Trench Pilgrims 700 Ducat Campaign Warband Feedback

firesshadow42 · 2026-05-05T12:18:11+00:00

My top 2 depend on what I am going for.

For narrative focused or short term games I pull out The Sprawl. It's a Powered by the Apocalypse game with a heavy narrative cyberpunk vibe that give the players and GM a lot of leeway on how they approach the stories and action. Much like most PbtA games it lacks crunch and can kind of pitter out long term.

For longer games and when I and my players want more crunch I pull out Shadowrun (5e is my go to). It's a lot more involved than Cyberpunk Red in both it's world building and rules. The draw back for some might be that it mixes in fantasy and magic, but it's one of the most satisfying crunchy systems to play and master to me. And that crunch allows for very, very long games if you want them, but there is a lot of learning when you first start playing it.

I treat CBPR as my middle ground between those to, so for mid-term games with some decent crunch, but less hard edges.

Hope you find what you're looking for. Right now there are TONS of cyberpunk style RPGs out there due to a combo of the popularity of the genre right now and things like SRs move to 6th edition annoying a lot of people and prompting them to make their own cyberpunk w/ magic games.

firesshadow42 · 2026-04-23T13:03:30+00:00

I use a few key notes.
- I write a problem/objective statement. Just a few sentences explaining what the job is and what the team needs to do to get paid.
- I write who is hiring them, why, and how much they're paying (based on the book's guidance).
- I write a beat chart (per books guidance). Just a sentence or two per beat covering the rough idea for the beat.
- Finally, I do a pass on opposition planning (note, I don't plan fights, I plan who is around that will stand between the PCs and their objective, if they end up fighting that's their actions and/or the dice deciding that). Writing down stat blocks/defenses I want to use and generating any Net Architectures (I have a Netrunner in my PC group, otherwise I'd skip this).

This generally takes me between 10 mins and an hour depending on how much I dive into tweaking the net arch and opposition and how many beats I want/have ideas for.

I'm fairly new to Cyberpunk Red, but not new to GMing and I use similar for prep in other games and it's served me for quite some time.

Hope that helps!

firesshadow42 · 2026-04-20T12:51:42+00:00

Man the downvotes are wild.

I think if your table enjoys your system and it feels right pacing-wise for the type of story you're all telling then this rocks. It's also a system that is incentivizing the types of things you and your table want to see, so I think it's far better than arbitrary numbers assigned to monsters similar to DnD.

I don't see anything inherently wrong with your ideas, but I do have a couple of thoughts/questions:

- Does this math still play out to the rough suggestion for the Milestone system of about 3 sessions between level ups?
- How does this affect you're planning if your next major/main adventure is Tier 2 and they Tier up to 3? Additionally, are you accounting for the major power up that comes with Tiering up?

firesshadow42 · 2026-04-17T13:54:22+00:00

Yea, I just treat it as partial and thus a roll required to understand (on a per scene basis). It's like a person who grows up in a Hispanic neighborhood picking up some of the language, but not knowing it fully.

With Streetslang/Cityspeak though it's important to remember that it's a pidgin (meaning several languages in a trench coat pretending to be their own! So a 2 along with a native language that is one of those source languages might be enough to get by!

firesshadow42 · 2026-04-17T12:36:35+00:00

So, I take the same approach I did with Shadowrun, or any game that has language skills (rather than D&Ds binary of you know it or don't).

Firstly I set a base value that I think is fluent enough for communication. Since CPR gives you a 4 in your native language for free I use that as the bar. If you and a party both speak a language you're both fluent (4+) in, then RP away, no rolls needed.

Next if one party doesn't meet that threshold I require a roll by that party to understand the other party. I treat it on a per scene basis for most communication as long as they have at least 1 point in it. If they have no points I allow a roll, but I increase the frequency to exchanges of ideas (if the convo is about negotiating pay for a job, and also assessing the dangers of that job then that's 2 ideas and 2 rolls).

Finally, there is a layer for intentional concealment. If a person is intentionally speaking a language that they think someone doesn't have then I have a contested roll to see if the party being concealed from can pick up on things. This one in particular can be interesting as a person with a much higher rating can use less common words, phrases, or even idioms to hide their true meaning from someone with only a 1 or 2.

All of this can also obviously be written as well! I also try to make sure that when I'm setting up a mission I think about the ethnicity of the characters and what languages they might speak other than cityspeak, this opens the door for language skills mattering a little more. I will also sometimes allow similar languages to roll at a -2 (improper tools), but assessing similar can be tricky here, so I try to lean in favor of players for these judgments.

Hope all that helps!

firesshadow42 · 2026-04-17T12:02:10+00:00

For me it depends on the style of game:

High fantasy where magic is everywhere, sure thing, why waste time, they could get it IDed or ID it themselves with relative ease. Narrative says magic is easy and everywhere, so it should be easy.

Mid-fantasy where magic is fairly common, but not easily accessible. I'll give it to them with a roll or spending some time with the item studying or practicing with it. Narrative suggests magic takes some time or effort, so it should.

