Birkin's D&D Q&A

Seeing as a small group of players here have gotten into a D&D kick, I decided that a sticky
on this subject was in order. Welcome one and all to my D&D Q&A! Now before we begin, I
want to stress that there is NO WRONG way to play D&D, thats one of the best qualities about
this game. It's an every expanding, ever evolving game that has limitless possibilities! Now
there are mistakes that you can make playing, but they still aren't technically wrong.

My general knowledge on D&D is extensive, but I'm particularly adept at story telling,
campaign creation, game mechanics and monster creation but I'll answer any question
you might have to the best of my abilities. Let's dive on in with a few questions that
Pengy wanted answered.

How do you play?

Rolling Dice
Dungeons & Dragons was built around what is now known as the D20 system. Every action
you attempt to make in D&D is resolved through the use of dice. The type of dice are as follows:
d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. These are the staple dice in dnd, but other games will also use
d30 and d100's.

Character Actions
Whenever your character attempts an action, you roll a d20. The higher the roll, the better the
chance of success. There are three basic types of action: Attack rolls, Skill Checks and Ability
Checks
Attack Roll: Pretty straight forward to understand. This is a roll one makes when attacking
an opponent to determine if they succeed or not.
Skill Check: A skill check is used when a character attempts to use one of their learned
skills successfully or not.
Ability Check: Ability checks are used to determine the success of an action that has
no specific skill readily applies.
Saving Throw: Similar to the other rolls, saving throws are made to avoid certain dangers,
such as a trap. Or to lessen certain types of damage.

To determine a success, you roll a d20, add any corresponding modifiers and compare it to the
target number. If the result is equal to or exceeds the target number, then the the action succeeds.

Source Reference
Rolling Dice: http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Basics
Standard Actions: http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Standard_Actions
The DndWiki: http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:System_Reference_Document


What are the rules on multi-classing?

This is a pretty tough question to answer, really. I find tons of mentions of an EXP
penalty to multiclass characters, but I can't find anything directly pertaining to the
rules themselves. From what I gather, after Level 5, multiclass characters who aren't
EVEN in their multiple classes begin taking an EXP penalty in increments of 20% x
the number of classes that they have. Everyone generally tends to ignore the EXP
and Multiclass penalties in general. The one penalty me and my friends used was a
Skill Point penalty, where we'd spend 1 point to get half a rank in a skill, which means
it took 2 skill points to gain a single rank.

The closest thing I did get to finding a definitive explanation of a multiclass penalty
system was one for Never Winter Nights 2. You can find the page
here.

What does "Flat-footed" and "Touch" mean in AC?

Flat-footed and Touch are both variants of your AC score. Flat-footed is used when your
player is caught off guard or whenever they aren't properly able to react to a situation.
Player's begin combat Flat-footed. A flat-footed character loses their Dexterity Bonus
to their AC and cannot make attacks of opportunity.

Touch Attacks are attacks that disregard armor, including shields an natural armor.
Touch attacks can be ranged or melee in nature. When you are targeted to a Touch
attack, you do not get any bonuses from any sort of armor to your AC score.

Say I play a Barbarian. Do I really have to play in-character?

That depends on the group. I know a lot of people wouldn't actually go in-depth with their
player class, but typically you should at least keep their role in mind. A barbarian isn't all
that great when it comes to book smarts, but they're unparalleled geniuses on the battle
field. So what if you can't read or write? You don't have to to know how to split an Orc's
skull open in 4 and jello ways!

Play the character any way you see fit, it is your character, however, if you intend to act
out of character, be sure it's ok with your dungeon master and the other players before
you start making you barbarian start quoting Shakespeare.

What are Character Traits & Flaws?

Traits and Flaws are a fun little mechanic that can give your character depth and personality
while effecting game play in some manner. Some traits and flaws can be beneficial or harmful.
Traits and flaws are optional game mechanics but are most generally ignored during game play.
Generally players are allowed to take on 2 traits, 2 flaws or 1 of each at character creation.
Some DM's will allow you to take multiple traits so long as you take on as many flaws.

