Can I Even Ask This? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can I Even Ask This? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Thumbtack
01-16-06, 03:11 PM I need the stats for a Doll Golem, but I don't want to go out and by a whole book just so I can take a look at this creature for two minutes. Is there an ethical way I can ask someone for those stats? Or do I need to just suck it up and go by that book?

Thanks.
LordofNightmares
01-16-06, 03:16 PM if its not in the SRD then you we cannot give you that information.
WayneTheGame
01-16-06, 03:21 PM I need the stats for a Doll Golem, but I don't want to go out and by a whole book just so I can take a look at this creature for two minutes. Is there an ethical way I can ask someone for those stats? Or do I need to just suck it up and go by that book?

Thanks.

You can always go to Ye Olde Bookstore with a pen and small notebook and get the stats that way... I agree that its stupid to have to waste money on an entire book for one thing.
Seeker95
01-16-06, 03:29 PM Then again, if the book has one thing you need, I bet it has more.
Elbethamore
01-16-06, 03:34 PM Not to divert the thread, but what book is that creature found in? I'm interested to know.
Asciiman
01-16-06, 03:48 PM Then again, if the book has one thing you need, I bet it has more.

I've found this to be true on more then one occasion.
Artifact
01-16-06, 03:48 PM Believe it or not, I bought the Eberron Campaign Setting for (count 'em) two pages of info on action points and three related feats. At the time, nothing else really interested me about the setting. Then, the warforged started looking interesting . . . :D

You never know what might catch your interest once you get into a book.

Yes, I know action points originally appeared in Unearthed Arcana, but the rules were more refined by the release of the ECS.
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple
01-16-06, 04:25 PM I'm inclined to agree... It's fairly rare that you actually see a book that is nothing but things you need. I'd say that the only two RPG books I've seen which are nothing but 100% useful material are the PHB and D20 Modern. The DMG comes close, as does Libris Mortis, Sharn: City of Towers, and Underdark. Generally, the more "crunchy" the book, the more useful it generally is.
Seeker95
01-16-06, 04:30 PM I'm inclined to agree... It's fairly rare that you actually see a book that is nothing but things you need.Who made this argument such that you are agreeing with it? Folks thus far have noted that it is unlikely that the book has only one thing in it that you need.
q'afuu
01-16-06, 04:40 PM Generally, the more "crunchy" the book, the more useful it generally is. I have to disagree with this. The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is 100% fluff/0% crunch, and it's one of the most useful books I own when playing Greyhawk campaigns. OTOH, there isn't a single book (I'm specifically including the core books in this) which offers crunch that I don't feel a need to houserule or simply remove some of that crunch from, or which doesn't have large parts of crunch that absolutely never get used.

Usefulness doesn't depend on crunch factor.
Zherog
01-16-06, 04:44 PM The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is 100% fluff/0% crunch...

That actually depends upon whether you classify "new" deities as having any crunch. I'd say there's a little bit of crunch in there, since it can be used to tweak a cleric a certain way (certain domains, favored weapon, etc). Still, all told, probably less than 1% crunch. :D
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple
01-16-06, 05:17 PM Who made this argument such that you are agreeing with it? Folks thus far have noted that it is unlikely that the book has only one thing in it that you need.
Odd... I could've sworn someone had... Oh well...

In either case, even if you're using a houseruled form of a rule, you're still using it, and likely would not have been had you not seen the original version.

