SSI Gold Box Games

[Bison]

It's just a part of the ruleset.  I has a similar experience in that clerics cannot use crossbows, which I could have sworn they could.  I think it's the adventure's companion book that outlines armor/equipment restrictions.  It's also why going pure thief is, other than roleplaying purposes, not very effective.  It's better to have a demi-human fighter/thief, magic user/thief.  For the extra equipment availability or additional spells.  Also thief is the only class that does not have a race restriction on the number of levels.

[JasonPratt]

Very much agreed about Order of the Stick above, btw. Even though the ruleset for Pools of Radiance is actually older than the ruleset Stick is satirizing.

Thus explaining the thief restriction I think, as Bison mentioned. Nowadays we think of thieves as obviously, necessarily being at least possibly capable of archery support. Back then it was a balance issue. You want archery? You should have a fighter working on that.

[Bison]

Well there are several magic slings that drop as loot too Banzi; it's a minor consolation but it's the best range weapon in the game for a pure thief outside of some magical darts.  I'm pretty sure one is a reward in the well, but I don't remember for sure.

[MetalDog]

That whole exchange was a level of nerddom I didn't know you possessed, Bison.  Excellently done by you :)

[Sir Slash]

Damn, I'm not any good at this game anymore. I'm up to my ass in Vampires in POD and they keep draining all my levels. Where the hell's my cross and garlic at?

[Nefaro]

It's just a part of the ruleset.  I has a similar experience in that clerics cannot use crossbows, which I could have sworn they could.  I think it's the adventure's companion book that outlines armor/equipment restrictions.  It's also why going pure thief is, other than roleplaying purposes, not very effective.  It's better to have a demi-human fighter/thief, magic user/thief.  For the extra equipment availability or additional spells.  Also thief is the only class that does not have a race restriction on the number of levels.

The weapon proficiencies were more restricted, by class, in the old pre-3rd edition stuff.

Frankly, I don't miss those old rigid rule sets.  Modern RPGs have more flexibility and customization options.  v3/3.5 D&D was a big leap forward from 2nd.

[BanzaiCat]

I couldn't find the rule reference in the game manual that outlined armor and weapon restrictions. I'm certain it's in there, I just couldn't find it when I went looking. And you can't do a text search on those PDFs because it's all image scans.

I probably should have done a demihuman thief combo, but I've always adventured with a 'pure' thief character in these Gold Box games. Which is why I could have sworn they could at least use a short bow - but apparently not, as the game says "WRONG CLASS" every time I try to equip one for poor ol' Barth.

[Nefaro]

I couldn't find the rule reference in the game manual that outlined armor and weapon restrictions. I'm certain it's in there, I just couldn't find it when I went looking. And you can't do a text search on those PDFs because it's all image scans.

I probably should have done a demihuman thief combo, but I've always adventured with a 'pure' thief character in these Gold Box games. Which is why I could have sworn they could at least use a short bow - but apparently not, as the game says "WRONG CLASS" every time I try to equip one for poor ol' Barth.

Thief/Rogue could use short bows in v3 and up.  Not so in v2.  Pretty sure it was just low rent weapons like dagger, club, sling, shortsword (?) etc that were class proficiencies.

Same situation for Clerics and crossbows. 

[BanzaiCat]

Those darts are just silly weapons. I've only bought them for Mage characters, and only used them when desperate and/or taking out sleeping or Held opponents.

Every time a character throws one I keep imagining a dart like in a game of darts, and it's like a ninja movie where one hit with a dart and the target immediately dies. It's so ridiculous, it's hilarious.

[Bison]

I couldn't find the rule reference in the game manual that outlined armor and weapon restrictions. I'm certain it's in there, I just couldn't find it when I went looking. And you can't do a text search on those PDFs because it's all image scans.

I probably should have done a demihuman thief combo, but I've always adventured with a 'pure' thief character in these Gold Box games. Which is why I could have sworn they could at least use a short bow - but apparently not, as the game says "WRONG CLASS" every time I try to equip one for poor ol' Barth.

The weapons, equipment, spells, xp breakdown, and turning undead are in the Adventures Journal appendixes.  They are specifically the last 4 pages.  You can download it from the same spot that the manual is located from gog.  The one thing the game doesn't seem to have documentation on that I could have sworn it did is spell casting ranges and effect radius.   But then again I seem to remember blowing the hell out of my party with fireballs until I learned the effective range and radius.

[Bison]

That whole exchange was a level of nerddom I didn't know you possessed, Bison.  Excellently done by you :)

Shhh....you'll blow my street cred.

[BanzaiCat]

That whole exchange was a level of nerddom I didn't know you possessed, Bison.  Excellently done by you :)

Every thread on this entire board is a level of nerddom so hipster that it ate cake before it was cool, and burnt its tongue.

[bayonetbrant]

dunno if this was already posted here or not

http://www.pcgamer.com/how-gog-rescued-13-forgotten-realms-games-from-licensing-hell/

too lazy to check :)

[mirth]

dunno if this was already posted here or not

http://www.pcgamer.com/how-gog-rescued-13-forgotten-realms-games-from-licensing-hell/

too lazy to check :)

Damn. That's an odyssey!

[Sir Slash]

Dragonlance/ Krynn should be next. A great big  :-* to GOG for bringing back the classic oldies.