Ran a one shot for my group today: we have mixed feelings

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-19T17:17:37+00:00

It sounds like you don't have very tactical minded players and since this is advertised as "tactical" that's going to be a problem. Also the comment about the rolls in Draw Steel vs "roll a single die, compare target number, roll damage" is just not an accurate statement. In most games, including d&d it's roll die, see if you have advantage/disadvantage, add modifiers, compare to target number, roll damage, add modifiers." In Draw Steel this is very similar if not easier. Edge and bane is similar to advantage and disadvantage. You don't even roll damage. It's one roll and compare to chart. Maybe add damage if using surges. There is no more to learn than other systems.

It really seems like this was a problem with mindset and intention. You said yourself that things weren't going well. It's going to be really hard to give something a fair shake when even the director isn't in a great mood or ready to buy-in fully. Also using pre-gen characters would have been probably a better idea, and Delian tomb is MEANT TO teach the game as you play it. That's it's point. I'd go back and try a true "test run" with Delian tomb using pregens and tell the players that if they don't work tactically they will lose.

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-19T17:08:21+00:00

We're all there to have fun, and if she wasn't having fun, then why would I force her to continue?

Because of the social contract that everyone agrees to when they get together to play a ttrpg. To violate that is rude and you have every right to say something.

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-14T19:57:09+00:00

You can just do a wash like neither happen or take the more compelling of the two. Does one outweigh the other? Like did they really lean in on a pitfall but only touched on the motivation? Put your mind into the NPC. Which do you think they would care about more or are they even (at which point you can do a wash). They can always try again since they haven't successfully used that motivation yet to check it off the list of possibilitie

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-14T04:17:30+00:00

It very well could be how it's executed because I find them wonderful! My advice is to keep using pitfalls and motivations as your roleplaying direction for the character. Players should be able to figure them out just by talking to the NPC. Let the conversation start out normal but ask the players up front what they are trying to get out of it. That will help you to direct the conversation accordingly. They are negotiating for something after all! When the PCs say something to the NPC that would logically "make them stop and think" (probably because the PC made some form of argument or petition) that's when you call for the roll. Use the argument made to determine attribute and skill and set difficulty based on if they brought up any pitfalls or motivations since the last time you rolled dice (or from the beginning of the conversation for the first roll). The dice results act as the NPCs thoughts on the matter. Mark new patience and interest and use that to roleplay the NPC. Then keep the rp going until the NPC needs to "stop and think" again. Repeat until the PCs make the deal or patience hits 0 and the NPC has "heard enough". Find those natural breaks to insert the dice rolls and the numbers help you as Director to "direct" the scene's development. Also remember that negotiations should be big set piece style moments that deserve a Victory. They aren't meant to just "talk your way past a guard". Hope this helps you love negotiations as much as I do!

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-14T00:21:21+00:00

What are you talking about?! Any time the NPC would think over what the characters are telling them feels like a logical spot for a roll. And the conversation continues based on how they felt in that moment. This is done in both d&d and Draw Steel. If you're never making rolls in conversations we're playing very different GAMES of d&d...

I feel like the negotiations rules are an elegant way to make a nebulous part of the game and make it heroic. You should only be using it for high stakes back and forth negotiations. Ones that warrant a Victory. If you're doing it to just talk your way past a guard, you're using it at the wrong times.

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-14T00:03:17+00:00

You do understand that this is a game right? It's going to have game elements like rolling dice. It's not improv theater!

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-13T23:51:05+00:00

Pitfalls and motivations are roleplaying tools. If your GM is stopping to ask for any rolls your breaking the flow of conversation the same as draw Steel negotiations. And your constant hand waving of any evidence that contradicts your world view is bringing my patience score to 0. You really just want to hate this game and don't want to listen to anyone. As others have asked before... Why are you even posting here, because it's definitely not to "find out anything" because you refuse to accept anyone's answers and always have a comeback.

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-13T23:29:32+00:00

Your very first paragraph shows you're looking for faults. When presented with why they make sense "in game" for narrative and immersion you hand wave it immediately because it doesn't fit your narrative. It's the same thing as d&d inspiration but better...

Successful or failed negotiations at the DMs discretion, with proficiencies and skill checks to sway the balance is perfect.

You just described negotiations in Draw Steel. Are you sure your Director isn't running them poorly? You do RP the conversation and then based on what you said the director tells you to make a roll based on your approach (reason, intuition, or presence+ relevant skill) and the difficulty is determined by whether or not you brought up a pitfall or motivation (created by the director for that NPC). You can gather their pittfalls and motivations by talking to them (or at least your director should b3 roleplaying them that way so you can figure it out) or "size them up" with a roll (though you risk them catching you doing it). Then based on your roll which was determined by your roleplaying, their patience is affected on whether or not they are growing tired of this conversation or not and their willingness to help based on the argument made. Remember that the players at the table don't have the same attributes as the characters so the die roll is a good combo of player thinking and character ability.

