# More D&D: Viking setup thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 21, 2008, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204 "2008-03-21T10:02:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/81 "2008-03-26T14:45:15Z")
Well, if no one else has any worries, then I won’t either. Bjarni it is then. That was easy. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/82 "2008-03-26T16:26:47Z")
Both berserkers have been sent out. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/83 "2008-03-26T17:00:13Z")
And Ulf Andersson has arrived - in great shape! I think the party are going to enjoy Ulf’s contribution. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/84 "2008-03-26T17:09:20Z")
[QUOTE=glee] (Bolding mine) I say! Can this be the charming chap playing Deor the MU in another game, who takes amazing risks?! 😕🙂 Deor has offered to go in and fight orcs and is currently reading a probably trapped spellbook (85% chance of taking about 21 hit points - with no save :eek: ) Plus the main party healer is out of curing spells… [/QUOTE] Well… this tendency is mitigated by my general state of insanity. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/85 "2008-03-26T19:05:04Z")
[QUOTE=appleciders] Well… this tendency is mitigated by my general state of insanity. 😉 [/QUOTE] I hope you’re not offended by me mentioning it. :o You come across as a jolly pleasant chap, but I’ve been roleplaying since 1979 and seen a **lot** of Wizards die before they reached 5th level. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/86 "2008-03-26T19:30:52Z")
Nah, I die a lot before I get the hang of a game. It’s part of the process for me. Besides, advice is always welcome. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/87 "2008-03-26T20:04:08Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] One thing the wizard can do, though, is use a nice long spear to poke something out of arm’s reach while a friendly fighter keeps it away from him. It’s perfectly true that he’s much less effective, even with the campaign special rules, than a for-real fighter, but at least he’s a little less of a bumbling incompetent than he would normally be. [/QUOTE] I look forwards to being the bumbling incompetent with the pokey stick! ---
**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:** [March 26, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/88 "2008-03-26T20:05:12Z")
Great now that I’ve read my character sheet I’m even more excited this should be fun. I’m in the Mountain Time zone and I’m basically here mon-fri 7-4. I don’t have a computer at home but i can post from my phone if pressed. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/89 "2008-03-26T20:10:17Z")
Is there anything I should be doing right now? As I’m just waiting instructions from Mal. I’m probably going to go with Odin/Spear. Haven’t really done anything else other than come up with a Personality/Name. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/90 "2008-03-26T20:33:06Z")
**Oredigger77** , I’m in the UK (and Malacandra is too), so you can do the time zone calculations. As we are a thin country, we only have one time zone. 🙂 You’re a Berserker too, right? I’ve gone for Axes (PoleAxe, Battle Axe and Hand Axe). **RoOsh** , you changed your name! You’re the Wizard, right? If you’ve done a background (Personality), then Malacandra will be generating your character around that. I expect you’ll be about 5th level (which is good, because Wizards get more powerful then), so you’ll have about 7 spells to load and cast each day. (Plus any Viking abilities.) Once all the characters are ready, we can discuss how we work together… ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/91 "2008-03-26T20:48:25Z")
[QUOTE=glee] **RoOsh** , you changed your name! You’re the Wizard, right? If you’ve done a background (Personality), then Malacandra will be generating your character around that. I expect you’ll be about 5th level (which is good, because Wizards get more powerful then), so you’ll have about 7 spells to load and cast each day. (Plus any Viking abilities.) Once all the characters are ready, we can discuss how we work together… [/QUOTE] I did! And I am! On the 7 spells to load and cast. Does that mean I KNOW 7 spells in total? And I can choose which ones to load each day? Like say I know A-D for level 1 or something, and then I can choose to load 3A’s and 1B for the day. Or is it that I know 7 Spells total (Like maybe only 2 level one spells and 5 Level 2 spells)? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/92 "2008-03-26T20:55:45Z")
[QUOTE=RoOsh] I did! And I am! On the 7 spells to load and cast. Does that mean I KNOW 7 spells in total? And I can choose which ones to load each day? Like say I know A-D for level 1 or something, and then I can choose to load 3A’s and 1B for the day. Or is it that I know 7 Spells total (Like maybe only 2 level one spells and 5 Level 2 spells)? [/QUOTE] OK, I know about 1st Edition, but not about Vikings. Malacandra is the authority. However it is very likely that, **provided you are actually 5th level** , you will have: - four 1st level spells - two 2nd level spells - one 3rd level spell You load your choices at each level at the start of the day, then need to stand uninterrupted for a few seconds to cast them. (Even an opponent pushing you wrecks the casting.) I’d better not say much more yet, because it may be confusing if something is altered by the Viking theme. I’m sure Malacandra will reply soon! ---
