To clarify the protocol for play by e-mail:
Anyone can attempt anything using their skills/feats/starting equipment. Please state what you attempt "A tries to pick B's pocket, C fires an arrow at D, etc." In CRPG the computer tells you if you succeed, in PnP and Roleplay corner the DM decides. Under 3E rules I will assign a difficulty class (DC) or combat 'to hit' to your action and roll for it, and let you know if you succeed. If you have a listed skill/feat, feel free to include that in your text to remind me: "E steps forward and LISTENS at the door." etc.
Anything else rapidly degenerates into anarchistic nonsensense: "F finds a +5 holy avenger lying in the road, picks it up and decapitates the Red Dragon with a single blow." Is this 'fun'?

Sounds great by me, I actually thought this was obvious information, but I guess not.

Erran, what you suggest IS the true RPG way.

Not that they're making an anarchical story there...

Ok, looks like Erran's being a bit too nice, so I've got a comment to make here as well. This is a legitimate game, and Erran, as DM, is the final word on any and all posts, PCs, rules, etc. If anyone doesn't like the way he plays, feel free to opt out. Also, should anyone continue to make claims of illegitimate spells, equipment, actions, etc., don't be surprised if your post disappears. This is not the Tavern of Infinity, and this game is being moderated.

Other than a few notable exceptions, the game seems to be progressing nicely. Great work guys! I'm enjoying the read so far. Kudos to Erran for starting this up the right way. :D

I have to agree. As long as everyone plays on the same page, this game could become really interesting, and hopefully draw in some more participants. I think everyone should be careful not to step on anyones toes and just let the game progress naturally. Play as a first level character for now. Everyone will get good items and spells when they're ready for them. No character, even in a CRPG, starts out with anything but the basics. Adventuring and finding those nifty magic items is part of the fun.

Um, could you clarify something for me, Erran? In your first post you said "by e-mail". Does this mean we have to e-mail you so that you can DM our actions before we post?

Ironbeard, no. It's just a holdover term from when people actually *did* play by email or PBE. All DMing is done within the context of the posts. All you need to send him is your PC sheet for character approval before you get started.

By the way, what's a sp => gp convertion ratio?

According to 3E:
100cp = 10sp = 1gp = 0.1pp.

Erran, is there a specific roll system that we're supposed to go by when creating a character for this?

I downloaded the WOTC Character Generator and its got a few different options regarding the stats, and I thought I saw elsewhere that we're supposed to use the "point buy" system, but I'm still unclear on that. Any word on the official legit roll?

[This message has been edited by ArtEChoke (edited July 12, 2001).]

You use Point Buy, and take 32 points, which you can arrange as you desire. Note that the higher is stat value, the more points it takes to achieve that value.

About foul language

IC foul language is not that kind of foul language.
E.g. "Orc-sired goblin" is an insult of enormous proportion for a dwarf, and its natural for someone to insult a dwarf with this kind of language, but not anything modern-o (Like, you don't say "I own u" to a near-dead kobold fallen to your blade :)).
References to evil gods are natural too. (I loved that "Beshaba's bosoms" curse by an officer from um... Elfsong 'twas, methinks :))

A pest? Why, no! Questions are to be answered or they torment my soul :)

[This message has been edited by ayecapitan (edited July 12, 2001).]

Ah, thank you Captain!
That helps out alot.

I thought of another question though (don't mean to be a pest) - In the forum we are forbidden to use "foul language."

What's the policy of "In Character" foul language?

Aye captain! understood! Thanks again.

[This message has been edited by ArtEChoke (edited July 12, 2001).]

Well, allow me to clear up this point buy system a little bit more. You don't actually roll a stat around here(ie use a dice and take what comes up), you buy them. Each character starts off with stats of 8's for every stat. From them you use the 32 points to raise whichever stat level you wish. Use this table to figure out what each point costs.

09-14 = 1point
15-16 = 2points
17-18 = 3points
19-20 = 4points

After that I really don't know what points cost. So if I wanted a strength of 14, it would costs me 6 points to raise my strength from the base of 8 up to 14. However, if I wanted to raise it from 14 to 16, that would cost me 4 points because each of those points costs 2 apiece. If I wanted to raise it from 16 to 18, it would costs me an additional six points. Hence, to get a stat of 18, you'd have to spend 16 points, half your total.

Anyway, that's the basic breakdown of the point buy system that everyone is using here. Oh, and one more thing, I don't believe you can reduce a stat lower than 8 just to use those extra points gained to boost another. I might be wrong, but I'm hoping that's the way it is. 32 points is 32 points after all.

Point buy: this option is built into the WotC char generator as an option. 32pts is very generous (cos a lot of you are new). ALFA will be using 28pts, I once showed that 4d6 = 29pts 'on average'

Cursing. I encourage you to chose a deity, lots of colouful IC cusses then: "by Helm's Beady Eye", "Bane's Bloody Bones" etc.

Crawl, you're correct. You cannot get extra points to spend by lowering a stat below 8. It's fine for RP purposes, if you choose, but no freebies. ;)

I don't know. I don't think 32 points is that generous. Seems just right for me actually. 28 is fine, I think, but when you get any lower, it's hard to make a character that might be taking any more than one class, unless those classes primary stats are the same. 32 points seems fine for a fighter/mage or a fighter/cleric or paladin I would think. Anything lower than 30 would make it rather difficult, but then I guess it's still better than randomly rolling dice.

Couple of things to remember about 3E compared with 2E:
You get Feats and skills that add to your character.
3E points are more valuable than 2E, you get +2 at 16pts.
Youur points increase as you level up.
All this means I'm very happy with 28pts in ALFA :) I expect the official NWN game to be in the same area.
We're using 32pts here, but don't forget, that applies to your adversaries too! Muhahaha!