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Author Topic: WOT for a beginner...
Coriantis
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Member # 55882



posted May 08, 2003 11:32 AM      Profile for Coriantis      Edit/Delete Post
Could I easily play WOT without having read any of the novels, or would I be left behind? What are this game's strong point, how does it differ from other WOTC worlds?

And do you really need all the D&D corebooks?
A quick intro for me...? [Wink]

[ May 08, 2003, 11:33 AM: Message edited by: Coriantis ]

From: EU | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged
Fyatuk
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posted May 08, 2003 11:45 AM      Profile for Fyatuk      Edit/Delete Post
As long as you have the WoT d20 sourcebook, you should be able to play. There is background information on the world there that every player should know. The sourcebook is a complete ruleset so you do not need any of the other d20 sourcebooks (SRD).

Most inventive thing about the system is the way it handles magic. The weave system is very flexible, and really adds a dimension to the game not found in others. It is however, more than I can explain as an intro, so I'll leave it to someone else.

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Fyatuk Loth
Tai'Shin
Weaver of Dreams

From: San Antonio Texas | Registered: Mar 2003  |  IP: Logged
The True Adolf Nixon
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posted May 08, 2003 12:00 PM      Profile for The True Adolf Nixon      Edit/Delete Post
Personally, and I think some of the other board members would agree with me on this, I think reading the novels is essential depending on when in the timeline you start playing. If you start with events in the first two bokks, its not as neccasary as starting say in book 6 or 7, because everyone is in the dark as to what is going on. As for your other questions, I would have to say that WoTs strong point would be its intense focus on roleplaying and politics. As to how it differs from the other worlds... it doesn't really, but yet at the same time it is vastly different. While it focuses more on intrigue and politics, there is always the brigand or footpad, and how could we forget the increasingly alarming numbers of shadowspawn seen this far south of the blight? Light, I feel like I'm explaining Daes Dae'mar. And doing it poorly too [Big Grin] . Anyone else want to take over? Blood and ashes, wheres Steve when you need him?

[ May 08, 2003, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: The True Adolf Nixon ]

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"What is your name, O great Enchanter?"
"There are some who call me... Tim?"

From: Right in the back of your head. | Registered: Oct 2002  |  IP: Logged
Eagle Prince
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posted May 08, 2003 12:20 PM      Profile for Eagle Prince   Email Eagle Prince    Edit/Delete Post
Yes you would have no problem playing w/o ever reading the books. Now if you are a PC in a group of people who are fans of the novels, you will get a little annoyed at their inability to bend on certain things, and depending on how the DM did the game you could end up having the most fun or the least fun.

The D&D core rulebooks wouldn't even help you at all, unless maybe you were the DM and wanted to combine stuff from both games.

The strong points of the game is it has some new, cool ideas. Overall though, D&D is a better game.

And a quick intro, I guess to the world? ...hmm... well there is a BBEG called the Dark One, with armies of demonic creatures and such. The world is ran by magicians, (most) all of who are female because the Dark One corruped male magic so anyone who uses it goes insane. It is fortold that the greatest man of all time will rise up in the last days to defeat the Dark One, but everyone fears this because he'll go insane and destroy everything he saves... :shrugs:

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I am the Immortal One hidden from the dawn, I am the Emperor-King after day has gone.

From: Utah | Registered: Feb 2002  |  IP: Logged
Xotli
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posted May 08, 2003 04:44 PM      Profile for Xotli      Edit/Delete Post
quote:
Could I easily play WOT without having read any of the novels, or would I be left behind?
My personal opinion is that as long as your GM has a pretty good grasp on the novels, you should be fine. In fact, it might be more fun for you than other players who already know (or think they know, depending on how your GM handles it) what's going to happen.

As Eagle says, it's sorta important for the GM to step on any players' using their knowledge of the novels to metagame. But a good GM will step on metagaming anyways.

From: Fairfax, VA | Registered: Jun 2002  |  IP: Logged
Coriantis
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posted May 10, 2003 04:32 AM      Profile for Coriantis      Edit/Delete Post
What if the DM didn't read any of the novels, nor did the players? But they're interested in a strong story and good roleplay, would they appreciate WoT greatly?

How "classic" is WoT? I heard there aren't any elves & dwarves. What else is absent from standard fantasy (the one derived from Tolkien) ?

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Trolloc_Eater
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posted May 10, 2003 06:56 AM      Profile for Trolloc_Eater      Edit/Delete Post
Getting away from elves, dwarves, dragons, and + this and that magic weapon, and gurgling humongous gallons of potions is nice for a change. It has a more realistic feel. The damage system is actually deadly. If you die, you die. But in exchange for fantastic races, WoT offers exceptional backgrounds (humans from different places w/ varying feats & stuff), and one unique race: the 8-foot Ogier (pronounced "OH-gear"). There are lots and lots of Trollocs (think beast-like men with different animal features that are in excess of 7 feet tall) who are led by Myrddraal (eyeless wraith-like creatures), and some other unique and exotic creatures from other lands.

Start your campaign in a time period in the history section, and you won't immediately need the books. I'm only on #5, but even that far you would have a good understanding of the world. The glossaries in the novels helps with that and pronunciations.

If you like games that are heavy on roleplaying, this is the setting for you. You could swing by on combating Trollocs and Whitecloaks and Aiel and Seanchan, but eventually the events of the world will pull you into its grasp...

From: Wissssssconsssssssin | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
Coriantis
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posted May 10, 2003 07:30 AM      Profile for Coriantis      Edit/Delete Post
Well, I like good stories and settings "heavy on roleplaying" like you said yourself, but I also like elves & dwarves and knights in armor...

Maybe Dragonlance is more for me. [Confused]

From: EU | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged


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