**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:** [March 26, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/93 "2008-03-26T21:28:34Z")
[QUOTE=glee] **Oredigger77** , I’m in the UK (and Malacandra is too), so you can do the time zone calculations. As we are a thin country, we only have one time zone. 🙂 You’re a Berserker too, right? I’ve gone for Axes (PoleAxe, Battle Axe and Hand Axe). QUOTE] Ok well I guess I need to start checking locations because that 6 hrs makes the midnight posts understandable. (Well kind of you still sick to be up and on the dope that early) Yep I’m the other berserker I’m going with hammers because blood upsets the sensibilities of Jorund. 😃 I’m thinking that if he can’t see the blood he doesn’t think that they are hurt, it doesn’t make sense but he’s only got a 7 intelligence so it should be fun. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/94 "2008-03-26T21:47:06Z")
Osvald the Wizard has been despatched. He is 4th level (more than halfway to 5th) and as he is a specialist he can load: 5 Cantrips per day 4 1st-level spells per day 3 2nd-level spells per day at least one of each level must be one of his “specialist” spells (flagged on the spell list). If you want to use a spell more than once per day, you must load it more than once. Still have to do the bard, the rune-priest, and Bjarni himself, but I’m tired… I logged on to cricinfo late last night to find a guy named Southee was having fun with a last-wicket stand in the England-NZ Test and I had to wait to find out if he was going to score a highly improbable debut century. (He had to make do with 77 not out including 9 sixes in an unreasonably short time. :eek: ) ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/95 "2008-03-26T22:12:06Z")
[QUOTE=Oredigger77] [QUOTE=glee] **Oredigger77** , I’m in the UK (and Malacandra is too), so you can do the time zone calculations. As we are a thin country, we only have one time zone. 🙂 You’re a Berserker too, right? I’ve gone for Axes (PoleAxe, Battle Axe and Hand Axe). [/QUOTE] Ok well I guess I need to start checking locations because that 6 hrs makes the midnight posts understandable. (Well kind of you still sick to be up and on the dope that early) Yep I’m the other berserker I’m going with hammers because blood upsets the sensibilities of Jorund. 😃 I’m thinking that if he can’t see the blood he doesn’t think that they are hurt, it doesn’t make sense but he’s only got a 7 intelligence so it should be fun. [/QUOTE] My school term just finished, so I could be posting anytime from 0900 - 0400 (UK time). :eek: ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/96 "2008-03-26T23:12:10Z")
I’m US West (Zone -8) and a college student, so I’m liable to be actually running on something like Honolulu time. Looking forward to beginning! ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/97 "2008-03-26T23:42:32Z")
Osvald is slowly taking shape! Whoo! Say, is Wisdom a really essential skill, as apparently it’s my weakest trait. Anyone care to share with me what this means for poor Osvald? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/98 "2008-03-27T01:58:43Z")
[QUOTE=RoOsh] Osvald is slowly taking shape! Whoo! Say, is Wisdom a really essential skill, as apparently it’s my weakest trait. Anyone care to share with me what this means for poor Osvald? [/QUOTE] Wisdom is only essential for Priests, as they get bonus spells from a high rating. In general, Intelligence is used for having ideas and Wisdom for choosing between them. So low wisdom means your character might make some poor decisions. Very low wisdom gives a penalty to saving throws v mental attacks (e.g. Charm). However the net effect of all this is not very important for a Wizard. 🙂 Malacandra will tell you if you should roleplay in a certain way, but Osvald should concentrate on which spells to load (bearing in mind he must load at least one specialist spell at each level). He can leave all the fighting to the Fighters and especially the Berserkers. Would you like any help on which spells are likely to be most useful? ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/99 "2008-03-27T02:39:18Z")
[QUOTE=glee] Would you like any help on which spells are likely to be most useful? [/QUOTE] Well, right now I REALLY dislike the Illusionist and Transmutations skill sets, and am giving them up to specialize. However, Mal has given chosen to take away my Conjuration and Enchanting skills. Which are bumming me out, because Hypnotize and Sleep seem more useful than color spray. I really hope I can change it, but I’m not sure. Oh, and I’m specializing in Evocations. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204/100 "2008-03-27T08:49:40Z")
Don’t worry. Sleep would have been useful for putting down a bunch of weak creatures, but your fighters would chew through those anyway. Color Spray is better than you think. It’s handicapped by its short range, but it can knock out one to six creatures of your level or less, and even a party of your level would rather deal with, say, six unconscious ogres than six that were alive and well. I don’t think you’ll miss Hypnotism when you hit 5th level and start having Fireball to throw around. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-d-d-viking-setup-thread/442204.md?page=6)