pne: A picture of a plush toy, halfway between a duck and a platypus, with a green body and a yellow bill and feet. (Default)
Philip Newton ([personal profile] pne) wrote2005-05-01 07:25 am

RPG lightbulb joke

(via [livejournal.com profile] squigglz)

Q: How many gamers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A: 1d6

subbes: A line-drawing of a jar labelled "Brand's Essence of Chicken" (Default)

[personal profile] subbes 2005-05-01 05:40 am (UTC)(link)
I have a +3 to mechanical checks.
ext_78: A picture of a plush animal. It looks a bit like a cross between a duck and a platypus. (Default)

mechanical checks

[identity profile] pne.livejournal.com 2005-05-01 05:43 am (UTC)(link)
I'm afraid "mechanical checks" doesn't mean much to me; I played AD&D around 1990–1991, back in 1st/2nd edition transition time, and that term sounds as if it might be newer.

Some sort of saving throw, perhaps? Or a skill/feat/endeavour or something?

Re: mechanical checks

[identity profile] lexabear.livejournal.com 2005-05-01 05:55 am (UTC)(link)

The 3rd edition (and even newer, 3.5, because they wanted to make even more money) is pretty spiffy. All the rolling has been streamlined, so it's just d20 + modifiers, and see if it beats a certain criterion number - no more trying to roll high for certain things and roll low for others. That plus a skill system seem to be the biggest overall changes. I haven't played 1st or 2nd ed myself, but my friends keep raving about how much simplier 3rd is.

A: Only the expert class has "lighbulb repair" skill. Since the DC for screwing in a new lightbulb is 10, even a 1st-level commoner could do it, though. But since the expert is likely to have max ranks in lightbulb repair (4, at first level), plus an ability mod of at least 1, he only has to roll a 5 to do so at first level. Of course, his later class abilities give him some massive bonuses -- and they're unnamed bonuses, too, so he could also have a +5 competence bonus from an item at level 5 or so, easy -- especially if you enter the repairman prestige class (it was just printed in Complete Janitor) -- I mean, some of those abilities really synergy well, especially considering the....
subbes: A line-drawing of a jar labelled "Brand's Essence of Chicken" (Default)

Re: mechanical checks

[personal profile] subbes 2005-05-01 07:55 am (UTC)(link)
Also, I am a Rust Monster.

[identity profile] ladyortyger.livejournal.com 2005-05-01 05:46 am (UTC)(link)
*snarf* How many JAPS (Jewish-American Princesses) does it take to screw in a lightbulb?







Two, one to pour the diet cokes and one to call Daddy.

[identity profile] node-ue.livejournal.com 2005-05-01 07:46 am (UTC)(link)
Jewish-American? אױ، װײ איז מיך؀؀؀!!! ביסט דו אַ ייִד؟ נײן؟ דאָס איז װאָס איך האָב געמײנט. אַנטיסעמיט...
ext_78: A picture of a plush animal. It looks a bit like a cross between a duck and a platypus. (Default)

[identity profile] pne.livejournal.com 2005-05-01 11:23 am (UTC)(link)
I hope you're kidding.

But yes, she is Jewish.

[identity profile] node-ue.livejournal.com 2005-05-03 08:01 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, I'm kidding

In Yiddish, אַנטיסעמיט has really lost a lot of its meaning. Sometimes it is even applied to members of the cultural in-group, ie people who are well known to be Jews.

It doesn't have the same connotations it carries in other languages because it is used so often in so many different contexts about anybody who even has the slightest prejudices, whereas in English or German it applies to people who hate or are against Judaism or Jewish people.
ext_78: A picture of a plush animal. It looks a bit like a cross between a duck and a platypus. (Default)

[identity profile] pne.livejournal.com 2005-05-03 08:50 am (UTC)(link)
Ah. I wasn't aware of that connotation.

I take it, though, that you'll understand why I was a little annoyed at what I thought was the accusation you were expressing.

[identity profile] ladyortyger.livejournal.com 2005-05-01 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
I assure you that I am not an anti-semite; I'm Jewish and my parents are both Israeli. It is not a joke meant to crack at jews in particular -- the joke is more on the stereotype of a rich snobby American Jewish girl like you find often in the North - rich parents who are doctors/lawyers, and not accustomed to doing any sort of household chores or what have you. It's really just a joke that makes fun of a stereotype, like most jokes. I am sorry if you were offended by it. Also, my browser has some difficulty with hebrew text sometimes - If you want to talk to me in Hebrew you can transliterate it, and then I will be able to understand better.

[identity profile] node-ue.livejournal.com 2005-05-03 08:03 am (UTC)(link)
In my family, Hebrew isn't really a language, it's some code invented specifically invented to write the Torah in just to confuse and anger eager young Jews. No, really - it's in Yiddish.

[identity profile] ladyortyger.livejournal.com 2005-05-03 08:18 am (UTC)(link)
I see. Well, thank you for explaining why you said that (to [livejournal.com profile] pne, one comment thread up).