Mr Sark

I rarely play but my 4 most memorable RPG characters are (these are from a looong time ago so details are hazy): I played a Native American spy with an Eagle whose eyes I could see through in Top Secret S.I.. I played a mutant Armadillo in the Palladium T.M.N.T.. I played twin bards (Stringfellow played a lute & Windsworth played the pan pipes) when the D&D expansion Dark Sun came out. I love Dark Sun!

Yeah this is definitely a FAQ. I don't have a 4th Ed. loot table and had to scrounge for that info while we played. I knew what item types I wanted to be there, but wanted to roll randomly to see what their enchantments were. There wasn't a chart like I'd envisioned and had to make do. For now I'd probably just go back to what I know and use the 2nd Edition loot tables from that DM's guide. As for the Botch Chart, I was waiting to post a really dolled-up version along with some maps and sketches but I haven't had time so I'll just put it down here. It's very simple, although I've shifted it a bit over the course of these episodes as I get a feel for how frustrating / satisfying the 4th Ed combat is for everyone. Don't want to smack anyone when they're not having fun. Currently it's at: 1-50: No effect, just a miss. 51-70: Miss & no action next round. 71-85: Attack is self-inflicted & no action next round. 86-90: Attack is self-inflicted & double damage & no action next round. 91-95: Attack is self-inflicted & double damage & related weapon/device/artifact breaks & no action next round 96-00: Fatal flub. I recently added the item break to the list because it may add a fun dynamic on the rare occasions that it is rolled. I just sort of role-play the effects based on what the circumstances are.

I'd love to try Pathfinder, but I'd hate to learn another game live on the air. Too stressful. So probably 2nd! THat is IF we were sticking to swords & sorcery. If we switched up the game entirely I'd probably want to dust off my possessed box of Top Secret S.I., even though Brian would run away from it like a gigantic scaredypants. *see our flashback segment from Episode 6 for the backstory.

Heh heh what on earth would I talk about? I'm already sick of hearing my own voice! But thanks sir! Radio Respawn was initially intended to be a podcast but Machinima wasn't feeling the podcast angle. So we just made it a long, weekly YouTube vid.

The current state of stuff on this flooded world is a lot like The Atoll looked in Waterworld, since most of it is salvaged Collector bits. The Collector tech is very steampunk, bolted together, crude welds, large plates of metal. Perhaps it's because being non-corporeal they are unable to create the devices like the clockwork deck hands and The Dreadnaughts themselves? Can't go into too much detail about The Collector's yet since the party has barely scratched the surface of that ploy. The world pre-flood, as the party has just recently discovered on their deep dive, seems to have been a more technological place, perhaps even futuristic. Blade-Runner-esque in my mind (I visually relate everything to movies, I find it easier to communicate broad strokes that way )

Pat Robertson is in conflict with all faith. Unless your God's name is Greed and he lives in all of our wallets. As a Warlock, Blackie Green is probably condemned to hell, yes. BUT that doesn't mean he won't be able to saunter up to the front of the line outside of Club Pearly Gates, notice that Bouncer Peter got his tips frosted, ask how the fam is, blast him the finger pistols and walk straight-the-fuck into Heaven.

You may be surprised! It is a compliment that you can't tell though D&D has helped with my career in production, and my career in production has in turn helped with my D&D. What you're talking about is the most difficult balancing act that a DM faces. Are you reading paragraphs out of a pre-made module ensuring that everything happens as planned but limiting player freedom? Are you completely winging it and risking losing control of the story, resulting in a random-feeling nonsensical vibe? There isn't a correct way to do it, but I prefer something like 75% planned, 25% improv. What I DON'T do is improv large plot points. I save the impromptu stuff for the smaller events, and for guiding the players if they need it. This is all part of pre-production for me. Admittedly I rarely have enough time to pre-pro like I'd like (especially the last couple months due to real-world interferences). This sounds like bragging or taking credit for subconscious moves but I pride myself on spending prep time that not even the party knows about Usually we do a sort of post-mortem sesh after a wipe, or a significant victory where we all pull back the curtain on missed opportunities on the player's part, or strange curveballs that they pitched and how I rolled with it. Maybe we'll do one of these for an episode. I'll ask Brian. Teasers (planned): They COULD have rendezvoused with the Water Elemental Delta Force. They also may have skipped my entire Water Elemental Plane scenario. This has happened several times to us due to the freedom that the party is afforded. Large chunks of story that fall to the wayside. I usually try to recycle them in another campaign or tie it it back in later if organic, but sometimes the pre-production just *POOF* Also, Jayph had a sidestory that was potentially interesting / lucrative. but *BLUB* went Jayph. Teasers (unplanned): The sinking of the Collector Dreadnaught was a surprise. I had a couple eventualities leading to The Survivors that did not involve a Titanic reenactment. AND the subsequent assault on The Survivors was unexpected. I figured the stranger's aquatic advantage was obvious. I was wrong. This led to Ell Ryan's demise :'( *quick thought on a tangentially related subject: We don't have room at the table for a DM screen (a little barrier that hides what I'm doing from the group in case I need to make a secret dice roll or write a note) and even in the past when we HAVE had the room, I don't even like them HEARING me roll sometimes. Don't tell them but I keep a dice app on my phone and make the rolls under the table, on the sly. Some VERY critical rolls were made on this especially in the next episode. Unfortunately YOU guys can't tell I'm rolling either but c'est la vie. Maybe we need a code word

