# Fighting Ignorants (D&D setup thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 16, 2010, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322 "2010-04-16T08:57:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/61 "2010-04-17T08:33:01Z")
> [@Omi\_no\_Kami](#): > > Ooh, this looks like fun- is there still room in the party for anybody? If not, I’d love to be exiled to the Tavern waiting list. Hi! Go join the queue for now. I’m waiting to hear back from **Dave Hartwick** , **Hoopy Frood** and **Autolycus** - this one seems to have hit the ground running and I’ve had plenty of takers in less than 24 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/62 "2010-04-17T08:35:49Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Hi! Go join the queue for now. I’m waiting to hear back from **Dave Hartwick** , **Hoopy Frood** and **Autolycus** - this one seems to have hit the ground running and I’ve had plenty of takers in less than 24 hours. Ooh, a chance to become hilariously and uproariously drunk while watching other adventurers engage in merry adventure at no mortal risk to myself? Count me in- I’ll be at the bar while things get sorted out. ^^ ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/63 "2010-04-17T08:44:27Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > If I made it in, I’ll be a thief. I’ll post my stats later if so. Got your stats [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12316534&postcount=52). Sticking with human? I have no objection if you want to play as some other race. I have rolled your starting money and it’s pathetic. Do you want to begin with a set of thieves’ tools? (You can’t open locks and remove small traps without them.) If so then you’re going to be severely restricted on starting weapons - you’ll be looking at a club and a sling, pretty much. I won’t post your skill percentages until you’ve decided whether or not to play as human. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/64 "2010-04-17T08:59:35Z")
(footnote) I see from the other thread you haven’t played D&D, in which case I need to explicate a little concerning playable races. All can pass reasonably well in normal society: elf - slight, graceful, more dexterous and less hardy than humans, good sneaks but indifferent mechanics half-elf - similar, but to a lesser extent dwarf - short, stout, graceless, tough, mechanically adept, good underground gnome - similar, nearly as good tinkers, sneakier halfling - exceptionally sneaky, more dexterous but weaker than humans, excellent thieves across the board ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/65 "2010-04-17T09:22:31Z")
I don’t recall monks being in 1st ed, and so if there’s ever a spot for me I’d prefer to be a gnome or human cleric. ^^ ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/66 "2010-04-17T09:30:08Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Got your stats [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12316534&postcount=52). Sticking with human? I have no objection if you want to play as some other race. > > I have rolled your starting money and it’s pathetic. Do you want to begin with a set of thieves’ tools? (You can’t open locks and remove small traps without them.) If so then you’re going to be severely restricted on starting weapons - you’ll be looking at a club and a sling, pretty much. > > I won’t post your skill percentages until you’ve decided whether or not to play as human. 🙂 I’m human, sure. Ummm, nah… I’ll just steal thieve’s tools from somebody sooner or later. ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/67 "2010-04-17T09:39:23Z")
Oh, I’ll claim half-elf ancestry because my ears are slightly pointy. Maybe not enough to be a true half breed, but maybe a 1/4 or 1/8 elf. I forget the official D&D ruling about half-elves but IIRC it is of the “one-drop” variety, not 1 parent of each. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/68 "2010-04-17T11:06:33Z")
> [@Omi\_no\_Kami](#): > > I don’t recall monks being in 1st ed, and so if there’s ever a spot for me I’d prefer to be a gnome or human cleric. ^^ Monks are in 1st Ed but you need 15 STR, DEX and WIS (and 11 CON) to qualify. A quick look at your [post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12352956&postcount=118) in the other thread shows that you’re way over spec for the Fighting Ignorants - one quiz gave you a 19 DEX fercryinoutloud! 😃 Still, after the first few fatalities the crew might be glad of someone a little more torqued-up. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/69 "2010-04-17T11:16:54Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > I’m human, sure. Ummm, nah… I’ll just steal thieves’ tools from somebody sooner or later. Okay, then you have: Leather armour, small helmet AC8 Long sword, damage 1-8 (1-12 vs large) Sling & 20 bullets, ROF 1, damage 2-5 (2-7 vs large) Leather backpack containing: - 50’ rope - Coarse file - Claw hammer - Skin of water - One week’s standard rations (right on the sell-by date) - 20 cheap candles Your thief skills are: Pick Pockets (25%) Open Locks (25%) \* Find/Remove Traps (15%) \* Move Silently (5%) Hide in Shadows (10%) Hear Noise (10%) Climb Walls (85%) - - May be inapplicable until you get some suitable tools. Backstab - If you are able to attack an unsuspecting enemy from behind, you get a large bonus on your chance to hit him and do twice as much damage as usual. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/70 "2010-04-17T14:39:34Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Swap out the hammer for a hand axe, which can also be thrown? (That’s your only ranged option for now.) Yep, that’ll work. Now I just need to practice licking it without cutting off my tongue. ::Walks off, sits in corner quietly licking his axe, occasionally with a little yelp of pain:: ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/71 "2010-04-17T20:08:30Z")
