Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Bronzebeard]

I don't know, I've seen a yeti in the jungle, so a dragon in the desert may not be that far off! Arid fortresses are just too darn hard to manage, though. :3

And gryphons would be deadly enough on their own (especially if they have magic at their command, if they do) but dwarves on gryphons! Now there's a duo to be reckoned with! I don't know. Perhaps I've been brainwashed by Warcraft lore.

[Draco18s]

Right now combat rules aren't specially interesting in regards of flying creatures (I can see a harpy easily doing all sorts of fancy air-wrestling, or a dragon dropping enemies from the sky as a crow would drop a nut on a road) so perhaps the gryphon is requiring that part?

Crows have learned to drop nuts into traffic, specifically on pedestrian crossways.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny661wLDSn8

[Bronzebeard]

Right now combat rules aren't specially interesting in regards of flying creatures (I can see a harpy easily doing all sorts of fancy air-wrestling, or a dragon dropping enemies from the sky as a crow would drop a nut on a road) so perhaps the gryphon is requiring that part?

Crows have learned to drop nuts into traffic, specifically on pedestrian crossways.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny661wLDSn8

Hmm. Why do I have a feeling they may soon surpass us in intelligence?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PReHvjIulcw&feature=related

[Draco18s]

Hmm. Why do I have a feeling they may soon surpass us in intelligence?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PReHvjIulcw&feature=related

Its not that surprising, really.

And if you ever feel you want to test your own knowledge of world geography, try this game

[Bronzebeard]

Hmm. Why do I have a feeling they may soon surpass us in intelligence?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PReHvjIulcw&feature=related

Its not that surprising, really.

And if you ever feel you want to test your own knowledge of world geography, try this game

Well, not that Iraq or Paraguay are on par with Hawaii -- nor 18-24 year olds with a 52 year old CNN news anchor, whose job's prerequisite should at least include a geographical awareness of the states. But, oh well. Terribly off-topic.

Fun game, though. :3

[DalGren]

Yes of course crows can do that, that's why I referenced xD
Other corvidae such as the magpie (pica pica or european magpie) also show usage of tools and recognition of self. The Japanese corvid society is fairly well-known for their adaptation and even cheating urban workers with fake nests and stuff.
However birds with lower perceived intelligence can be taught to do many things, including pigeons, sparrows, and of course parrots. Ever seen a sparrow talk? They are limited but can!

[atomfullerene]

Heh, what a thread. I think it demonstrates how dragons inevitably hog the spotlight from griffins, considering the thread drift that's been going on.  Anyway, my reading on the issue is this: dragons are in because they are THE stereotypical fantasy creature, and even have a long record of attacking dwarfish, treasure filled strongholds.  Griffins are out because Toady is trying to move away from straightforward fantasy creatures to a more broad based system: ie-don't hardcode things like griffins but make lots of hybrid chimeric creatures generated by the game itself-in the same way that the game doesn't choose from a bunch of hardcoded fantasy world maps from books, but generates it's own map that's like them.  Of course, the question remains, why leave in lots of other fantasy creatures but not griffins.  I'm not sure, but hey, I guess that's what modding is for.

Also, deathworks, you know you don't have to start all your posts with "Hi!" and sign your name at the end.  It does make you sound very peppy and cheerful, which is a nicely ironic contrast to your name.  Still, the introductory bit generally goes without saying in thread posts.

[Draco18s]

Also, deathworks, you know you don't have to start all your posts with "Hi!" and sign your name at the end.  It does make you sound very peppy and cheerful, which is a nicely ironic contrast to your name.  Still, the introductory bit generally goes without saying in thread posts.

I think that's the third time someone has told him that.

[LeoLeonardoIII]

I like how peppy Deathworks sounds! And signing his name at the end makes him sound classy - like reading letters to the editor in old newspapers when people used 5-letter words and proper spelling.

Okay, here's where my limited research has gotten me:

Dwarves in "Monsters and Treasure" (one of the three 0E D&D booklets) are shown as possibly using trained bears and wolves. The entry for Griffons mentions that they can be used as steeds, but they like eating horses so you can't keep them close together. It actually specifies that you can't have them closer than 36", which to scale is either 360 feet or 360 yards depending. I forget.

I find mention in the 2E D&D "Complete Dwarves' Handbook" under the Rapid Response Rider kit. This kit can be taken only by Dwarves. It mentions that ponies and mules are often used by the riders, but that flying mounts like pegasi, hippogriffs, and griffons can be used as well.

