rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.answers,news.answersApproved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDUSubject:rec.games.frp.dnd FAQ: 1/9 -- IntroductionFollowup-To:rec.games.frp.dndDate: Sat, 01 Apr 2006 08:46:48 -0600Summary: FAQ for the Dungeons & Dragons newsgroup rec.games.frp.dndOrganization: Aardy's Aardvark EmporiumMessage-ID: <ei4t22lpg50mmd4mtfttmdc0bkbumcbp8h@4ax.com>X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.7/32.534MIME-Version: 1.0Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-asciiContent-Transfer-Encoding: 7bitLines: 337NNTP-Posting-Host: 68.255.17.10X-Trace: sv3-IuJ1slxBalbdV8wdQpR61fVUYaFiNRJQ/US4bA48jRRPaE7R6Qgo040Tn2SFkOPRa7iSEL3v4Aqgv6A!B/pxfKdPly9EDkEG56lsRZknhx2zQgrOr0RrTRoFZV4vpGNEYP3U4JOBNkvHjP+4kk5Y5EVzEHL3!+/VgKBU=X-Complaints-To: abuse@rcn.netX-DMCA-Complaints-To: abuse@rcn.netX-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headersX-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properlyX-Postfilter: 1.3.32Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu rec.games.frp.dnd:1113098 rec.answers:99233 news.answers:305823news.announce.newusers, your sysadmin is doing you a disservice--demand that it be added!          These files are also available via FTP from rtfm.mit.edu, in the /pub/Usenet/news.announce.newusers/ directory.       If you are new to Usenet, you should also think quite seriously aboutregularly reading the newsgroupnews.newusers.questions, as well as thenews.users.questions FAQ at <http://users.rcn.com/kateshort/nnq/> (amongother places).  Some of the topics discussed there are repeated here, butthe helpers there have and/or know about much more complete answers than arepossible here.     For an in-depth look at some of the driving forces behind why Usenetis the way it is, and how certain rules of netiquette came to be, see theNet.Legends FAQ, which can be found at (among other places):<http://www.ctrl-c.liu.se/~ingvar/legends/>     Now that we have that out of the way, on with the show!=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=Table of Contents* designates topics which have been updated.+ designates topics which have been added.Part 1-----Introduction to rgfd  Introduction  Disclaimer  Copyright notice, legal mumbo jumbo  Note for new users  Table of Contents  A1: What is D&D?  A2: What isrec.games.frp.dnd?  A3: Where can I find the FAQ?Part 2-----Netiquette  B1: What is this "netiquette" thing anyway?  B2: So, what's the deal with this board?  B3: Are there any gaming groups in my area?  B4: "...Me, too!"  B5: Why should I play *D&D instead of Rolemaster, Torg, or some other       RPG?  B6: "D&D IS EVIL & SH*T, DON'T PLAY IT."  What do I do when this gets       posted?  B7: Do those "MAKE MONEY FAST" ideas really work?    B8: If X fought Y, who would win?  B9: Where can I buy/sell old books, modules, & other stuff?  B10: How do I get past a certain point in this D&D computer game?  B11: Some people's posts go off the right edge of the screen; is my        newsreader broken or something?  B12: How creative should I get with my .signature file?   B13: Do I have to be an elementalist mage to post a "flame" or start a        "flamewar"?  B14: Where can I post this?  B15: Is all "d20" discussion on-topic here?  B16: Why hasn't anyone responded to my posts?  B17: I posted a question; why hasn't anyone answered it?  B18: Why isn't anyone talking about Al-Qadim?  B19: Would anyone like to start a campaign here on the newsgroup?  B20: I missed a message; could someone please repost it?  B21: Why are people telling me to stop writing my responses above the post       I'm responding to?  B22: What's wrong with posting with MIME or in HTML?Part 3-----TSR/WOTCTSR* C1: What is the history of the D&D game?  C2: What did "TSR" stand for?* C3: What does "T$R" stand for?  C4: What is WotC's e-mail address?  C5: What is WotC's snail-mail address?  C6: What is WotC really working on in the way of TV shows and movies?  C7: What's the deal with WotC's copyright policy?  C8: Did TSR really try to trademark the word "Nazi"?* C9: Didn't TSR just "borrow" everything from J.R.R. Tolkien's works?  C10: How can I submit my latest work of literary genius to WotC?* C11: Where's Gary Gygax these days? Part 4-----1) Meta 2) Misc. 3) ReligionMeta  D1: I've found a mistake in the latest D&D product; where can I report      it?  D2: Where can I find a list of official D&D errata?  