I've messed with this stuff just a bit and it is indeed sexy. Good looking out! I think we're probably just going to shift from 4th so we can get away from the Clue Maps

When all of us move in together! Or when Earwolf gets bunk beds. We gather after work so we're already pretty beat when we start playing.

No sure about capability. Not sure if it would even be cool. The only live runs I've heard are the PAX guys game and Harmontown. They pull it off, but it seems like a lot of distractions.

He's starting at level 2 (2 levels behind the others).

We messed up Sir Dick's damage, but fixed it after the episode break! So it straightens out early in next week's ep (if I remember right).

Haha yeah. Healing surges have relatively recently been added to our play, but unfortunately they wouldn't have saved poor Ell Ryan. Probably scrapping 4th in a few anyway because it feels a bit too miniatures / map reliant for the podcast setup we have and the grid-based movement slows us a down a bit. Just our opinion. I'd actually enjoy playing a good 4th edition game, but not so much for my campaigns.

Holy shit. WATCH WHAT YOU SAY MAN BRIAN READS THESE FORUMS YOU'REGONNAGETEVERYONEKILLED!!!

I like board games. But with my current job demanding a lot of time spent in videogames I don't have as much time as I'd like to play so I haven't sampled many new ones. Some classics I like though: Stratego, Clue, Monoply (with jacked up rules), Risk, I really liked Risk 2210, and (unsurprisingly) HeroQuest is probably my favorite of all-time.

APL says he is down. He also asked if there were sniper rifles. So... yeah. *APL (Scott Fisher) is a producer/host I work with at Machinima.

I think the worst it got was Gerry rolling up a new character and Brian beating him to death's door upon introduction, knowing exactly who it was. I can't remember the finer points of the encounter which leads me to believe that this has happened several times and they are getting crossed in my mind...

Haha I've been wrestling with this post-blood bubbling of the sub. He did get docked some XP at level-up time for his sins but I'm still trying to figure out if Brian is the greatest role-player of all-time and is nailing the nuances of: -an inactive Good, Catholic-style (as Steve mentioned above) -schizophrenia -a Sling Blade-esque simpleton -a man demonically possessed (that he never told me about) ...OR if Amarth/Brian has a rotten core and is a ticking time bomb of muscle and murder and comedy.

This whole thread is PGDA. Pretty Goddamn Awesome.

Curiosity. New leaf. Books smelled nice.

Haha this would be awesome. Whether it was a success OR a disaster. Maybe some day.

Hahaha this post was epic! Thanks for the lesson I love this kind of thing. If I'd had time to research this properly I actually would've liked to explore the black hole angle but the idea of our universe springing a leak and the water elemental plane filling it up with infinite water tickled me so much I just ran with it. For the sake of physics we'll say that water straight from the plane is SO pure and plentiful that it defies our science. Or maybe that since it makes up not only the environment but also the denizens, that they have control on an atomic level that defies our puny starfire. Or both. Yeah, both.

Don't sweat it! Good heads up! The longer I use 4th, and especially the longer I use 4th without an actual table, the less I like it. I see what they were going for, and I can even see enjoying it more under different circumstances. But as it is I'm glossing over so many of the movement / map / grid reliant rules I've practically written 4th Lite. I mangled 2nd Ed as well, but it was poorly written so it allowed for that

You haven't missed it! I'll include it in the maps & diagrams homework I've assigned myself.

Haha. This is a really funny idea! Once guests are popping in more regularly I could see this being super fun. I have a few other guest-ideas that hopefully you'll find amusing as well. *love your folder-art.