Questions that don't deserve their own thread, thread

Questions that don't deserve their own thread, thread

In terms of general use in culture and gaming, what is the weapon equivalent of "Aegis"?

shield.

Is there, and when is the right time to abuse player-backstory NPCs, or is it really only appropriate to menace them to goad players into action once or twice in the story, unless that NPC is tied to a plot in an integral way?

Generally, I like to tell PCs whether I'll be using background NPCs, but not when.
One thing I've been hoping for is a chance to have a background NPC that betrays the associated PC, but I feel like that'd get me strangled by an infuriated player.

When the player owes you money.

If there are several different interwoven npcs so its not the only contact with the world the players have put energy into creating, and you don't just pull it from your ass but have the foreshadowing seem obvious after the event.

Are there any dice pool systems where thoes dice are spent and recoverd, ie dice pools are used as a resource?

What's the default resolution of a Roll20 map square at 100% zoom?

If you don't do it often, the killing of a background NPC is fine.

But you can't do it often at all. Even once a campaign is too much. If the players think killing a family member/background NPC is going to happen then it won't have impact when it does.

Square grid: 70 pixels per square
Hex: ~72 per hex (not exact)

Haven't played it, but I think Don't Rest Your Head does something like that

I know Riddle of Steel does

I have a question about alignments. Yes, I know the game's probably better off without them, but the guys I play with like them.
Say you've got a Human Necromancer who studies undeath and immortality. He regularly practices brutal and usually fatal experiments on Elves, the undead, and undead Elves. He's trying to find the secret to Immortality not just for himself, but legitimately wants it for all the other humans, halflings, dwarves, and other mortal races too. He doesn't hate the Elves he kills too much, usually he doesn't even know them, but he takes great pleasure hurting them.

What would his alignment be? Keep in mind Elves are relatively uncommon, he sees that he's doing it for the greater good, and ultimately doesn't regret it too much.

Neutral Evil. Deliberate but not following a code, goals with those methods is enough to be evil.

>universal immortality
>a good thing

How can I know if something is a mimic without activating the mimic and making it force me to make a new character?

Bring a 10-foot pole into the dungeon with you. Make sure you constantly account for how it would fit into each tunnel and how cumbersome it is. Eventually the DM will get tired of having his party shuffle around so slowly or avoiding rooms entire because this guy with the 10-foot pole can't go anywhere.

Eventually he'll stop making every chest a mimic.

>universal immortality
>not a good thing
Death is the greatest of evils.

He sounds like a mad scientist type. I'd say CE.

VAJRA

Backstory NPCs are basically henchmen/cohorts without stat-blocks; they're in their own way, a part of the character "build". Don't do anything to them that you wouldn't do to the character's statted followers/mounts/pets, and even then, give the main character some way to affect the outcome.

Unless of course, the player completely and obviously Fucked Something Up thru Sheer Stupidity. Then go wild.

Or Dorje, or King Kong.