D3: What is a PBEM and how do I get into one or start one?  D4: What are the best *D&D products (books/modules/etc.) to get?  D5: What do those letter/number combinations on older modules and       handbooks stand for?  D6: What font did TSR use for Planescape and where can I get it?  D7: What is the chance of rolling up a character with all natural       18's?  D8: I heard there are some official *D&D modules on the web. Where are      they?Misc.  E1: Wasn't there a Saturday morning cartoon about *D&D?  E2: What *D&D-specific comic books have been published?    E3: Whatever happened to SnarfQuest, What's New?, Wormy, and Yamara?  E4: While we're talking about it, whatever happened to Erol Otus?  E5: Wasn't there a TSR module that was banned?    E6: Wasn't there already a FIFTH edition of D&D?  E7: When the current version of D&D is revised, will all of my old      sourcebooks be obsolete?  E8: What was removed from Deities & Demigods?  E9: Was Legends & Lore really originally a 1st ed. book?  E10: What happened to my favorite campaign world?  E11: Where did all the devils, demons, daemons, and the rest go?  E12: Who is this Cthulhu guy, anyway?  E13: What are the major changes in AD&D, 2nd ed. from 1st ed.?  E14: What are the major changes in D&D, 3rd ed. from AD&D, 2nd ed.?  E15: What is the Gazebo story?  And what's the Head of Vecna?  E16: Isn't there a humorous "Dungeons & Dragons" skit out there?Religion  F1: Is *D&D really the tool of the Devil?  F2: Yeah, but is *D&D really the tool of the Devil?  F3: Is Al-Qadim actually one of the holy names of Allah?Part 5-----Glossary  G1: What do those weird abbreviations mean?  G2: How do you pronounce...?  G3: How do you spell...?  G4: What is a "newbie"?  G5: What is a "Spoiler"?   G6: What is bandwidth?  How does one waste it?  G7: What is "fluff?"  G8: Who's this "Monty Haul" character I keep hearing about?  G9: What is "munchkinism"?  What does the Wizard of Oz have to do with       *D&D?  G10: What is "Spam"?  G11: When is a troll not green, rubbery, or regenerative?  G12: Are there any other terms I should be aware of?Part 6-----Resources 1: InternetInternet  H1: What other newsgroups are out there for role-playing junkies like       me?  H2: Are there any FTP sites for *D&D?  H3: What does .zip mean?  And why can't I read this file I just       downloaded?  H4: Are there any WWW pages for *D&D?  H5: Where can I download electronic versions of the 3rd ed. Player's      Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual for free?  H6: Where can I upload this neat program I just wrote?  H7: Is a complete index of Dragon Magazine available anywhere?  H8: Is there a complete list of every *D&D product TSR has ever       published?  H9: Where can I find a complete list of every monster TSR has published       for *D&D?  H10: Is there really an "AD&D Guide to Sex?"  H11: Where can I find the Net.*.Book?  H12: Are there any *D&D-related mailing lists?  H13: Are there any other *D&D-related resources on the Internet?Part 7-----Resources 2: Non-InternetNon-Internet  I1: What magazine resources are there for *D&D ?  I2: What are some good books to read to get good ideas?  I3: Where should I start looking in a library for more information?  I4: What are some good fantasy movies to watch to get good ideas?  I5: What is some good background or inspirational music for *D&D games?Part 8-----Gamespeak 1: For Player's EyesFor Player's Eyes  J1: What books do I need in order to play?  J2: Is the use of poison automatically an evil act?  J3: What about slitting throats?  Anything else?  J4: Are all orcs inherently evil?  What about orc babies?  J5: What does "Lawful/Neutral/Chaotic Good/Neutral/Evil" really       indicate?  J6: Is alignment really necessary?  J7: Can paladins have an alignment other than Lawful Good?  J8: How do Attacks of Opportunity work?  J9: Ouch!  How can I avoid attacks of opportunity?  J10: What exceptions are there to the rule that spellcasting provokes       attacks of opportunity?  J11: When can I take a five-foot step?  J12: What is "stacking"?  J13: But medieval combat wasn't anything like the way it is in *D&D!Part 9-----Gamespeak 2: For DM's EyesFor DM's Eyes  K1: What books do I need in order to be a DM?  K2: Which campaign world should I use?    K3: How do you deal with critical hits?      A)  Determination of criticals      B)  Resolution of criticals  K4: How much do coins weigh?  