female. Of the twelve example characters, five are female (Alhandra the paladin, Ember the monk, Vadania the druid, Lidda the rogue, and Mialee the wizard), so one would expect a little under half of the pronouns to be female. There are relatively few pronouns referring to anyone other than characters, so I haven't noticed a pattern there.

What about classes with two examples? Wizards get the ugly elf and the forgotten gnome both.

[holywhippet]

I'd assumed they wanted to balance out the size of the three books to be about the same. So magical items went to the DMG along with prestige classes.

[Ascension]

The pronouns for characters always match the sex of the example character for that class.

Oh. That makes sense then. The characters I have played recently have been a rogue/scout and a rogue/swashbuckler, and all three of those classes are represented by female example characters. That's the reason for my confusion.

...and I think it's fairly obvious why female example characters are used. The splatbook character art is generally a good bit better than the PHB examples...

[Jayngfet]

The pronouns for characters always match the sex of the example character for that class. So, for instance, whenever they're talking about rogues, they'll say something like "A rogue can use her Disable Device skill...", because Lidda is female. Of the twelve example characters, five are female (Alhandra the paladin, Ember the monk, Vadania the druid, Lidda the rogue, and Mialee the wizard), so one would expect a little under half of the pronouns to be female. There are relatively few pronouns referring to anyone other than characters, so I haven't noticed a pattern there.

yes but in the dmg when they talk about variations on races from world to world they compare two hypothetical DM's...


...both were female(one was basicly tolkien in thought even.)

[Tsotha-lanti]

You English-speaking people and your wacky gendered pronouns.

I think I recall reading a few RPG sourcebooks that used the female pronoun exclusively. It's a bit of an unsolveable problem with the language, but the PHB/DMG approach of alternating the pronouns works nicely. If there actually are more female imaginary example players in the books, it's probably due to some kind of handed-down (and well-deserved) guilt over the Random Whore table from 1st edition.

[Ascension]

If there actually are more female imaginary example players in the books, it's probably due to some kind of handed-down (and well-deserved) guilt over the Random Whore table from 1st edition.

There was actually a random whore table in first ed.?!?

I don't know whether to be more shocked by the fact that it existed in the first place or that it didn't survive the updates...

[Tsotha-lanti]

There was actually a random whore table in first ed.?!?

I don't know whether to be more shocked by the fact that it existed in the first place or that it didn't survive the updates...

Google "d&d random harlot table".

Or just check here, for instance.

Harlot encounters can be with brazen strumpets or haughty courtesans, thus making it difficult for the party to distinguish each encounter for what it is. (In fact, the encounter could be with a dancer only prostituting herself as it pleases her, an elderly madam, or even a pimp.) In addition to the offering of the usual fare, the harlot is 30% likely to know valuable information, 15% likely to make something up in order to gain a reward, and 20% likely to be, or work with, a thief. You may find it useful to use the sub-table below to see which sort of harlot encounter takes place.

01-10 Slovenly trull
11-25 Brazen strumpet
26-35 Cheap trollop
36-50 Typical streetwalker
56-65 Saucy tart
66-75 Wanton wench
76-85 Expensive doxy
86-90 Haughty courtesan
91-92 Aged madam
93-94 Wealthy procuress
95-98 Sly pimp
99-00 Rich panderer

An expensive doxy will resemble a gentlewoman, a haughty courtesan a noblewoman, and the other harlots might be mistaken for goodwives, and so forth.

From the 1st edition DMG.

Proud moments in Dungeons & Dragons history, eh? And people wondered why there weren't many girls playing...

[Ascension]

Face. Palm.

Now I can just see the slogan with which the books must've been marketed... "Some things rules can't arbitrate. For everything else, there's a random encounter table!"

[Frosty]

What is a "Slovenly trull?"

[Tsotha-lanti]

What is a "Slovenly trull?"

It "translates" to 'filthy prostitute' (and that's the least crude option). Real enlightened, eh?

You can probably see why WotC has to take active steps to shatter the idea that women don't, can't, or shouldn't play D&D.

[Blanks]

Random Whore table from 1st edition

That is the funnyiest thing I have read all week

[Illiterate Scribe]

That is the funnyiest thing I have read all week

I'm afraid to say this, but, as well as the game itself, this is pretty much Gygax's legacy. He wrote some of the most amazing tables known to man.

[Roderick_BR]

What about classes with two examples? Wizards get the ugly elf and the forgotten gnome both.

I think all base classes have 2 examples, like both Regdar and Tordek as fighters, and Lidda and the human male rogue (can't remember his name). They pick one as the "default" character.

But yes, the core books are hard to follow sometimes. I think that magic itens are in the DMG because they are still under the DM's control, since it is treasure.

[Jayngfet]

Google "d&d random harlot table".

Or just check here, for instance.

the funny thing is that you can still use that table with little to no alteration, and I so am in the next big city, with the added option of doppleganger prankster.

[TempusCCK]

That table is actually hilarious and anyone who is offended by it just needs to step back and take a look at the worlds oldest profession in a historical context. When trying to create a high fantasy medieval based fantasy game, it's completely reasonable to assume that there will be prostitution, and the majority of prostitutes will be females. You can't change history, and you can't ignore the fact that payment for intercourse happens in all societies.

When you can be angry, however, is when your DM refuses to give you a male prostitute in a world where women can be dominate powerful individuals as well. I.E. Any real D&D world, regardless of edition. Use the same chart, just change the gender of the person.