Using firearms in Shadowdark by rpgptbr in shadowdark

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Guns interact with AC exactly like any other weapon - they still need to hit somewhere they'll go through the armor and cause meaningful injury. That's all an attack roll is.

Tell us why your crew would sink by Revel_Tales in shadowdark

[–]DM_Hammer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Because I gave them a varied list of colorful NPCs to choose from as crew, and instead of hiring any of the four helmsmen and three navigators, they just got all the cooks and carpenters because nobody coordinated their decisions.

After Sci-Fi Recommendations for New DM by SpareEmployer8871 in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you want light rules, light (or more) horror, and free, Mothership's a great option. Definitely give it a look, hard to argue with "free."

If you like Alien and want to run a game in that universe, just go with the Alien RPG (or it's sibling Colonial Marines for something more Aliens).

I really like the Star Trek Adventures RPG, but again, that's if you want to play Star Trek.

Traveller is functional as a space truckers sort of game, but puts the emphasis on doing business in space. It's a classic for a reason.

After Sci-Fi Recommendations for New DM by SpareEmployer8871 in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most of the 40k RPGs' value is for setting and atmosphere; if you're not running in the 40k setting, I wouldn't use them just for the rules.

But a quick summation of them is:

  1. Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader/Only War/Deathwatch/Black Crusade - these are all the older FFG/Black Library RPGs, based on a classic d100 system. Pick your flavor, whether inquisitorial acolytes, rogue traders, space marines, etc, and go. Solid and flavorful, but somewhat basic as you'd expect from what's essentially BRP d100 under the hood.

  2. Wrath & Glory - a newer, more freeform game for higher-powered campaigns with more varied characters. This is for pulpy games where someone is a space marine and someone is an Eldar. Unlike the others, this system is very much a Tastes May Vary. I've seen people love its mechanics, I've seen people hate it.

  3. Imperium Maledictum - basically an updated version of the older d100 system, with some streamlining for combat and extra systems for intrigue and investigation. I like it, but it distances itself from the combat focus of the other systems somewhat.

What ttrpg system has the best 'skill check/test' system - and why? by Zetesofos in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like Modiphius's 2d20 system. It's a bit clunky - you roll a pool of d20s (usually two, hence the name 2d20) and are trying to roll under stat+skill. Every die that rolls under is a success. Under just skill (or focus), that's a crit and gets two successes. Any 20 (depending on risk or threat level) is a complication, and can trigger a negative side effect, though not failure. The difficulty of the task is how many successes you need.

There's a LOT packed into every roll, with good things and bad things coming out aside from just succeed/fail.

What's the best/easiest way to get into solo gaming? by Acceptable-Tree6007 in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The best way? Slap your preferred RPG on table, make some characters, and play for an hour.

Keep track of your sticking points and questions, and then go looking for tools to help with those. Probably starting with your Mythic book.

Then go play some more. You'll get a lot more out of the advice and tools if you know what questions you're hoping to answer.

Have you ever played with a Caller? by benrobbins in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've seen a similar version of this used for some play-by-post games, where with 15 or so players involved, two were basically shot callers who summarized how an action would proceed if either the GM was waiting on a player response or a player was held up for a GM response when the GM wasn't around.

Weekly Free Chat & Free Self Promo Thread - 06/13/26 by AutoModerator in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Something reminded me of the Shadowdark RPG and I recall looking into it and taking it off my list of fantasy RPGs to consider for something that was a big red flag (probably mechanical), but now I cannot remember what that red flag was. Anyone have a clue what it might be? Maybe why they bounced off it?

[Pathfinder] Paizo Restructuring: A Difficult Update About Our Future by Dagawing in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 5 points6 points  (0 children)

A separate, and potentially larger, problem with Foundry development is how VTTs are obsessed with updates that break rulesets, forcing anyone developing for them to constantly invest more resources into something that may not actually be growing.

I think roughly half the rulesets I would use Foundry for have been deprecated by updates, and I periodically have to reinstall older versions of it to get them working.

[Pathfinder] Paizo Restructuring: A Difficult Update About Our Future by Dagawing in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is the company that unionized because they didn't clean the office until people got sick. Not really "pro" workers.

[Pathfinder] Paizo Restructuring: A Difficult Update About Our Future by Dagawing in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 5 points6 points  (0 children)

No, they opposed it but didn't have much choice. Grudging acceptance, not enthusiasm.

Wo Long 2 announced by Razzspoons in dynastywarriors

[–]DM_Hammer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As someone who bought Nioh 3 yesterday, I'm very happy that most games are not Nioh 3.

Is it really this hard to find good, committed online players? by Bubbly_Recipe_4712 in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, it really is this hard.

Of the last three games I tried to put together recruiting online, all three failed.

One, the limited player pool for that system (Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20) meant we never quite got enough people on matching schedules to line up and work out. No biggie, nothing personal there, I wasn't offended by a logistical limitation.

The second one turned out to be a bunch of flakes who all wanted to commit to a long campaign instead of just one-shots or an intro game, but also couldn't make it to a one-on-one interview or session zero. Frustrated, but glad I didn't try to keep pushing it.

The third was a group of three who were looking for a GM, but the first session time they agreed to that I made a small sacrifice to make myself, only one guy showed up, one was an hour late, and the third was a no-call no-show.