Still waiting on **Dave Hartwick** and **Hoopy Frood** … ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/72 "2010-04-18T08:57:59Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Monks are in 1st Ed but you need 15 STR, DEX and WIS (and 11 CON) to qualify. A quick look at your [post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12352956&postcount=118) in the other thread shows that you’re way over spec for the Fighting Ignorants - one quiz gave you a 19 DEX fercryinoutloud! 😃 > > Still, after the first few fatalities the crew might be glad of someone a little more torqued-up. 🙂 Oh, I never thought I would end up using those stats in-game: neither quizzes nor self-assessment is entirely reliable, and so I’m perfectly fine with mercilessly butchering most of my stats down to compare to the rest of the party. Hmm, are Paladins an option? That might be neat if a monk would unbalance things, and I seem to remember them requiring insanely diverse stats. ---
**Author:** ![Stowed\_Bob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stowed_bob/32/3312_2.png) [@Stowed\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stowed_Bob)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/73 "2010-04-18T09:49:07Z")
I used [Kevin Haw’s stat test](http://www.kevinhaw.com/add_quiz.php) because I am not impartial. STR:6 INT:12 WIS:13 DEX:10 CON:10 CHR:9 I’ll be a NG Human Cleric. Don’t know if I have to accept an existing religion, because then I’d have to be superstitious of a southern vein. Otherwise I’d like to worships Fleece, a sheep that died in the desert. Holy symbol would be a crudely hollowed out phalange bone from said sheep. I secretly wish the party the best of luck and a long life, because the tales of adventure swirling around leave me paranoid about dying the instant I leave my table. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/74 "2010-04-18T11:19:30Z")
> [@Omi\_no\_Kami](#): > > Oh, I never thought I would end up using those stats in-game: neither quizzes nor self-assessment is entirely reliable, and so I’m perfectly fine with mercilessly butchering most of my stats down to compare to the rest of the party. > > Hmm, are Paladins an option? That might be neat if a monk would unbalance things, and I seem to remember them requiring insanely diverse stats. Well, per the start of this thread, the FI don’t accept anyone from a class that by definition requires a 17 in anything or at least three 15s (1st Ed bards require _four_). But, of course, someone sufficiently silver-tongued might blag his way in anyway if he could demonstrate that he didn’t have anything going for him by way of bonuses in STR, DEX or CON. 🙂 Apart from a 17 CHA the requirements are STR 12, WIS 13, INT and CON of 9 each and 6 DEX. And I’m tempted to allow a 1st Ed monk anyway (15 STR, DEX, WIS, 11 CON, minimum 6 the other two). **Stowed Bob** , welcome to the queue. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/75 "2010-04-18T21:31:40Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Still waiting on **Dave Hartwick** and **Hoopy Frood** … Still waiting. They have until eighteen hours from the time of this post, then we start without them. ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/76 "2010-04-19T07:10:31Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Well, per the start of this thread, the FI don’t accept anyone from a class that by definition requires a 17 in anything or at least three 15s (1st Ed bards require _four_). But, of course, someone sufficiently silver-tongued might blag his way in anyway if he could demonstrate that he didn’t have anything going for him by way of bonuses in STR, DEX or CON. 🙂 Apart from a 17 CHA the requirements are STR 12, WIS 13, INT and CON of 9 each and 6 DEX. And I’m tempted to allow a 1st Ed monk anyway (15 STR, DEX, WIS, 11 CON, minimum 6 the other two). > > **Stowed Bob** , welcome to the queue. 🙂 Hmm, either one sounds good to me, so if I end up getting in I’m happy to pick whichever fits your game and party balance better. Either way, I’m happy to take massively bad scores in the non-essential stats- it’s funnier, and it makes balancing the party fun AND entertaining the first (several. hundred.) times I mess up what should be an easy roll. ^^ ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/77 "2010-04-19T08:10:37Z")
Whoo-hoo! Looking forward to this! ---
**Author:** ![Aghris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@Aghris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aghris)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/78 "2010-04-19T08:38:46Z")
Can I sign up for a backup spot, too? I’d really love to play a bard (albeit a very clumsy one). I can’t sing if my life depended on it, but I can weave a pretty good story and have been told that I can be pretty funny. If bard is out of the question I’d like to be a rogue. > [@](#): > > STR: 8 - Just not strong > DEX: 9 - Not very dextrous, but see below > CON: 15 - I smoke, don’t have any stamina, but never get sick and I’m lucky enough that even if I do fall from a great height, I’ll never break my leg (since hit points are based on your Con, I include that with the Con calculation) > INT: 13 - I’m pretty smart (IQ 144). > WIS: 10 - Average. Don’t think I always make the best choice, but often enough that it’s not below 10 score > CHA: 14 - I’m not handsome, but I do have a presence. I do get noticed when I’m in the room, people are often genuinely interested in what I have to say, and I have tons of friends. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/79 "2010-04-19T12:00:03Z")
Sorry. Busy weekend. I’ll be a human mage. Heck, I’d consider a specialist mage (did they have specialists in 1st ed? I know 2nd and 3/3.5 did) since we seem to be a bit mage heavy anyway. Oh, and Aghris, you are dramatically underestimating your INT value if you’re IQ is 144. Since rolling a 17 is a 1.3% chance, and rolling an 18 is under 0.5% chance you would be one of those. A 144 IQ puts you in the top 1% of the populace INT wise. (Since D&D INT is pretty much a direct equivalent of standard IQ.) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322/80 "2010-04-19T15:32:09Z")
Okay **Hoopy** , you’re in. Will post again later - briefly, the only specialist wizard in 1st Ed was the illusionist (15 INT, 16 DEX). 2nd Ed introduced other specialists, but they too needed high stats. I don’t think one more mage will unbalance things too badly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorants-d-d-setup-thread/536322.md?page=5)