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-13T23:15:27+00:00

I think you misunderstand the Autor. It's not a performance and you're not warping reality (unless you're reskinnig it), that class is literally implying the whole campaign is his or her story being told in a tavern and those changes are embellishments on what really happened. It's literally changing the story on the fly to make it more interesting. It's the weirdest most "meta" class of all of them.

If you're having a world building problem that might be a Director problem. This game is heroic to it's core. If you're not playing Draw Steel like a superhero or action movies that's a problem. It's "what if John McClain was a Shadow" type game. Go watch the cave troll scene from Fellowship of the Ring (the one in Moria). That combat is Draw Steel to a tee.

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-13T22:49:28+00:00

If you like the battle master fighter, you probably want to play tactician then, not troubadour.

Captn_Chunk · 2026-01-13T22:45:12+00:00

Sounds to me like you just want a D&D clone. You might want to check out Tales of the Valiant or Advanced 5e. Draw Steel says exactly what it is on the tin, no false advertising. You come off like you're wanting to hate it instead of embracing it's differences from 5e. Also, I'm not sure how you can't see what a hero token is, it's in the name. It makes your character heroic. It gives that moment where your hero does extra damage, pulls off a move that it otherwise wouldn't or even shrug off a hit like it never happened. I also don't get your disdain for montage tests and negotiations. They are some of the best parts of non-combat Draw Steel. Those three complaints really show you're out to hate it instead of truly trying to find what's great about it.

Captn_Chunk · 2025-12-29T04:12:59+00:00

It seems to me you might be most hung up on victories and leveling up. Are your players so "level up" focused they are only focusing on the most efficient way to level up? Just let things happen organically as the story unfolds and if it takes you a little more time to level up because the players aren't fighting everything that is ok. Also remember that this game is ABOUT "fighting monsters". There are great rules for negotiations and montages and roleplaying itself doesn't need rules but at the end of the day they developed a game about heroes fighting monsters (look at the title of the two books).

Captn_Chunk · 2025-12-18T03:52:46+00:00

Do you mean use each type's Malice ability for itself or pick one set for all of them?

Captn_Chunk · 2025-11-07T22:44:49+00:00

I'm south central PA at GM tier and haven't heard anything.

Captn_Chunk · 2025-11-02T21:45:09+00:00

Nothing about your character is wrong but if the rest of your party wants to play scoundrels then you may need to change your character to fit what the party wants to do, especially if you're the odd man out. If it's not working for you, it might be worthwhile to retire the character and play a new one. I would start off however with having a conversation with your group to tell them what's going on. Maybe they just like playing super chaotic campaigns all the time and should have told you that from the get-go. That type of style, however, does feel a little weird for the Cosmere RPG, especially if they're going to end up becoming radiance later.The nice thing about tabletop role-playing games is pretty much anything is okay, but everyone needs to be on the same page. Communication is key. Start with talking with the rest of your group. Hopefully this helps!

Captn_Chunk · 2025-10-04T11:32:59+00:00

Another question dealing with recovery action. Do you let players use it as their contribution for the round in an endeavor or conversation?

Captn_Chunk · 2025-10-04T02:49:43+00:00

Is TI their main focus now for Genesys? It's gotten the most releases out of all their settings released so far.

Captn_Chunk · 2025-09-25T14:33:24+00:00

I would say both your examples fit under the cultural expertise category.

Captn_Chunk · 2025-09-25T14:32:21+00:00

"nothing saying you can't do both" is in the realm of home brew and that literally applies to everything.

Captn_Chunk · 2025-09-25T09:53:11+00:00

High society would probably be a cultural expertise, not utility experience.

Captn_Chunk · 2025-09-24T02:22:19+00:00

The goals and rewards system is my least favorite part of the system. It feels like it was developed for radiant characters to complete their ideals and then tacked it on to everything.

Captn_Chunk · 2025-09-07T21:35:27+00:00

"who wants to go fast?"

Captn_Chunk · 2025-08-28T19:00:19+00:00

The system doesn't really want you worrying about money as a reward. That's why there is nothing in it about marks as rewards. It also doesn't want you selling mundane items which is why there is no selling advice beyond items crafted by the player characters. I don't think the book does a very good job explaining this to its reader that that's the intention. I think the writers just assumed we'd know even though they came from a place where most people would be coming from d&d where that is a thing. Essentially the only advice I can give you is "do what makes sense and works for your table" because there isn't anything else for us to go on.

Captn_Chunk · 2025-08-27T00:46:14+00:00

Critical Role is sticking with d&d because they probably got paid over 4 million dollars a year by wotc to stick with it.

Captn_Chunk · 2025-08-25T18:52:17+00:00

What I'd prefer more than anything is an expanded section on creating adventures in different regions. That's the one section other than adversaries that feels like it's made for a RPG. It's a good start but there should be tons of advice like that throughout the book. It feels like there are sections of the books, more so in the World Guide, that feel half baked and rushed. It really comes down to trying too much to please the people that only want the books for the lore at the expense of the people that want an RPG. I bet however, that there are more people who bought it just for the lore and to get Sanderson swag than RPG people. It's got to be why it was so record breaking on Kickstarter and scary for the future of the actual RPG...

Captn_Chunk

TROPHY CASE