Take a Peek!


There seems to be different stances on these motivations. For example, some folks want to make the RPG you play to be extremely flexible and accessible, so that you can "get to the good stuff", the actual entertainment value. Others are using complex systems that nonetheless can be taught: but that makes the focus teaching for at least as long as it takes to get the kids familiar with the rules. Only then will entertainment truly begin.

In my case, my kids demanded that we play what the adults play.

Purchase "Roleplaying with Kids" by Antunes, Holmes and Chupp for just $12.99!

Technomancer Press Open Duel 2006

Saturday, August 26, 11 AM at PAX: The Penny Arcade Exposition
PRIZES AWARDED TO ALL ENTRANTS
MATCH WINNERS & FINALISTS GET EVEN BIGGER PRIZES

This one-on-one duel levels the playing field, as you will never face a character with a 24 strength and 3 charisma because he min/max'ed his point buy. These duels will not be decided by who has the best magic items. They will be decided by cold logic and creative reactions.

The matches are not necessarily "two men enter, one man leaves," although this is a possibility. You might find yourself fighting to the death in a cage match, fighting to first blood in a lightning round, or needing to be the first to retrieve an item from a lake. You will have to use cunning as well as technical proficiency with RPG combat in order to become the Technomancer Press PAX Champion.

Technomancer Press Open Duel 2006 Results

The 2006 Duel was an outstanding success.

Congratulations to: Smacknar the Obvious, 1st place.

Smacknar the Obvious:
Medium-sized Human Clr3/WuJen1/Church Inquisitor7/Contemplative1 (CR12)
Abilities: STR 8 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 11 WIS 26 CHA 16
SV: Fort +10/ Ref +8/ Will +23
BAB: +7
AC: 21 (+2 Dex, +3 Shield, +6 +1 Mithral Breastplate) Touch 12 FF 19
Skills: Concentration 14R (+16), Knowledge Arcana 5R (+5), Knowledge Religion 13R (+13), Sense Motive 12R (+20), Spellcraft 15R (+17)
Feats: Extra Turning, Spell Focus(Good), Greater Spell Focus( Good), Weapon Focus(Bastard Sword), Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Consecrate Spell, Twin Spell, Divine Metamagic(Twin Spell)
Attacks:
+6/+1 +1 Colossally-Sized Dancing Greatsword* (8d6+1, 19-20/x2; see below)
+14/+9/+4 +1 Bastard Sword* (1d10+2, 19-20/x2; see below)

Cleric Domains: War, others
Cleric Spells used primarily during the duel:
6th: 2x Consecrated Flame Strike (Good-aligned, Save DC 25)
5th: Spell Resistance, Righteous Might

Possessions:
Scroll of Dancing Blade (WuJen CL7)
Rod of Metamagic Quickening (spells 6th level and less)
Periapt of Wisdom +6
Headband of Intellect +4
+1 Sizing Greatsword
+1 Bastard Sword
+1 Mithral Breastplate of Light (25%) Fortification
Mithral Shield

Contingent Spells:
Tenser's Transformation (Wiz11) -- when sword is drawn
Greater Blink (Wiz9) -- when sword is drawn or spell is cast

Tactics:
Smacknar enters the match dragging the Greatsword into the room. Anyone who matched with me would hopefully remember me describing the sound of this enormous thing being dragged across stone because usually the combatants couldn't see each other. Some explanation is required if you don't have the Complete Arcane-- the Sizing attribute allows a weapon to be of any size. This was intended to accommodate shapeshifting but isn't actually required to run the item because if you're the wrong size, you still can't wield it (as Smacknar cannot, but read on).
As soon as is convenient, Smacknar will cast Dancing Blade off the scroll onto the greatsword. The sword is now animated and orbits him, attacking as he desires. Note that he is a WuJen, so using the scroll is not a problem.

Smacknar will power up using several uninteresting spells (most important of these are probably Divine Power and Righteous Might. I don't remember exactly. Doing this activates his Blink contingency and he's now subject to 50% miss chance and can walk through thin walls.

Once in combat, Smacknar directs the greatsword to attack for him while he attacks using his spells. The critical spell is quickened twinned Consecrated Flame Strike, which he accomplishes using the Metamagic Rod of Quickening and Divine Metamagic:Twin Spell. This forces the target to make two DC25 Reflex Saves for half damage against 11d6 of holy fire (so fire resistance only applies to half of it). If the target took any significant damage from this attack, Smacknar executes the same spell again because the previous spell was quickened. That's right: four DC25 saves for HALF of 11d6 EACH in a single round.

If the attack was unsuccessful (or in the final battle when there were more than two total combatants), Smacknar draws his bastard sword. Note that he has Exotic Weapon Proficiency for this as a result of being a Cleric with the War domain, so he can wield it one-handed. When the sword is drawn, Smacknar loses his spellcasting ability and becomes equivalent to a fighter as a result of Contingent Tenser's Transformation.