There is a similar mechanic in D20 Modern/Future called Mutations. The way it works is that
players gain Mutation Points by taking a number of "drawbacks." Drawbacks are essentially
flaws, a penalty as you will. Depending on the severity of the drawback, the more MP you get
for it, which can be spent on a number of mutations that offer beneficial traits, such as acidic
spit or blood, claws and fangs, or wings. I've been working for a long time to use this table
in making a true-to cannon version of the T and G-virus for my RE campaign. ;3

How does killing and dieing work?

A dying character is unconscious and near death. She has –1 to –9 current hit points.
A dying character can take no actions and is unconscious. At the end of each round
(starting with the round in which the character dropped below 0 hit points), the
character rolls d% to see whether she becomes stable. She has a 10% chance to
become stable. If she does not, she loses 1 hit point. If a dying character reaches
–10 hit points, she is dead. ~ D&D Wiki

Death is handled in many different ways depending on the group. Some players like
to make death a permanent aspect. Some players will allow you to revive at the cost
of some of your current EXP. Some DM's may use the character's death as a plot
device for their next quest. The possibilities are endless, really.

I believe that's enough for the first post, without further delay, lets get this thread rolling!


Birkin's table of awesomesauce resources
Link: D&D 3.5 System Resource Document
Link: d20 Modern & Future System Resource Document
These two SRD's (System Resource Document) are perfect for beginner and intermediate
players alike. They contain all of the information one will need to begin playing D&D in
either of the settings. They AREN'T for the 4'th edition, just thought I should point that
out.

Link: Wizard's Dice Roller
A nifty little browser-based die rolling tool, comes in the standard array of dice needed to play
D&D, D20 Modern, or any other game that requires a dice.

Link: D&D Wikia
Another good source of information is the D&D WIkia. It contains mostly info for 3.5e
but also has content for Modern, 4e and a vast amount of homebrew content. There's
something for everyone.

Link: Kencyclopedia - Monster Generator
This is a tool I used way back when to create monsters. If you don't have a good
understanding of how to make your own monsters, but want something unique for
your campaigns, then look no further. This tool is very easy to use but as far as I
know its for 3.5 only.

Link: Giant In The Playground - D20 Modern Resident Evil
You may find some similarities to my d20 take on Resident evil and this one here.
However, they are strictly coincidental. I found this puppy about a year ago or so
ago, before I put D&D on hiatus, so I haven't looked over it much. I'll have to
change that.

Link: RPG City Map Generator
I came across this little gem just tonight! It's a simple, downloadable program that
creates random city maps for your games. Couple this with Myth-Weavers City Generator
and you have a great city setting for your adventures! You can control many aspects of
creating your map, such as the size and type of city, such as medieval or European maps,
to modern u.s style maps. This is great for modern and fantasy settings. You can even
save the map in a bmp file and go on to edit it further, allowing you to print it out. The
only major problem with it is that it appears to have been abandoned by its owner, as the
last update for it was back in 2008.

Link 2: Inkwell Ideas Random City Generator
Unlike the program above, Inkwell Idea's generator operates from the browser, so right
off the bat, if you have a slow or unstable internet connection, you might have a few minor
problems. Aside from a small bit of lag, the thing works out pretty well and generates some
neat little maps.

Link: Inkwell Ideas Random Magic Shop Stock Generator
While there are an infinite number of random treasure generators out there, this gen was
made specifically for populating a Magic Shop with a random number of magical items. It's
not bad, all things considered but relies solely on the SRD, but thats fine! It's perfect for
creating shops on the fly. Now, if I can only find a gen for normal weapons and items to
populate other shops.

Why do Half-Orcs appeal to me so much!?

Cause you like the thought of some ugly smelly orc ravishing a pretty maiden?

Next.

I...I actually have another question.

