@1: A paladin fights evil for a cause. A barbarian is an emotional and tough fighter who relies an instinct rather than training. These are not mutually exclusive.

But, it depends what edition's rule sets we are using, after all. "Elf" was it's own class way back in the old days.

I was also struck by the seeming contradiction of paladin/barbarian character. I suppose that might be a product of when one was first introduced to D&D and what ruleset they're most familiar with.

This looks like a real great addition to have on the bookshelf, right next to all the other "Art of" books I proudly own, and have only casually leafed through.

@Teddy

Elf was a class in basic D&D, along with dwarf and halfling, but it was always a race in AD&D.
The basic Edition was originally intended as a gateway to AD&D when it was first released, but it became its own system with the release of the expert and campaign rule sets.
In 1983 basic D&D was redesigned with new artwork by Jeff Easley and Larry Elmore. This Edition is now referred to as BECMI, for basic, expert, campaign, Masters and Immortals which were the five box sets. The standard edition of Art and Arcana features Larry Elmore's cover for the redbox Basic Edition, and it was that edition of D&D that I was first introduced to in 1983. One of my friend's parents had bought it for her as a gift, and I've been a fan of the game ever since she showed it to me.

I haven't been posting here on Slog much lately because I've been running a fifth edition D&D campaign for a group of friends, some of whom are long-time players like myself, and a few players who are new to the game that were introduced to D&D by Critical Role.

I have to say, it's nice to speak to you about something other than politics. As I'm sure you've noticed, all debates around politics have become extremely toxic lately.

That being said, Paladin's in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons are not limited to being
Lawful good, in fact there are no longer any alignment restrictions on paladins. In fact, the Paladin Oath of Vengeance subclass seems designed for play by evil characters.

I have to say that seeing you have interests outside of trolling on the internet makes you seem much more likeable, and in today's extremely dark political climate that is a very good thing.

I've still got all the first edition books for sentimental reasons. D&D was a great game when you had loads of free time. Tried playing again recently with whatever edition is current. It's ok but think my creative drive is in a funk.

Also had to explain to my girlfriend that paladins in world of warcraft are lightyears different from paladins in D&D.

Nostalgia...

@Knat

D&D 5e, the latest edition of the rules, is much more focused on role-playing and much less focused on restrictive rules.
That being said, I don't believe Joe Manganiello's character is a Barbarian Paladin. I've seen Joe talk about Arkhan the Cruel in many interviews, and he always describes him as a fallen Paladin that now worships the evil dragon Tiamat and has become an Antipaladin.

Joe has played Arkhan as a guest player on Critical Role. He's also been interviewed a number of times by D&D Beyond. I don't remember him ever mentioning Arkhan being a Barbarian.

@5: If you think condescending about your need to believe others online are lesser people without outside lives makes you seem magnanimous, you have a lot to learn about social interaction, old man.

Way to keep the toxicity alive and well, Teddy. People like you help keep Slog feeling as if it's still the golden era of Fnarf/Will in Seattle feuds.

@7: That's good to hear. I really appreciated 3E over 2.5, which is where I came in. I'm mostly confined to the (fantastic) video games that were made under those rulesets, so to hear that it's even more open when playing with pen-and-paper is encouraging. My group uses Pathfinder/Starfinder now though, so I'm not up with what D&D is doing nowadays. I've tried to get into Critical Role, but their website is garbage for new listeners, and seems to punish you for not having been with them from the beginning. What little I've heard so far though has been real entertaining.

@9: Geez, I had no idea you were capable of anything but online trolling. You will be happy to know this makes me like you more, and I now see you as almost human. Aren't you honored?

The above statement is a compliment, and if you don't like it, you are obviously just being toxic.

@Teddy

You do have your issues, don't you Teddy?

I see you're still resorting to ad hominem attacks.
That really must have set you off, because your response was nearly incoherent.
You should realize that just because I disagree with you does not mean that I think you are a lesser person. Also, while I have always realized that you have a life outside of your internet trollery it is nice to see that verified.
One thing that is perfectly clear to anyone reading this thread is that you are in no way interested in being magnanimous yourself, and you are so socially awkward that you find it impossible to believe that anyone that you've seen as an enemy can have anything positive to say about you. That really is a shame Teddy.

I've always assumed that in the real world you are much more pleasant then you appear online. Perhaps I've been wrong all this time.

I will say that I am definitely not young, but I don't think 46 is old. If you do, then I feel sorry for you, because you'll be in your mid-forties before you know it little guy. Good luck with that.

Seriously though, you should see a doctor about that stick in your rectum, it might be part of the reason you're so cranky all the time.

@Knat

You can also check out Critical Role on YouTube or Twitch.