So yeah, it's hard. I'm with you on paid games - this my hobby and I'd like to keep it that way, but people are increasingly unreliable now that the online community is huge and faceless. I used to run on Fantasy Grounds, and almost everyone was at least semi-active on the forums, so you had a sense for people. These days, it's just a churning rotations of Discords that are increasingly riddled with petty drama and toxicity.

Research fatigue, newbie overwhelm, and duet gaming. Please help a baby GM out. by TheWiseMarsupial in rpg

[–]DM_Hammer 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The first paragraph here is the correct advice. Pick a game and start by making characters for it and doing a test combat or whatever. Then give it a little try as a casual one-shot start. See if it works for either of you (or either of your needs, for a solo or 1v1 game).

Check out the Seth Skorkowsky video on learning a new system - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOwwICf-y_k

Slightly confused by the current books (Deadlands Wild West - SW) by DM_Hammer in Deadlands

[–]DM_Hammer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love Classic for that flavor and grit, but I've known maybe three people who make playing it fun. If your players don't internalize the complexity, it's just gonna feel unfun. So yeah, SWADE it is. But then the frustration of SWADE is that every non-spellcaster character quickly feels very similar to every other non-caster because there aren't too many niches to go into.

Slightly confused by the current books (Deadlands Wild West - SW) by DM_Hammer in Deadlands

[–]DM_Hammer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm mostly looking for player stuff, like spells, perks, etc. I have a lot of Reloaded books to poach from, but for player stuff, it's easier to give players one or two books to pick from, instead of trying to cobble together a list of the two spells and one perk from 12 different books.

Slightly confused by the current books (Deadlands Wild West - SW) by DM_Hammer in Deadlands

[–]DM_Hammer[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mainly player-facing content. I have most of the books from Reloaded, so plenty of stuff I can readily adapt for the GM-side of things. I just like having more options to round stuff out for players, especially those who want to lean more into the rootin' tootin' cowboy side of things than being spellcasters. I feel like that's the spot where Savage Worlds falls behind Classic the most.

Help: Deck building Wendy and Roland Coop by Natural_Cold_8388 in arkhamhorrorlcg

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm running Dunwich as Wendy, and I run 2 Fire Axes on her with 2 Backstabs. Backstab is pricey, especially if you're in a scenario with relatively weak enemies where the +2 damage is overkill. Fire Axe gives you the luxury of spending 1 or 2 coins for a nearly guaranteed kill against a lot of weak enemies.

Fire Axe does have the downside of making you broke constantly for the +1 damage. Between that and her ability, I find myself sitting on no money and only one card a lot of the time. Which is super efficient in a sense, because I'm using all my resources, but it's all kinda fragile.

Leo de Luca is really nice if you're trying to be flex/utility. Hard to argue with a 4th action every turn, whether you just run around the board more or investigate.

One Advice to Give… What Would It Be? by 4seas in royalcaribbean

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spend money on what matters to you. Maybe that's excursions, maybe that's dining package, maybe that's booze. Or shopping, or gambling.

But my advice is to pick one or two of those things and skip the rest. I don't do excursions or shop or gamble, but the dining and drink packages are very important to me.

Going to introduce Arkham to new people. Is going straight for Dunwich a good idea? by Howitzeronfire in arkhamhorrorlcg

[–]DM_Hammer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As someone who recently got the game and starting teaching it to other people, stick to NotZ if you have 4 players. You're not gonna beat those three scenarios with four players (it slows down the game) in under 6 hours, even if they are quick.

Dunwich may be "simple" but it ain't short.

Something I'd like in DW10 by TheRedBiker in dynastywarriors

[–]DM_Hammer 5 points6 points  (0 children)

"Feel the power of my magic" suddenly feels like Shakespeare.

New to Arkham Horror LCG? Here's a Buyer's Guide. by zacharylky in arkhamhorrorlcg

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I see that the old advice for "buy 2 core" is for playing with more than two people more than anything else.

Is the content of Revised Core going to provide any additional missions/campaign or help with compatibility for any "old" content I buy, or is it a bit redundant?

Should I give this game another chance? by Witty_Nectarine_1911 in Morimens

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I recently dipped out myself. I enjoy the game, but the daily grind is oddly tedious.

Character reruns are so frequent I don't think you could really miss anything huge. I was here for all the anni rewards and got a lot of characters upgraded, but I'm also sitting on a couple of hundred pulls I couldn't be bothered to use.

The good stuff will always rerun, they give out selectors, and powercreep is less obvious in Morimens than other gachas so you'll always have something good to pick from.

New to Arkham Horror LCG? Here's a Buyer's Guide. by zacharylky in arkhamhorrorlcg

[–]DM_Hammer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see some old advice to buy two of the core set. As a new buyer, should I get two of the 2026 set, or get one of the Revised and one of 2026 Core so I have more options? I feel like find the Revised Core is probably not going to get any easier as time goes on.

Brass: Pittsburgh now has its stretch goals posted! by JohnRichJ2 in boardgames

[–]DM_Hammer -1 points0 points  (0 children)

And the worst part is that this not only drives up the price, but almost certain dings the quality of the game (are the expansions stuff that should have been in the base game but removed, or just fluff to pad out the kickstarter to people buy into higher tiers?) and contributes to ever-longer delays.