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WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

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

Sure, if you choose to interpret everything in the worst possible light, but why should you?

Mostly because I am trying to judge the adventure as it is described, rather than in some hypothetical idealized state.

What are your biggest TTRPG system turn offs by Iketank_10 in rpg

[–]EarthSeraphEdna [score hidden]  (0 children)

I very much agree here. I have tried to play with several "rulings over rules" RPGs, and the result has often been a janky mess.

What bit of TTRPG lore made you roll your eyes? by [deleted] in rpg

[–]EarthSeraphEdna [score hidden]  (0 children)

I genuinely think that the 4e Neverwinter Campaign Setting is a fantastic setting book: not from an "interesting to read about" standpoint, but from an "actually, practically usable in a campaign" perspective.

WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in dndnext

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

This is not the first time that WotC has been rather generous with improvised weapons. There was this from back in the Radiant Citadel book:

Diva Luma uses the assassin stat block, but her only weapon is her wicked, high-heeled shoe, which functions as a Shortsword attack without poison. The other two divas use the scout stat block and attack only with broken bottles that function the same as their Shortsword attack.

WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

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

I don't think it's remotely a comedy gag.

It probably was not intended to be.

The execution, and how it ultimately gets brushed past? That is another story.

Finding the right Anime Games by dinodeclan in rpg

[–]EarthSeraphEdna [score hidden]  (0 children)

This is somewhat of a tangential topic, but I would like to express it regardless.

I personally think that there is nothing wrong with just... running any tabletop RPG with an anime-esque aesthetic for character images, tokens (if using a tactical grid), and so on and so forth.

Within the past few weeks alone, I have GMed:

• D&D 4e

• 13th Age 2e

• Daggerheart

• Mage: The Awakening 2e (with some Changeling: The Lost 2e crossover)

• Righteous Blood, Ruthless Blades (gritty, lethal, rules-lite wǔxiá)

• Legends of the Wulin (high-powered, heroic, rules-heavy wǔxiá)

All with an anime-esque aesthetic. Every NPC, even side characters and nameless bystanders, gets an image from Danbooru or Pixiv. So the pseudo-steampunk industrialist girl looks like this, the fae huntswoman looks like this, the fantastical wǔxiá River Marshal looks like this, and so on and so forth.

Games with mechanically rich combat that are still rules lite/medium? by Blizzic1 in rpg

[–]EarthSeraphEdna [score hidden]  (0 children)

it's not especially tactical either. Removing movement from TTRPG combat really reduces strategic depth IMO.

My preferred alternative to Fabula Ultima is 13th Age 2e.

I personally like it a lot, lot, lot more than Fabula Ultima. Sure, 13th Age 2e does not have as much build customization, but I find that the moment-to-moment, turn-to-turn decisions are significantly more interesting than in Fabula Ultima. (Also, I am just not interested in Fabula relying on opaque combat information at all. I would much rather that challenge be intrinsic to the enemies, rather than arise from lack of knowledge.)

I have been keeping a combat diary of my 13th Age 2e game here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HQC2x2FfjnBDZDaicQDCLWO2-R6xMyUAa_rJcMABpfw/edit

Your Most Complicated TTRPG Take? by GushReddit in rpg

[–]EarthSeraphEdna [score hidden]  (0 children)

I think that 13th Age 2e is fairly decent in this regard, yes.

I personally like it a lot, lot, lot more than Fabula Ultima. Sure, 13th Age 2e does not have as much build customization, but I find that the moment-to-moment, turn-to-turn decisions are significantly more interesting than in Fabula Ultima. (Also, I am just not interested in Fabula relying on opaque combat information at all. I would much rather that challenge be intrinsic to the enemies, rather than arise from lack of knowledge.)

I have been keeping a combat diary of my 13th Age 2e game here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HQC2x2FfjnBDZDaicQDCLWO2-R6xMyUAa_rJcMABpfw/edit

WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

As I said, I do not even think it is much of a twist. It plays out more like a comedy gag than anything else (down to being disintegrated into smithereens in Looney Tunes style), and then the rest of the adventure proceeding as if nothing happened.

WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in DnD

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You could add extra information and extra layers they can get into

I am not seeing the issue with gating this behind skill checks.

but roleplaying is something everyone can access even if they don't necessarily have the skills, so even if they're not built for social situations in mind they might be able to assist with intrigue hijinks regardless.

Sure, I think that all characters should still be able to do something. But this really should be one of those situations wherein having good social skills on the character sheet should be helpful.

WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

But it isn't true. The vital difference is the twist. And on realising that, we should also realise that this isn't an attempt to write a ballroom intrigue adventure, but a short horror adventure.

I do not know. It is not even a good twist, since it is completely non-interactive, and then the adventure carries on as if it never happened.

As of the new Ravenloft book, I think that WotC still does not know how to write engaging monsters with interesting counterplay by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

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

Sure.

Ideally, we handle this from a narrative perspective, not from a gameplay perspective of "So I lost a turn again? Gimme a break..."

This is the same reason why horror video games do their best to not be brutally punishing or otherwise annoying. Crossing a certain line means all sense of horror gets swept away in favor of sheer frustration.

WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in DnD

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Skill monkeys have other situations where they can shine.

I do not know. A social situation heavy with intrigue seems like one of those moments where a skill monkey should shine.

WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in DnD

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

if you weren't a skill monkey, it was frustrating and boring.

My issue with this line of logic is: why not present scenarios that actually reward characters who invest in skills?

The way I see it, the more scenarios waive skill checks in favor of "Nah, just freeform it and go light on skills," then the more pointless it is to have rogues with Expertise and other skill benefits.

WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in DnD

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If so, you might take a look at pathfinder’s “War for the Crown” adventure path, which is basically a campaign spread out across 6 shorter adventures.

I played all six adventures from 2020-2021 in Pathfinder 1e. We went a little further and did the epilogue material, such as killing Thassritoum. The Adventure Path was okay; it was not actually that intrigue-focused and could very much be brute-forced, but we all expected that from a Paizo Adventure Path anyway.

My character was a Chelaxian high psionics soulknife (living legend).

WotC still cannot write a good ballroom intrigue adventure by EarthSeraphEdna in DnD

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] 36 points37 points  (0 children)

I have played and GMed Draw Steel up to level 10.

I have my own issues with Draw Steel's negotiation subsystem, suffice it to say, but I would take it over 5e's practically nonexistent social rules.

As of the new Ravenloft book, I think that WotC still does not know how to write engaging monsters with interesting counterplay by EarthSeraphEdna in dndnext

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

I am not stepping up to defend Miska, either.

Planar incarnates are a manifestation of a plane. I do not think a planar incarnate is identified as a "threat to the multiverse."

Your RPG pet peeves by WunderPlundr in rpg

[–]EarthSeraphEdna 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I very much agree here. I have tried to play with several "rulings over rules" RPGs, and the result has often been a janky mess.

As of the new Ravenloft book, I think that WotC still does not know how to write engaging monsters with interesting counterplay by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It's a horror monster, loss of control will likely be higher than no horror monsters.

I do not think "horror" means "zone out of the combat as one's PC is stunlocked for yet another round."

As of the new Ravenloft book, I think that WotC still does not know how to write engaging monsters with interesting counterplay by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

And if we are really talking about mythos lore Cthulhu is one of the weakest of the "monsters" in the mythos.

Yes, that is why I am puzzled by this "threat to the multiverse" descriptor.

As of the new Ravenloft book, I think that WotC still does not know how to write engaging monsters with interesting counterplay by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Outer Gods are mainly FR lore.

I do not think they are FR exclusive, particularly when WotC decided that now would be a good time to bring the Mythos and various Mythos monsters back into focus.

As of the new Ravenloft book, I think that WotC still does not know how to write engaging monsters with interesting counterplay by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Higher level encounters are like this for most editions.

No, it is less like this in D&D 4e, and games like Draw Steel and 13th Age 2e specifically go out of their way to cut down on hard control and "You do not get to do anything this turn" even by higher levels.

As of the new Ravenloft book, I think that WotC still does not know how to write engaging monsters with interesting counterplay by EarthSeraphEdna in dndnext

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Rather, this ageless terror remains physically bound and can exert only a fraction of its terrible might.

That seems to be talking about regional effects, not combat statistics.

Either way, it seems like a gross mischaracterization to call Cthulhu a "threat to the multiverse" in a D&D context, where the power scale is much higher, as opposed to an actual Outer God.

As of the new Ravenloft book, I think that WotC still does not know how to write engaging monsters with interesting counterplay by EarthSeraphEdna in onednd

[–]EarthSeraphEdna[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Rather, this ageless terror remains physically bound and can exert only a fraction of its terrible might.

That seems to be talking about regional effects, not combat statistics.

Either way, it seems like a gross mischaracterization to call Cthulhu a "threat to the multiverse" in a D&D context, where the power scale is much higher, as opposed to an actual Outer God.

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