So, nothing really connecting Dwarves with Griffons. I'd suggest checking out the BECMI / Rules Cyclopedia editions, the Skills and Powers edition (especially the "High-Level Campaigns" book), and that Dwarven softcover rulebook that had the list of common Dwarven names and the Dwarven language on the inside of the cover.

[Deathworks]

Hi!

I am glad that the salute is seen as cheerful. Because that is what it is basically about: Besides showing my respect for my fellow forum-goers, I also hope to make my posts seem a bit friendlier (especially since I can be very dry at times). The contrast with the pen name is not really intended but is rather a conflict between what is and what should be (^_^;;

Anyhow, as long as it is understood that the greeting is meant to be positive, everything is fine.

Atomfullerene: Mmmmhhhh, as you say, it does pose a serious riddle. After all, griffons are not only classic fantasy creatures, but also classic mythological creatures as well.

Maybe Toady One wanted to prepare flight capability combined with four-wheel drive carefully. After all, if the griffon can both run quite fast on its four legs and fly efficiently, it has certain tactical options in combat that should be taken advantage of.

LeoLeonardoIII: Thanks for the further research. I have to admit that I was not that much interested in dwarves during my active AD&D type because I am a fan of magicians :) :) :)

Deathworks

[Bronzebeard]

I like how peppy Deathworks sounds! And signing his name at the end makes him sound classy - like reading letters to the editor in old newspapers when people used 5-letter words and proper spelling.

Okay, here's where my limited research has gotten me:

Dwarves in "Monsters and Treasure" (one of the three 0E D&D booklets) are shown as possibly using trained bears and wolves. The entry for Griffons mentions that they can be used as steeds, but they like eating horses so you can't keep them close together. It actually specifies that you can't have them closer than 36", which to scale is either 360 feet or 360 yards depending. I forget.

I find mention in the 2E D&D "Complete Dwarves' Handbook" under the Rapid Response Rider kit. This kit can be taken only by Dwarves. It mentions that ponies and mules are often used by the riders, but that flying mounts like pegasi, hippogriffs, and griffons can be used as well.

So, nothing really connecting Dwarves with Griffons. I'd suggest checking out the BECMI / Rules Cyclopedia editions, the Skills and Powers edition (especially the "High-Level Campaigns" book), and that Dwarven softcover rulebook that had the list of common Dwarven names and the Dwarven language on the inside of the cover.

D&D... Hm. A bit too young to be into that, I think, so all of that was unadulterated gibberish to me (but you may also blame it on the fact that I'm zombified with fatigue right now). Now Warcraft, there's a universe to base your lore on! Ergo, dwarves ride gryphons, elves ride hippogriffs, and orcs ride worgs (giant wolves). Can't get more accurate than that.

[Draco18s]

D&D... Hm. A bit too young to be into that, I think, so all of that was unadulterated gibberish to me (but you may also blame it on the fact that I'm zombified with fatigue right now). Now Warcraft, there's a universe to base your lore on! Ergo, dwarves ride gryphons, elves ride hippogriffs, and orcs ride worgs (giant wolves). Can't get more accurate than that.

1) Since when has D&D only been for an older generation?
2) Try 4th Edition, you'll probably love it.  Then you're realize it's exactly like WoW and want something better, likely migrate to 3.5, and still not feel satisfied and try your hand at a real RPG such as ShadowRun where dragons are in fact so badass one of them owns Denver, one annihilated Tehran, and another one was elected UCAS president.
3) Why in god's name should we be basing anything on Warcraft?

[Bronzebeard]

3) Why in god's name should we be basing anything on Warcraft?

Why?
http://www.worldofwarcraftaddiction.com/
That's why.

[Draco18s]

3) Why in god's name should we be basing anything on Warcraft?

Why?
http://www.worldofwarcraftaddiction.com/
That's why.

No, that's exactly why not to.

[Bronzebeard]

No, that's exactly why not to.

*Laughs.* Is it? Because what it intended to infer was, WARCRAFT IS F&#%ING AWESOME!

Ahem.

Well, at least enough to ruin lives, evidently. Those people probably being oblivious to most of the magnificent lore behind their precious MMO, at that. Also, I don't mean to offend, but:

2) Try 4th Edition, you'll probably love it.  Then you're realize it's exactly like WoW and want something better, likely migrate to 3.5, and still not feel satisfied and try your hand at a real RPG such as ShadowRun where dragons are in fact so badass one of them owns Denver, one annihilated Tehran, and another one was elected UCAS president.

That sounds... rather... gay, quite frankly.

What's more, Googling indicated it's a tabletop game. If I had friends willing to play a cyberpunk/medieval tabletop RPG with me I'd have... some sad, sad friends. Incidentally, being out of school, I have very few friends at the moment, but you get my gist.