K5: What can I do to make the hit point system more true to life?  K6: How do you apply multiple multipliers?  K7: Is caster level a prerequisite for creating magic items?  K8: Where else can I look for info about being a Dungeon Master?=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A1:  What is D&D?A:  D&D is an abbreviation for Dungeons & Dragons, a fantasy role-playing     game originally published by TSR, now published by Wizards of the    Coast.  It made its first public appearance in 1973, hit the general    market in 1974, and has been popular ever since.  It is generally    thought of as the grandfather of all role-playing games.  It was later    revised to become part of AD&D, or Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.    (The word "Advanced" has been removed from the name as of the 3rd ed.)    Dungeons & Dragons is the most widely recognized and played    role-playing game.      For the purpose of preventing confusion, I use "*D&D" as a generic    term referring to all of the forms this game has taken over the years.A2:  What isrec.games.frp.dnd?A:  Rec.games.frp.dnd is a Usenet newsgroup dedicated to discussions    pertaining to AD&D, D&D, and anything else that happens to come     up.  It was voted into existence by a result of 357 to 84 in May     1992, as part of "The Greatrec.games.frp Reorganization".  Here is     the charter for the group:NAME:rec.games.frp.dndCHARTER:   This unmoderated discussion newsgroup is for discussion of           the official rules and settings of the D&D family of           role-playing games, produced by TSR, Inc., including           Collector's Edition Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), Basic D&D,           Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D), and AD&D Second           Edition. This proposed newsgroup would include discussion of           TSR's rules and products and compatible products, such as:           character classes; character races; monsters; magic spells;           weapons; Greyhawk; the Forgotten Realms; the Known World;           Dark Sun; Spelljammer; RavenLoft; Hollow World; City State of           the Invincible Overlord; and so on. Crossposting between this           group and other groups in therec.games.frp hierarchy is           discouraged, however issues of general interest that happen           to involve a D&D rulebook or setting are more than welcome.      Please note that Usenet charters do not stand alone, but rather are    fluid documents that are also affected by the charters of other    newsgroups in the same hierarchy, in this case, the otherrec.games.frp.* newsgroups.  Thus, not every post that somehow involves    *D&D or *D&D products is accepted onrec.games.frp.dnd.  See Section 2    for more information on where to post a particular message, and see    Section 6 for a listing, with brief descriptions, of all of the    newsgroups in therec.games.frp.* hierarchy.A3:  Where can I find the FAQ?A:  Therec.games.frp.dnd FAQ (which you are currently reading) is posted     monthly to therec.games.frp.dnd,rec.answers, andnews.answers Usenet    newsgroups, on the first of each month.  That is the primary method    of acquiring the latest version.  A day or so after the FAQ has been    posted, you can also get the latest version from the web archives of    Usenet, which is located at <http://groups.google.com/    advanced_group_search>, the FTP archives of thenews.answers    newsgroup (a newsgroup just for FAQs) at    <ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/news/answers/games/    roleplay/dnd/>, and the World Wide Web mirror of that archive at    <http://www.faqs.org/>.      A slightly altered hypertext version of this FAQ is available through    the World Wide Web at <http://users.rcn.com/aardy/faq/rgfdfaq.html>,    though it is not always updated as frequently as the text version is.      If you are desperate for a copy of the most recent version of the FAQ,    and can neither use the web, nor wait the less than thirty days until    the next public posting, then you can write the keeper at    <rgfdfaq@yahoo.com>.  I will consider every request, but there are often    better ways to get it in your hands than sending the entire thing via    e-mail.***End Part 1***-- Aardy R. DeVarqueFeudalism: Serf & TurfRec.games.frp.dnd FAQ:http://users.rcn.com/aardy/faq/rgfdfaq.html