Recent content by Greg Benage

At this point, I’m scolding about the scolding, and if I’m right that’s just going to make y’all dig in. So I’m going to stop. But I will say this: It’s not apathy. I’m certain we want the same kind of society and the same kind of hobby. I just believe the scolding, moralizing and policing has...

Of course! There is only Sin and Righteousness! Keep scolding and eventually everyone will see the light. What’s the worst that could happen?

I mean, it’s not good! I don’t care for the real Frazetta, so it’s fair to say this isn’t my favorite. But that’s not moralizing—your pornographer friend probably just has good taste.

Of course not, and it never works because nobody likes a scold! (Except a scold who agrees with you—scolds on the other side are obviously the worst.) So it’s counterproductive and inevitably produces a backlash. But! The backlash only proves how corrupt/unjust society is, so the scolding...

Well, the moralizing seems to have been a rousing success, so I’m sure it will continue. 🤷‍♂️

Ah, well, nevertheless.

It’s funny you used this as an example, because it’s exactly what killed my 10th-level fighter. 😢 I had a +3 bastard sword and +2 from talents, so +15. Mechanically, it felt like it strained the system—not everything can be AC 18, not that it mattered to my fighter. I did not mean to suggest...

A Str 18 10th-level fighter is at +10/+10 before any other talents or magic items. All I’m saying is, if you like some suspense in your game, you might want to keep an eye on those bonuses. 😉

Just curious, have you played the game at high levels?

I mean…it’s not as good. But those guys did plenty of pieces with just women (or just dudes in loin cloths), typically with one or more monsters threatening them. In any case, that’s the intent, right? “Deathbringer” is supposed to make me think of Frazetta’s famous “Death Dealer,” right?

It seems like appropriate (for the genre) Frazetta/Boris style art? It’s not my preference, any more than pink baby beholders are, but I’m all for creators doing what they like. I wish more people could dislike art without needing it to be a moral judgment.

On ability modifiers, it’s swingy AF already and I don’t think weighting the die roll more heavily would improve the game. That said, it’s even more sensitive to bonuses than 5E for obvious reasons, so the DM should be careful handing out the +X loot.

Okay, if I’m tracking, I think there’s lots of stuff in SD you’d bounce off before the task resolution rules have a chance to annoy you. It’s gamey. Task resolution is often diceless and systemless, but you’re still going to have timers and procedures in your face.

I really hesitate to get involved in one of these…but what do you consider “the game”? Player thinks about task. Player thinks about character. Player connects the two (or not). That’s it.

It works great. I don’t know how long it’s been around, but I first encountered it in Jonathan Tweet’s “Over the Edge” (1992). Worst case: “Tell us how your background/training prepared you for this task?” and now the player has an opportunity to engage with the game and also flesh out their...