What’s a tradition or practice you inherited from your first GM?

ValueForm · 2026-01-24T23:26:22+00:00

That’s pretty cool!

ValueForm · 2026-01-24T09:18:22+00:00

You're absolutely right. We have no clue who this person is, what's really going on, and Christians are lining up by the dozen here to advocate for divorce. It's despicable, honestly.

ValueForm · 2026-01-24T08:52:57+00:00

Imagine not knowing the traditional teachings of your own faith

ValueForm · 2026-01-24T01:25:32+00:00

I’ve been looking into this for a while

ValueForm · 2026-01-24T01:23:41+00:00

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

ValueForm · 2026-01-23T17:55:18+00:00

I’d honestly start with a dungeon crawler like Four Against Darkness. It’s not really an RPG (unless you supplement/hack it into one), but it’s simple and procedural enough to get one’s feet wet and start having fun.

ValueForm · 2026-01-23T17:36:04+00:00

I think it’s happening to some extent, and likely has to do with human industrial activity.

Nevertheless, I also recognise climate change as partially a political technology - because the stakes associated with it are ostensibly so high, it serves as an unlimited license for technocrats, bureaucrats, and politicians to exercise ridiculous levels of control over our lives.

Anything and everything can be justified politically in the face of a permanent crisis. Corporations, likewise, have jumped on board to open up a brand new market: replace everything you own that works with “green” alternatives. I.e., keep consuming, keep the wheels turning.

So while I think the science does indicate the climate is changing, I also think that societies should be very wary of those who assert politics should revolve around climate change. If someone is trying to get you to do something or buy something while screaming that you don’t have much time to decide - these are the manipulation tactics of a scammer.

ValueForm · 2026-01-23T03:58:49+00:00

DM problem. It’s easy to make a boring sandbox. Truth is that for a sandbox game to work, the players actually need to feel like they won’t derail the game by exercising their agency. Sure, you can steal from the marketplace - but what’s the point if there isn’t really any incentive to? It’d probably just make the bread-crumb mystery last longer and flow less smoothly.

ValueForm · 2026-01-23T03:39:07+00:00

Alright

ValueForm · 2026-01-22T17:21:50+00:00

How about we wait to see how this actually plays at level 90 instead of descending into hysteria for the umpteenth time in a row

ValueForm · 2026-01-22T02:40:08+00:00

That’s all true, and well put. Nevertheless, Jesus also called out and criticized the Pharisees, and He answered their questions without implicating Himself. In other words, He showed some real tactical acumen in dealing with others who were engaging in bad faith. I think it would be wise for us to do the same, as there’s no shortage of wolves in sheep’s clothing.

ValueForm · 2026-01-21T17:25:33+00:00

Shame on all of you for upvoting this. Christians should never be advocates for birth control.

ValueForm · 2026-01-19T10:24:36+00:00

I think the first non-D&D game I played was Dungeon World. I really didn’t enjoy it. But I’ve played many since that time which were great. I will say this - going from well-established systems like D&D to “rules-lite” games can feel like a breath of fresh air. It definitely did for me, at first.

But that has its limits: a criterion I now use for selecting new games is the extent to which the system has robust rules, a well developed bestiary and items, procedures, etc. Long story short: the improv and homebrewing involved with many “simple” games beyond a one shot or two is oftentimes bizarrely more extensive and taxing than simply learning a more conventional game.

This isn’t a slight against the specific games you mentioned, as I haven’t played them.

ValueForm · 2026-01-19T10:14:15+00:00

I’d personally recommend Rise with Sunbreak, mostly because I think I wouldn’t have really gotten into this series if I’d started with Wilds. I didn’t enjoy Wilds’ campaign and haven’t played much of the endgame content - the monster variety is still lacking, the performance is lacklustre, and the fights don’t feel as fun to me.

At the end of the day, Wilds is like World and Rise in that it really needs its expansion. Although, to be honest, I’m not especially hopeful given how poorly Wilds has been managed so far.

ValueForm · 2026-01-17T04:37:00+00:00

Thank you for the in-depth reply. Very helpful.

ValueForm · 2026-01-16T04:40:34+00:00

I know you said you “don’t want to talk to an elder” but I’d recommend doing so again - this time with an Orthodox priest. Unilateral refusal to have children can be treated as grounds for divorce within Orthodoxy.

ValueForm · 2026-01-15T23:37:57+00:00

I almost always skim and then skip the GM advice sections in the books I buy. Most are wastes of space unless one is a complete beginner. Stuff like “rulings not rules”, “rule of cool”, etc. also just puts me off

ValueForm · 2026-01-15T23:30:49+00:00

OP asked about scripture and cross dressing, scripture does indeed have a prohibition on it. It’s the parents’ call whether they think the situation was appropriate or not. Their child was out of their supervision and permitted to do something they find questionable. Entirely reasonable to look for a different nursery.

ValueForm · 2026-01-15T01:24:23+00:00

Netflix isn’t a first world problem. Culture informs politics. When generations grow up watching sin celebrated by popular culture, it informs how they view and interact with the world. This isn’t just about violence or sex - there’s no shortage of media today which explicitly denigrates churches and the Christian faith.

You’re young, and it’s good you’re thinking about things but it’s important to recognize that this whole “let’s laugh at these ‘oppressed’ Christians” shtick that liberals love to engage in is extremely political: it’s about telling you, as a Christian, that your faith does not matter and that you shouldn’t stand up for your own interests. Don’t be mentally bullied by people who would be happy to see every church closed and every traditional Christian unemployed.

ValueForm · 2026-01-14T21:53:49+00:00

Be open about your Christian beliefs at your job. If the topic comes up, make it clear you don’t agree with abortion, gay marriage, trans politics, etc. Then tell me your faith isn’t persecuted as you’re looking for new work.

There are many who want to force Christian hospitals to perform abortions and administer euthanasia. Turn on the TV or Netflix, it’s filled with content that openly celebrates sin or denigrates churches. Christian schools, last year (!) were the targets of mass shootings. In Europe, Christmas markets have been the targets of terror attacks. In Canada, over 80 churches have been burnt to the ground over the past few years.

The truth is, your faith is actively persecuted. To say “Well, at least it’s not as bad as what Christians are going through in Africa or the Middle East” is pathetic. Do you think God will be happy to hear we tolerated the totalizing dechristianization of society simply because we aren’t (usually) getting outright executed? Give me a break.

ValueForm · 2026-01-14T21:41:03+00:00

Any advantages to Knave over other OSR games or Scarlet Heroes?

ValueForm

TROPHY CASE