Do you take any penalty for having more weight on you than your "light load' limit? can you explain the encumbrance system to me?

Yes, you do. Every character has a Carrying Capacity which is determined by their
race, size and strength.

Encumbrance rules determine how much a character’s armor and equipment slow
him or her down. Encumbrance comes in two parts: encumbrance by armor and
encumbrance by total weight.

Encumbrance by armor

A player's armor defines the maximum bonus they receive from their Dex modifier,
armor check penalties, speed and running speed. That's normally all you need to
know. Any extra gear or items you might have won't slow you down anymore than
your armor already does. If your character is weak or carrying a lot of gear, however,
then you’ll need to calculate encumbrance by weight. Doing so is most important when
your character is trying to carry some heavy object.

Encumbrance by weight

If you want to determine whether your character’s gear is heavy enough to slow
him or her down more than the armor already does, total the weight of all the
character’s items, including armor, weapons, and gear. Compare this total to the
character’s Strength on Table: Carrying Capacity. Depending on how the weight
compares to the character’s carrying capacity, he or she may be carrying a light,
medium, or heavy load. Like armor, a character’s load affects his or her maximum
Dexterity bonus to AC, carries a check penalty (which works like an armor check
penalty), reduces the character’s speed, and affects how fast the character can run,
as shown on Table: Carrying Loads. A medium or heavy load counts as medium
or heavy armor for the purpose of abilities or skills that are restricted by armor.
Carrying a light load does not encumber a character.

If your character is wearing armor, use the worse figure (from armor or from
load) for each category. Do not stack the penalties.

Question.

Is there any way to make D&D less complicated? I've always had a slight interest in it, but have never been able to understand how everything works/runs. It's hard enough for 100% english speaking people to understand (as most people don't XD), even harder since english isn't my first language.

Any tips? D:

^
I'd say have someone explain it to you, preferably face-to-face. The game, while looking hard or intimidating on paper, is pretty simple once you get it down. And learning from another person is much easier than trying to read instructions.

Since there is no wrong way to play DnD, could a player perhaps use their creativity that this game supports so much to create a sort of cybernetic futuristic class, perhaps a chicken? Is DnD stictly limited to ancient times? Is it possible to create a new human class that fits into the ancient times scheme, perhaps a newborn infant with a bad case of the plague?

Is it possible to create a new class that ties in with the ancient times setting, that isn't human? Perhaps an uncybernetic chicken? Or maybe a dragon?

Does your character NEED to be an intelligent life form for you to play as him? If yes, do mad scientists exist in the DnD universe, allowing you to create your backstory as a failed lab experiment, that led to you being an intelligent chicken?

Is it possible to limit your class or character, for instance, could you be a mermaid, a perfectly intelligent and half humanoid creature, even though you would only be able to travel within water? Would it be against the rules for your mermaid to have the temporary or permanent power of crawling over land?

Is it possible to create a mad scientist class, creating mutant dragons and chickens and anything within the limits of your creativity as pets? If no, is it possible to be a summoner class, summoning dragons and chickens, perhaps even mutated, and anything else within the limits of your creativity, as pets?

Just how ancient is DnD's setting? Is it possible to have your character invent gunpowder? Is it possible to discover new metals to craft your swords with? Is it possible to build ships? Is it possible to build flying craft?

Are you allowed to create a clharacter in a position of authority, such as a king? Perhaps a queen? How about the captain of the guards? In the orc's case, the tribal leader of their dung huts?

Are you allowed to turn on your teammates, perhaps acting as a spy for other nationalities, stabbing the people you're playing with in the back, killing them all, and ending the game for all of them but yourself? Is it possible to get kill stolen by your teammates? Is it possible for your loot that you found and killed something for to be stolen by your teammates? Is it possible to have an in character relationship with your teammates? How about a relationship with an NPC?

I guess I had more that I wanted to know about DnD than I thought. That's quite a bit of questions.

