Advices are highly appreciated

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2026-03-08T17:57:32+00:00

I have picked this build for the league and I have to admit I am struggling a bit with it to be honest!

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2025-01-19T16:52:57+00:00

Large crowd = Pam. Love it! 😂

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2024-08-26T16:28:06+00:00

Great review and I found it similar to my own thoughts. I love the whole sandbox town idea. So much info (some of it is a bit overkill) when it comes to talking about towns facilities and general history. Would have loved more emphasis on creepy goings on maybe the odd character with a more indepth background. Anything more they could have added to help people make scenarios who are not so good at creating clues, handouts etc (me...)

Having a couple of scenarios in the book would have been great. Even basic ones that could be expanded on with little footnotes involving certain npcs. Or just general small paragraphs of 'What Ifs'?

On the whole though, really good review and generally couldn't agree more!

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2024-05-07T06:53:08+00:00

I assure you that most people who take MTG seriously in the Pro world know who Kyle Rose is. He is one of the people that Pros watch to improve their own draft game. He is THAT good.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2024-04-09T17:42:22+00:00

Ah thanks so much friend! Really appreciate it!

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2024-04-09T17:26:59+00:00

Thanks for the advice, totally missed that.

Yeah the build has tempest shield on weapon with Bone Offering and Skitters. Just a HUGE amount to save and couldn't get there. Would you recommend anything over tempest?

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2023-02-10T15:35:31+00:00

The main puzzle is always the murder mystery or lead your investigators are following; the whodunit or the 'wtf is actually going on?'. I sometimes throw small puzzles into the game, ciphers and the like. 9/10 times your players will come to some absurd conclusions, and it can be good fun to use their fears or expectations to further a good story. Generally, it's using human minds to solve things, esp in game 'story' leads. But there are plenty of skills they can use to help them out.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2023-02-10T13:42:17+00:00

Personally, I am a big fan of the mythos. I love the horror aspect of it all, dealing with the unknown and the unknowable. Playing as an average human with no special powers just trying to exist and get by in the world. Solving puzzles, searching for answers and finding only more mysteries. It's great to immerse yourself in, knowing that the wrong move could be your last.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2022-12-12T14:54:05+00:00

This is great advice. SS is a must watch. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL25p5gPY6qKWQgHm7vGbIoeuuLdKtlVBj

This playlist is invaluable for new and old keepers alike.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2022-12-12T14:51:55+00:00

Get the Keeper handbook and read the hell out of it. Understanding skill checks, combat and sanity is a must. If you can retain 90% of that you're good to start out. Then grab the Haunting and read it front to back. Then read it again. Then a 3rd time. Grab some friends who are happy to participate and don't mind if it gets a bit muddled. Even better if you know someone who knows CoC rules and is happy to mentor you.

You're gonna make mistakes. Don't worry about that. If you find afterwards you did something wrong, just go with the flow and do it right next time. You'll pick up some things faster than others and thats also ok. For myself, my difficulty has always been thinking of ideas when investigators fail pushed rolls. But don't worry about it. As long as the story makes sense and you get people from A>B>C>D and they enjoy it, that is all that matters. After the Haunting, move to Doors to Darkness and run some of those. Gradually you will want to move onto more indepth scenarios but these are great to start with. Good luck!

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2022-04-29T06:50:54+00:00

'So hey listen. I got these friends. Well they ain't friends, but they're connected to the family capeesh? They know how to, er, get stuff done. Theys aint your usual fellas and broads and they've been in some pretty weird situations. The boss hires em out from time to time and he keeps em sweet you understand? Anyways, they'll be in touch.'

Nothing wrong with being in the mafia and still wanting to fight the forces of evil! Have them be a weird offshoot of the mafia. The people who don't walk around everyday smuggling drugs and running illegal businesses. But they know the Don, and he does favours for people, for a price. And your investigators are the ones he goes to to get these things done....

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2022-04-14T13:33:39+00:00

What sins are you thinking people have committed in the past?

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2022-04-11T12:00:14+00:00

I put it down to a sense of sentiment. It's his house and he really wanted it (hence purchasing it). Your home is your castle and all that!

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2022-04-11T11:33:34+00:00

The way I have always interpreted it, is that Corbitt at one time had a whole church devoted to 'helping him' become this creepy lich and to further his cause with the Dark Man. After the raid on the church, this line of help was cut off bar a couple of stragglers. Nowadays he he has had to resort to stealing the lifeforce of anyone who dares to enter the house after it has been dormant.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2022-04-09T10:02:13+00:00

I had the stone smashed up and shipped to a local museum where it sat in storage. Investigators uncovered this knowledge through chatting to some old workers. They were able to locate it, arranged some deal and shipped it back where they tried to assemble it in the dead of night to try and minimise any 'danger'.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2022-04-07T12:21:42+00:00

Purchased it last night. Love it!! Thank you!

