Optimizing Your Character for Living Greyhawk [Archive] - Wizards Community

Optimizing Your Character for Living Greyhawk [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mommy was an Orc
04-26-06, 09:59 AM solbergb runs the lgchardiscussion yahoo group (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/lgchardiscussion/). I think it tends to be best at taking a build and making it better. The problem being that you get lots of posts about different topics and the responders aren't necessarily just looking at the previous posts on your topic. solbergb, iswald, Sieylianna, myself, james maissen and others all post there.

Character Optimization Board (http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=339). This is good at taking a build and focusing the discussion on just that build. The problem is of course that a lot of people will respond without knowing the LG rules. The first big rule of solving that is to make the Title obvious. Don't say "Help me optimize my LG Cleric." People assume you're playing a Lawful Good Cleric. Say "Help me optimize my Living Greyhawk Cleric" Then in the body of the message, say something along the lines of, "Living Greyhawk has some very special rules for play. If you don't know the rules, please don't post. Thanks!"

My Living Greyhawk Compilation (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=462905). It goes through a variety of different topics, how to look at various problems dealing with purchases and items. Some of the builds tend to be a bit pointy, which is to say they have 8s and 16s in stats, but I generally try to avoid the 20s/6s in the stats. You don't always have to make the stats that way if you don't want to and you can adjust the builds to taste. If you have a new build to try out, post on the Character Optimization board above please. The problem here(or feature) is that the builds tend to be static if you're not used to tweaking and they heavily represent my opinion.

This isn't to say characters must be optimized or else, but here are the resources if you want to go that route(and if there are any I've missed, just let me know)

Andy
solbergb
04-26-06, 12:08 PM To add to Andy's summary.

lgchardiscussion also tends to discuss the "Table variation" aspects of a build, something you won't see on the other forums (most D&D folks play with one DM, and if he says it is ok, your character is set). Many builds, even simple ones, have elements that will shift in how they are ruled as you move from Judge to Judge. Accepting the normal variations is part of being happy with your build, and feats/spells/class abilities that vary a lot are usually seen as less desirable than ones that don't change, even if "when they work" they're very good.

lgchardiscussion also talks about how to translate a character concept into a mechanical build, which is not something any of the WOTC boards really do. (it isn't the majority of the traffic, but if you have that kind of question, you will get a LOT of opinions on how it could or should be done)

As Andy said, it's in the Yahoo Groups mold, which I find preferable to the WOTC format when read via web archives (faster, more responsive) but it isn't "threaded" like these boards are, so some folks won't like that. It gets enough traffic that reading it in your email box would probably be a chore.

The CO board has gotten better about responding to LG questions, with more signal and less noise. They tend to be very focused on mechanical optomization and less on the other aspects of making a character playable in LG, but they provide a "fresh" point of view that can be helpful. They're also really, really good at knowing all the most recent game sources, so if you get weird access from some random book and want to know what it does or how it would work wiht your character, they're pretty darn good.

Andy's LG compilation threads are (in my opinion) a major reason why the CO board has gotten better, there are enough examples there to show the environment even to outsiders.

Keep in mind that all these sources are highly opinionated, and there is some overlap in the posters. (in lgchardiscussion, the yahoo name for me is bokelightbringer)
Sieylianna
04-26-06, 12:50 PM As Andy said, it's in the Yahoo Groups mold, which I find preferable to the WOTC format when read via web archives (faster, more responsive) but it isn't "threaded" like these boards are, so some folks won't like that. It gets enough traffic that reading it in your email box would probably be a chore.

I read LGChardiscussion in digest mode, which cuts down on the volume, although it makes it more difficult for me to reply.

Ed
Prochytes
04-27-06, 04:59 AM Many thanks to Andy and solbergb for providing this resource. It is great to have the different emphases of the various lists set out clearly.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mommy was an Orc 04-26-06, 09:59 AM	solbergb runs the lgchardiscussion yahoo group (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/lgchardiscussion/). I think it tends to be best at taking a build and making it better. The problem being that you get lots of posts about different topics and the responders aren't necessarily just looking at the previous posts on your topic. solbergb, iswald, Sieylianna, myself, james maissen and others all post there. Character Optimization Board (http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=339). This is good at taking a build and focusing the discussion on just that build. The problem is of course that a lot of people will respond without knowing the LG rules. The first big rule of solving that is to make the Title obvious. Don't say "Help me optimize my LG Cleric." People assume you're playing a Lawful Good Cleric. Say "Help me optimize my Living Greyhawk Cleric" Then in the body of the message, say something along the lines of, "Living Greyhawk has some very special rules for play. If you don't know the rules, please don't post. Thanks!" My Living Greyhawk Compilation (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=462905). It goes through a variety of different topics, how to look at various problems dealing with purchases and items. Some of the builds tend to be a bit pointy, which is to say they have 8s and 16s in stats, but I generally try to avoid the 20s/6s in the stats. You don't always have to make the stats that way if you don't want to and you can adjust the builds to taste. If you have a new build to try out, post on the Character Optimization board above please. The problem here(or feature) is that the builds tend to be static if you're not used to tweaking and they heavily represent my opinion. This isn't to say characters must be optimized or else, but here are the resources if you want to go that route(and if there are any I've missed, just let me know) Andy
solbergb 04-26-06, 12:08 PM	To add to Andy's summary. lgchardiscussion also tends to discuss the "Table variation" aspects of a build, something you won't see on the other forums (most D&D folks play with one DM, and if he says it is ok, your character is set). Many builds, even simple ones, have elements that will shift in how they are ruled as you move from Judge to Judge. Accepting the normal variations is part of being happy with your build, and feats/spells/class abilities that vary a lot are usually seen as less desirable than ones that don't change, even if "when they work" they're very good. lgchardiscussion also talks about how to translate a character concept into a mechanical build, which is not something any of the WOTC boards really do. (it isn't the majority of the traffic, but if you have that kind of question, you will get a LOT of opinions on how it could or should be done) As Andy said, it's in the Yahoo Groups mold, which I find preferable to the WOTC format when read via web archives (faster, more responsive) but it isn't "threaded" like these boards are, so some folks won't like that. It gets enough traffic that reading it in your email box would probably be a chore. The CO board has gotten better about responding to LG questions, with more signal and less noise. They tend to be very focused on mechanical optomization and less on the other aspects of making a character playable in LG, but they provide a "fresh" point of view that can be helpful. They're also really, really good at knowing all the most recent game sources, so if you get weird access from some random book and want to know what it does or how it would work wiht your character, they're pretty darn good. Andy's LG compilation threads are (in my opinion) a major reason why the CO board has gotten better, there are enough examples there to show the environment even to outsiders. Keep in mind that all these sources are highly opinionated, and there is some overlap in the posters. (in lgchardiscussion, the yahoo name for me is bokelightbringer)
Sieylianna 04-26-06, 12:50 PM	As Andy said, it's in the Yahoo Groups mold, which I find preferable to the WOTC format when read via web archives (faster, more responsive) but it isn't "threaded" like these boards are, so some folks won't like that. It gets enough traffic that reading it in your email box would probably be a chore. I read LGChardiscussion in digest mode, which cuts down on the volume, although it makes it more difficult for me to reply. Ed
Prochytes 04-27-06, 04:59 AM	Many thanks to Andy and solbergb for providing this resource. It is great to have the different emphases of the various lists set out clearly.