And setting books that are just 100% fluff are useful, sure, but they're only useful in that setting. Switch from Greyhawk to FR and your Gazetteer isn't useful anymore, while that copy of Libris Mortis is as useful as ever.
Seeker95
01-16-06, 07:15 PM while that copy of Libris Mortis is as useful as ever.Which may or may not be saying much, depending on your view. :P
q'afuu
01-16-06, 09:53 PM Switch from Greyhawk to FR and your Gazetteer isn't useful anymore, while that copy of Libris Mortis is as useful as ever. My current campaign doesn't have any undead lined up as monsters or NPCs, and none of my players have chosen to play a character that has anything remotely to do with Necromancy. How is LM under these circumstances any different from the LGG in a non-Greyhawk campaign?
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple
01-16-06, 10:14 PM There's more than just enemies in LM. There's helpful things for good clerics as well. If a player chooses to go into Necromancy, there's Libris Mortis. If you choose to pit them against an undead enemy, there's Libris Mortis. Any (and all) of it could be dropped into a campaign no problem. If you want to use the LGG in your homebrew you'd be restricted to small towns or similarly tiny portions of the setting. Otherwise you'd have a yawning gulf of setting incontinuities between your homebrew developments and the LGG chunk, creating more work than if you had just left well enough alone.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Thumbtack 01-16-06, 03:11 PM	I need the stats for a Doll Golem, but I don't want to go out and by a whole book just so I can take a look at this creature for two minutes. Is there an ethical way I can ask someone for those stats? Or do I need to just suck it up and go by that book? Thanks.
LordofNightmares 01-16-06, 03:16 PM	if its not in the SRD then you we cannot give you that information.
WayneTheGame 01-16-06, 03:21 PM	I need the stats for a Doll Golem, but I don't want to go out and by a whole book just so I can take a look at this creature for two minutes. Is there an ethical way I can ask someone for those stats? Or do I need to just suck it up and go by that book? Thanks. You can always go to Ye Olde Bookstore with a pen and small notebook and get the stats that way... I agree that its stupid to have to waste money on an entire book for one thing.
Seeker95 01-16-06, 03:29 PM	Then again, if the book has one thing you need, I bet it has more.
Elbethamore 01-16-06, 03:34 PM	Not to divert the thread, but what book is that creature found in? I'm interested to know.
Asciiman 01-16-06, 03:48 PM	Then again, if the book has one thing you need, I bet it has more. I've found this to be true on more then one occasion.
Artifact 01-16-06, 03:48 PM	Believe it or not, I bought the Eberron Campaign Setting for (count 'em) two pages of info on action points and three related feats. At the time, nothing else really interested me about the setting. Then, the warforged started looking interesting . . . :D You never know what might catch your interest once you get into a book. Yes, I know action points originally appeared in Unearthed Arcana, but the rules were more refined by the release of the ECS.
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple 01-16-06, 04:25 PM	I'm inclined to agree... It's fairly rare that you actually see a book that is nothing but things you need. I'd say that the only two RPG books I've seen which are nothing but 100% useful material are the PHB and D20 Modern. The DMG comes close, as does Libris Mortis, Sharn: City of Towers, and Underdark. Generally, the more "crunchy" the book, the more useful it generally is.
Seeker95 01-16-06, 04:30 PM	I'm inclined to agree... It's fairly rare that you actually see a book that is nothing but things you need.Who made this argument such that you are agreeing with it? Folks thus far have noted that it is unlikely that the book has only one thing in it that you need.
q'afuu 01-16-06, 04:40 PM	Generally, the more "crunchy" the book, the more useful it generally is. I have to disagree with this. The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is 100% fluff/0% crunch, and it's one of the most useful books I own when playing Greyhawk campaigns. OTOH, there isn't a single book (I'm specifically including the core books in this) which offers crunch that I don't feel a need to houserule or simply remove some of that crunch from, or which doesn't have large parts of crunch that absolutely never get used. Usefulness doesn't depend on crunch factor.
Zherog 01-16-06, 04:44 PM	The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is 100% fluff/0% crunch... That actually depends upon whether you classify "new" deities as having any crunch. I'd say there's a little bit of crunch in there, since it can be used to tweak a cleric a certain way (certain domains, favored weapon, etc). Still, all told, probably less than 1% crunch. :D
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple 01-16-06, 05:17 PM	Who made this argument such that you are agreeing with it? Folks thus far have noted that it is unlikely that the book has only one thing in it that you need. Odd... I could've sworn someone had... Oh well... In either case, even if you're using a houseruled form of a rule, you're still using it, and likely would not have been had you not seen the original version. And setting books that are just 100% fluff are useful, sure, but they're only useful in that setting. Switch from Greyhawk to FR and your Gazetteer isn't useful anymore, while that copy of Libris Mortis is as useful as ever.
Seeker95 01-16-06, 07:15 PM	while that copy of Libris Mortis is as useful as ever.Which may or may not be saying much, depending on your view. :P
q'afuu 01-16-06, 09:53 PM	Switch from Greyhawk to FR and your Gazetteer isn't useful anymore, while that copy of Libris Mortis is as useful as ever. My current campaign doesn't have any undead lined up as monsters or NPCs, and none of my players have chosen to play a character that has anything remotely to do with Necromancy. How is LM under these circumstances any different from the LGG in a non-Greyhawk campaign?
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple 01-16-06, 10:14 PM	There's more than just enemies in LM. There's helpful things for good clerics as well. If a player chooses to go into Necromancy, there's Libris Mortis. If you choose to pit them against an undead enemy, there's Libris Mortis. Any (and all) of it could be dropped into a campaign no problem. If you want to use the LGG in your homebrew you'd be restricted to small towns or similarly tiny portions of the setting. Otherwise you'd have a yawning gulf of setting incontinuities between your homebrew developments and the LGG chunk, creating more work than if you had just left well enough alone.