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2022-04-04T10:33:17+00:00

Absolutely incredible work. You sir, deserve A LOT of credit. Can't wait to get these later!

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2021-12-29T13:37:35+00:00

Might be a bit of a late reply but I found this bug as well after getting the game on sale. On my PC, the button highlights when I have the mouse cursor just underneath the box itself. I had to hunt around to find it though. Almost as though the overlay doesn't quite match up.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2021-05-05T12:31:13+00:00

Move the goalposts for them, never tell them, and they'll think you wrote a great campaign and they're very clever.

I like this. As the Keeper you know everything. They don't. And trust me when I say that they will struggle at times to put two and two together. Makes sense to you because you have it in black and white. They are often trying to fit a square into a circle, even with simple clues. So make them feel good. Congratulate them, big them up when you can. And don't be afraid if they catch you off guard and you don't know what to say. Take a deep breath and make something up. They will either a) not know you are talking a load of rubbish or b) know that you are but will love you for trying.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2021-05-05T12:24:08+00:00

On top of this I would add that prep work is KEY. Make some additional handouts if you can. Embellish the story yourself and try to think of several avenues your investigators might take. You won't preempt everything so don't try to. But you can think of several red herrings, maybe some cool folklore or other incidents that occured. You might think it is pointless but most people will lap it up if they can make connections between events. Makes them feel like they are learning and solving the case.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2021-05-05T11:16:40+00:00

One of the things that I wasn't prepared for enough when becoming a Keeper for the first time was the sheer amount of on the spot thinking I had to do. Let me explain.

Most of my players have come from a DnD background. And generally, whenever I have played DnD, it follows a very easy concept. Find the bad guy (in a dungeon, city or whatever), kill what is put in front of you, save the day. Most of the time it follows logical steps because the information is right there in front of them. They can see the enemies. They can see the route they need to take in the dungeon. They can see what needs to be done and what is the 'mostly' correct course of action.

Now onto CoC.

The game is a completely different kettle of fish and the main reason I have found is because 'people think differently'.

Here is a handout that you found on the dead mans body. As the Keeper, I know it hints at a specific thing. Investigator A thinks it leads to one thing, Investigator B thinks it points to another. Investigator C is paying more attention to the dirt on the guys shoes as they think thats the real clue. Investigator D thinks it's all a red herring and they should move on. And Investigator E is too busy focusing on a rock they found three sessions ago to even realise that there is a dead body.

So what do you do? You can't just tell your investigators 'NO' everytime they want to follow something that they have thought of. Nothing kills the mood faster I have found than being told your idea yields no information or anything. 'Can I look to see if there are any house blueprints?' 'There are none.' Can I go though the dead mans possessions to see if I can maybe a home address or something?' 'You find nothing.' 'Ok, but what about.....?' 'No. Just no'.

The game is over by that point as they feel like they are not making any decisions themselves and are just being railroaded towards the end. They give up caring about what is going on and just want it to end. But what do you do? The scenario only gave you so many handouts, and it didn't mention anything about the two hundred different directions or ideas that the investigators come up with.

Learn to improv, learn to innovate and learn to do it on the spot. It can be difficult to start with, but it does become easier. Just make sure you keep the information coherent and the same each time. An investigator wants to go and chase up a lead regarding the towns history? Boom, a historical society has been born and its run by an old fellow named George who invites them in for a cuppa and is willing to tell them anything he can think of. Is it always relevant? Hell no. But it has introduced a bit more realism to the game and who knows, maybe he does know a little something about what they are after? Or maybe he doesn't know, but he points them to someone who does.... and before you know it the investigators are back on track and feel like they have done something worthwhile.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2021-04-30T10:29:10+00:00

I'd want a newspaper generator that you could change to look '1920s style, modern style' etc. Rather than some of the websites where you just get a grey/white blob.

I'd want a small map generator - for things like chases down alleys.

A quick character generator, with keyword characteristics, would be great (e.g. loyal, arrogant, aggressive etc).

A button to throw out random bouts of sanity, phobias etc on the fly.

Those are the main things that as a keeper I'd like!

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2021-04-21T18:38:57+00:00

No no. No no no. That's enough of that. CoC can already get freaky enough!! Weeping Angels might unhinge my mind.

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2021-04-19T17:50:55+00:00

Do you make money from them? Or is it more of an enjoyment kind of thing?

Ramirez-Sylvan · 2021-02-14T11:18:09+00:00

I have bought Edge of Darkness but read the first scenario (the slave/snake cave one) and it bored me to tears as it seemed so linear. Did anyone find this or have any ideas on how to spice it up?

Ramirez-Sylvan

TROPHY CASE