@Teddy

Wow, you sure do see the world through a distorted lens.
You talk shit to people just about every day, and then you're surprised when they don't like you.
To top it off, when someone says something nice to you, you immediately think it's an attack.
You have fun stirring the shitpot online, I get it. We all get it.
You do need to realize though that that comes with consequences. One of those consequences is people not liking you.
You should also realize that there is a difference between not liking someone and thinking that they are "less than human."
Give it a rest.
There are people in this world I dislike like much more than you. Donald Trump for instance. It's quite obvious that Trump is human garbage, but he is still human.
It's almost as if you have some sort of complex, and you only feel Fully Alive when you think other people are victimizing you.

Try not being such an asshole all the time, and people might think more highly of you.

To quote Booger from “Revenge of the Nerds”: NERDS!

Just pulling you all’s chains....we all have a hobby.

@13
That wasn't Booger, it was Ogre.
Booger was one of the Nerds, although Oger eventually joined the Nerds as well.

On a side note, booger was played by Curtis Armstrong, who later went on the play DJ Jerry Thunder on "That 70s Show." Jerry Thunder was a D&D aficionado, and he is seen playing D&D with Alice Cooper.
That right there is some deep nerd knowledge.

@12: Look, I'm not reading your long winded screeds. Seek concision.

Since you are so confused: handing out condescending backhanded compliments does not make you a great guy, and demanding thanks for them is pathetic.

Here is the advice I give all aging boomers: stop projecting so hard, and remember that no one wants to listen to how great you think you are.

14

Shit! You are right about Ogre! My bad!

@Teddy

Get over yourself already dude.
By the way, I'm not a boomer. Solidly in Gen X.

Someone like you should be thankful for any compliments they get, backhanded or not.

There you go with confusion again. I'm not confused Teddy, it's quite simple, you're an imbecile.

If you think that calling you a troll is the same as calling you less than human, you are an even bigger imbecile than I previously believed. You see, I enjoy trolling myself from time to time, which you should have noticed by now since I troll you every time I see you.
I just said it was nice to see that you're interested in something other than trolling.

Seriously though, stop being such a dipshit.

@17: Stop projecting so hard, and remember that no one wants to hear about how great you think you are.

@Teddy

" Stop projecting so hard, and remember that no one wants to hear about how great you think you are."

You should take your own advise, and you should stop taking yourself so seriously.

Seriously, chill out.

@20: Almost done my long ass drive home from the beachhouse, so I am just going to leave you pondering the silliness of someone who writes multiple 300 word comment essays about his feelings when faced with disagreement, and that same person telling someone else to stop taking themselves seriously.

@Teddy

I don't take Internet comments seriously.

I also still like you a little bit more than I used to, and I've always liked you a little bit. You make me laugh.

You should also know that dictating a comment into my phone does not mean that I've made a moral investment in it. It just means I enjoy having a conversation with you teddy.

One last thing. Please stay off the internet while you're driving. It's dangerous.

Mr. Gorath, I'm going to pay you a compliment: I appreciate when you comment as a real human being and it makes me think enough of your capacity that I am actually disappointed when you choose shallow knee-jerk trolling. Unlike with the nonstop trollbots who are just clutter.

@23

His biggest problem is that he thinks that anyone who disagrees with him thinks that he is "less than human."
I just hope that he doesn't feel that way because that's what he thinks of all of us.

@15, Theodore Gorath: “I’m not reading your long-winded screeds...”

He has almost SEVEN THOUSAND POSTS on this blog, yet he pretends he can’t be bothered! Bwaaah ha ha ha ha!

When did we start supporting @username?

Looks like a cool book, was not going to dive in as I have a lot of the old stuff it sources from still (if in digital form) but this makes it sound more interesting. I'd note for the old timers, I frequent a 5e group on FB with several hundred thousand people in it, and it is amazing how popular and diverse things are now. There are still angry neckbeards but there are also a lot of young people, and young women and POC which was rarely a thing when I was a kid. Streaming has really blown things up with the anime kids.

@Callan

I find @username much more personal than @number, but that's just me.

As far as you guy at the Stranger supporting it, I honestly didn't think any of you had a problem with it.

@Drjones

I started playing D&D, and eventually other tabletop RPGs back in 1983, and most of the people I've played with are POC and women. Most of the players in my current group are women.
I'm from Detroit though, so that may have something to do with it.

As a dorky kid who got beat up on a regular basis from roughly 1985-1992, I'm a bit indignant about how "nerds" are cool now. As someone who was worked with kids an adult, nothing has actually changed: There's still a class of kids who are dorky and get beat up for being dorky. Moreso than "nerd" stuff getting cool, "cool" kids have essentially colonized formerly nerd-only things like "the internet", dungeons and dragons, and so on.

But anyhow, the book looks dope and I will be buying it.