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From: mte@busch.UUCP (Moshe Eliovson)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: command spell
Message-ID: <464@busch.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 20-Jul-85 23:17:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: busch.464
Posted: Sat Jul 20 23:17:17 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 22-Jul-85 07:25:06 EDT
References: <3059@pur-ee.UUCP> <15300003@convexs>
Organization: Anheuser-Busch Companies - St. Louis Missouri
Lines: 99
Summary: one round assasination

******** FLAME ON !!! ********
In article <15300003@convexs>, holt@convexs.UUCP writes:
> 
> hogwash.  First clerics don't use edged weapons, so they won't "chop".
> Secondly, the command only lasts for a round.  Third, given the speed factor
> of clerical weapons, even a super strong cleric is unlikely to be able to
> finish the task in a round.  Fourth, the cleric will have to move to position
> where the "dieing" fighter is, taking time, thus making it impossible to
> use the "automatic killing of a sleeping/motionless opponent in 1 round"
> rule.  Fifth, think of mage spells such as sleep (much, much more powerfull
> than clerical command), magic missile, etc, which even though first level
> allow no saving throw.  Sixth, I believe that characters with reasonable
> wisdom do get a saving throw vs. command.
> 
******** reduce to low bonfire !!! ********

	Thanks you for providing the first words of my article.

         		H O G W A S H


	This is not to criticize you personally Dave, it's this type 
of thinking in general.

	The world of AD&D is a nasty one folks.  Sit down and let me
explain it to you.  You are a pc, you are out of the ordinary, you
have the adventuring spirit whether it be through holiness, the sword
or the various facets of the Art, be it nature, illusion or the arcane.

Now, to make things fair since you can NOT afford school you've got to
adventure for xp, either as an apprentice to a guild, mage or church, or
on your own which is much harder friends.

	Now, out there are established goodies and baddies, right? 
They got that way through the same methods you wish to employ, Power.
If you start fucking with them, YOU are fucked.  (In the mind, and soon
in body as well.)

	But, you're not just nobody.  You are Modnar, 1st level cleric
through whose own wisdom you have learned of the holy power's ability
to Command.  If you say "die" it is unnatural so it won't work 100% but
it sure as hell will cause a major brain contusion for the round!  And
let's take into consideration that once a npc/pc is asleep it's natural
to remain that way, not magically pop up at the end of the one round 
duration!  Furthermore, alot of these rules are out of fairness to the
game, I prefer reality.  Examples follow:

Number one:

	You are asleep.  I hit you over the head with a -15 billion
speed factor weapon.  You wake up but unfortunately the basic cranial
ingredients you once had in a form are now porridge, I don't give a
shit if I'm a (heaven forfend!) mundane human or about assasination-
this is EXPLICITY stated by MU sleep spell- DEATH, no saving throw.

Number two:

	I am the Grandfather Assasin.  I fight dirty and I command the
most dedicated deadly horde on this Plane/world/whatever.  I'm a mean
mother, and everybody whose somebody knows and respects that.  Furthermore,
I'm an enigma.  Nobody knows anything about me without going to some
very, very serious efforts (Wish...)  Now I decide Joe Cleric Psionic is
a pain.  I take my ultra-super-expialadoshus poison and I hit him with it.
He never had a chance... but what's this????????!!!!!!!!!  Gosh, I forgot!
Clerics have good saving throws versus poison- and he was wearing his
+5 cloak, his talisman vs. poison, his +3 ring and he saved on a -3 or above!

Sorry folks, no way, NO WAY!  With respect to one of the previous articles,
an experienced pc/npc would be able to help himself alot and therefore lower
his throw, but in cases such as these- perhaps not so extreme but nonetheless,
the rules just don't apply- "The wonder ball goes round and round to pass it
quickly you are bound if you're the one.... you... are... dead."

Number three:

	We once ran a high level campaign for the real helluva it no
matter how improbable the characters were.  I was a mage naturally.
Anyway we're playing and all of a sudden right next to ME specifically
this "para-ice elemental" pops out of nowhere.  So I look around and 
see our SUPER-NEW Hierophant of the Cabal (aka 23th level druid) looking
very inconspicuous indeed.  After separating myself with a wall of some
sort from this obnoxious elemental and calling over my dear friend the
17th level anti-paladin to take care of it I decide to take drastic measure
to prevent the rest of my not so friendly ultra-powerful buddies from 
interfering.  I cast a time stop and tell the dm that I will extend it's
time limit as long as neccesary with lim. wish or wish etc. but that I'm
going to strangle this fucker.)  Now it happened that Justice was with me
so I rolled a 15 on the assasination chart, but in all seriousness folks,
the Druid was dead, period, no saving throw.


	UltraChaos is inescapable - and by the way, if those people
who meantioned how much they liked having an interested evil pc around
need somebody.... 

	Moshe Eliovson
	(but really Elric of Melnibone')
	{allegra, ihnp4}!we53!busch!mte