Holy shit, Syn @.@ Ok, new rule, from now on, try to limit it to 3 questions per post, and
no new posts until the questions have been answered, Lol. Alright, I'll begin with Jarki.

It's my understanding that the 4'th edition (that's the brand new one) of D&D is less
complicated and more oriented towards introducing new players to the game. It's
watered down and much easier to play from what I've read, however I've never had
a chance to see if this were true for myself. Alas, D&D can be difficult to pick up.

My suggestion to you would be to sit in on a couple of play sessions and just watch.
This will help you get a feel for how things work. I would also look into glancing over a
few of the core rule books: Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide and The Player's
Handbook. Though if you're only playing a Character, then the Player's Handbook is all
you rally need.

Keep in mind that most of these books aren't meant to be read from cover to cover,
though you're welcome to do so. They're mainly meant for guidance and structure. If
you don't mind reading PDF's, I can share with you the copies of the three core books
that I have on my pc.

Be sure to glance over the first post again, I'll be adding some helpful links for you
guys.

Now for Syn. Note I will be abridging his questions to make it easier to follow.

Quote :

Is D&D limited to a Medieval setting?

There is no set time frame for D&D as its mainly a medieval fantasy world/setting. So
it gets most of its inspiration and heart from European Mythology. However, it isn't
limited to this. D&D D20 Modern is just that, a version of the classic game built and
set specifically in a modern setting, and to go a step further they DO gave a Future
setting as well, which feature star ships and giant mecha suits. And yes, they have a
system set up for the inclusion of cybernetic implants and prosthetics.

Quote :

Does gunpowder exist in Medieval D&D?

Gunpowder does exist in 3.5's setting since it was created during medieval times
in Asia and spread throughout Europe. It can be ought in pouches or barrels.

Quote :

Do I have to play an intelligent character? Does it have to be humanoid?

Typically you cannot play a character who's intelligence falls bellow 4 or lower, because
this is the line of difference between sentient thought and animalistic intelligence. Its one
thing I've disliked about D&D. Animals that are famous for being near human in terms of
intelligence are forced to have a max intelligence score of 2. No animal is exempt, from
chimps to raptors, and this just isn't accurate. Any animal with an intelligence higher than
2 cannot be just an animal, it must take the magical beast template. This isn't always the
case. The zombie template can be applied to any character/creature. Their intelligence
score is non existent and they can still be playable.

A template is much like a class template. It has specific rules and regulations that effect
what your character can do and how you play your character. Most monster-races are
templates that you add to your character sheet. Such as vampires and ghouls, werewolves
and such. I'm not sure if aa half-dragon playable race exists, but if your DM will allow it and
you are capable of making a balanced class, then go ahead and do it.

Quote :

Do mad scientists appear? Can they make monsters?

Scientist isn't a "class" in and of itself, but it IS an occupation. Given the right setting
and a crafty DM, you could use the mutation table I mentioned earlier to make your
own monsters. In fact That was also something I was toying with for my RE D20 Modern
game. So I could make a campaign where Umbrella Scientists would create their own
B.O.W's and then send them out for field tests. ;)

Quote :

Can I make my character a King or Noble?

Typically you can only put your character into a position of power if the DM and the
other players agree to it, but there is no rule in the book that say you can't. It's
better to ask the DM first though, since he's the one in control of the game and the
group.

Quote :

Can you betray your team mates on a whim? Or can you have relationships
with them and/or NPC's?

That depends on your alignment. Characters who are of Good alignment generally
cannot turn on their team mates with out some sort of cause. For example, an evil
wizard using a spell to change one of the player's alignments from good to evil.
Players of Neutral alignment can go either which way, they do what they think is
best. However, this is more dependent of the DM than the rules itself. If you want
to do something ask the DM before you do it.


For relationships in-game, that's up to the DM and the players, but otherwise I don't
see why not. There is even a book out there based around rules for sex and even
includes STDS. ;3 Enjoy your medieval crotch crabs XD

Quote :

Do special materials exist in a D&D setting? Can you invent or
build stuff?

Lastly, YES, there ARE special materials throughout the D&D universe in which you
can craft into weapons to give them special properties, but they don't come cheap.
See: D&D WIki: Special Materials

Building things falls under the Craft skill. You may need to consult with the DM, but
when you build something, there are a number of things you need to do. You'll
need to buy the raw material. You'll need to succeed a number of checks in order
to make out your progression. Crafting, like knowledge, is no one single skill, but
encompasses a large number of them.
See: D&D Wiki: Craft Skill

I almost was able to play once. I set up my character as an alchemist, and took notes on how to produce golems.

Flesh:
6 weeks site prep(setting up the area with the proper runes, symbols, praying to the right gods)
2 more weeks prep assembly(tying the parts together, sewing, adding symbols to body)
50,000 gold

Hardest to destroy, think Frankenstein.

Straw:
2 weeks site prep
1 week assembly
100 gold

Easiest to destroy, burns easily.


Golems can read the mind of the creator, but the creator has no idea what the golem is thinking. A golem is very annoying, growing very attached to its owner but sensing the growing hatred for it by its owner. The owner will invariably lie to its creation, and the golem will sense this and become angry. After a time it will go rogue and try to kill the owner.

Besides the golems, I read about EVERY undead creature in D&D history. EVERY UNDEAD. Zombies, vampires, and for some reason three types of witches.

ECL is "effective character level". A character's ECL is its normal level plus its LA (level adjustment) for being a more powerful race than normal. A 10th level human fighter is equivalent to an ECL 10 character of another race (such as an 8th level drow fighter, who has a +2 LA).

For level adjustment creatures they have special abilitys that are typically much stronger then a person of a normal class so they are made to in essence pay for the power their getting well use for example a minotaur with +2 level adjustment, a level 1 minotaur with a +2 modifyer is essencially a level 3 character requireing the exp that is two levels higher then him to get to. for example a level 1 minotaur would need the exp for level 4, before he can reach level 2 while he is in essence a level 4 character he does not recieve an ability point typcially recieved at level 4, bonus feats and ability points only work level adjustments for this fact

I hereby declare myself "The Healer."

Although, considering how many of us there are, I'm sure one or four more healers wouldn't hurt. o.o

Are you a drow?

Also, what gender are you?

Oh. and why have your last 3 characters all had the same face tattoo?

it isnt a tatoo.

jiiiiiz~

Imp wrote:

it isnt a tatoo.

jiiiiiz~

Guess Happy didn't see it coming.

Quote :

Are you a drow?

Also, what gender are you?

Oh. and why have your last 3 characters all had the same face tattoo?

Yes, I am a Drow.

Male. D:<

Not exactly the same! But yes, good observation. I'm afraid it's a secret, though.

and yet he didn't deny it was jizz, interesting.

*Suddenly notices there's a page 2*

D:<

My first thought after zooming out on the drawing was "Elf walked through a damn spiderweb."

If you both choose to associate everything with the jizzed faces of men, that's ya'll's business, but leave Happy out of it. D:<

We're not the ambiguous looking elf with pink hair, content smile, closed eyes and what
looks suspiciously like orc-jizz on their face. Is there something Happy and Imish want to tell
us?

Ambiguous?! He's clearly the epitome of masculinity! It takes a man's man to have red-violet hair and be content about it.

Also, note the eyelashes. See how manly they are?!

He screams "Rape me in the ass until I bleed, please!"

W.Birkin wrote:

We're not the ambiguous looking elf with pink hair, content smile, closed eyes and what
looks suspiciously like orc-jizz on their face. Is there something Happy and Imish want to tell
us?

Imish is not picky when it comes to face-jizzing. But he didn't enjoy it, Happy didn't cry enough when receiving.

I hate you all. My revenge will be swift and unpleasant.