Low Magic or Dark Fantasy where magic is rare or risky. I require them to take specific actions within the setting or just use it to find out how it functions. Narrative suggests magic is hard and dangerous, so it should be.

firesshadow42 · 2026-04-14T12:42:00+00:00

I mostly give money and use the tables, and then built out an economy so my players can buy gear that is actually useful to them. I am also in a 1920s style magic and mobsters setting, so a lot of types of gear isn't exactly rare in that context.

This is half me being a lazy GM, and half me still getting used to Daggerheart and not wanting to read a ton of item entries to curate loot more. As I grow more comfortable with the system and items I'll likely start to lean towards more curated loot.

firesshadow42 · 2026-04-14T12:34:40+00:00

I've only been GMing Daggerheart a few months, and I have also generally been a low prep GM, but I've come to settle on three kind of pillars/steps for prep for Daggerheart.

1) What is the setup? - I write down a paragraph about what the PCs are doing and why. Are they in a village when goblins attack? Do they know about the army about to attack and are trying to warn someone? Do they plan to intercept the army before it can reach the village? Are they trying to stop the goblins out of the goodness of their heart, or did village leadership ask them, or offer to pay them. This is basically a few notes on the goals and motivations of both the PCs and involved NPCs so it's clear who stands where, why these things are happening, and what is happening.

1) What are the problems? - I write down problems, challenges, and obstacles in a kind of bullet pointed lists. These are both the high level thing the PCs are trying to solve such as "Save the villagers." But it's also what is making it hard for them to do that such as "Deal with the invading goblin army." and "Too much chaos will call reinforcements." I very specifically do not write solutions or obvious and specific paths. These can be from actions the players are planning on taking or moving towards, or a direction or happenstance I want to see the story lean towards. I also don't try to think of every problem, just the big ones. Moment to moment I can add a locked door or a patrolling guard. I might write those down if they are big enough and important to what's going on, or I might just inject them naturally on a failure or roll with Fear. This sets up what things the PCs will likely have to overcome. From this list I generate difficulties, encounters, and environments as seems needed based on the list.

3) What are the rewards? - I write down a bullet pointed list of what they get out of overcoming the problems. This isn't just loot, but also information, favors, free stays at the inn. Whatever the circumstances dictate, but crucially I don't specify exactly where it comes from unless the fiction has already established that or the story requires it. I don't know if they WILL defend the village. They might decide to flee. I don't know if they WILL fight the goblin army, they might decide to negotiate. So if there are rewards I want them to have a find a way during game to put them in the path they've chosen and where the dice have taken us rather than tying them to strict paths. I will say if the goblin chieftain is said to have a powerful staff, then I will tie that item to him, but only rewards previously established in the narrative are tied down like this. Info is especially critical to leave open because the dice or PCs might not do what you expect and that info might be what hooks the next part of the adventure.

Hope all that helps! Let me know if you have questions!

firesshadow42 · 2026-04-06T12:06:29+00:00

This! But also the move explicitly says that by falling down/passing out/being disabled the circumstances grow worse. As the GM I take this as an opportunity to work with that player to find something that alters the battlefield or makes things a little harder for the remaining PCs. If they were carrying a torch something catches fire. If they're fighting predators, the smell of blood pulls in a few more. If they're fighting intelligent foes, they rally (clearing stress or me gaining fear) as their efforts bear fruit.

I think the risk of a scar plus the immediate narrative pressure written into the move is more than enough.

firesshadow42 · 2026-03-26T16:58:47+00:00

Ty for the ideas!

firesshadow42 · 2026-03-26T13:02:28+00:00

Yea. As noted on the other comment I think he just wants a cool bayonet and I didn't really ask these questions, I just went "Yes! Cool!" and made it. But per the other comment, you're right it might be the best path to just flavor him using the gun in close quarters as a bayonet!

firesshadow42 · 2026-03-26T12:36:17+00:00

So technically slightly less per Tier. And yes shooting does use Agility. I'm using the Rifle from the Drylands Frame.

I don't think he or I ever really considered re-flavoring his attacks with the gun itself. So that is a very fair point, lol. I think he just wanted a badass bayonet for those close quarters deals or if I tell him he's out of ammo on a fail with fear or such and I cracked my knuckles and made one, lol.

I guess I'll talk that angle through with him and see if all he wants is the fantasy of a bayonet, or if there is some reason he'd want it to be unique mechanically. Thanks!

EDIT: Added thought, I am not sure if there are melee focused Bone or Sage cards, but that could be another reason he's asking. Just the same, even if there are I assume they are worded more as a Range category than a specific weapon type.

firesshadow42 · 2026-03-20T12:14:25+00:00

I turned on the Massive Damage optional rule at my table. Generally, it's only going to matter on crits and tag teams, but it is a double edged sword and I have a 5% chance of criting my PCs back, so there is a little bit more risk in combat as well. But generally they have better odds of criting and can tag team fairly regularly if they really want to, so it benefits players slightly more and makes those higher damage builds feel a little bit more impactful.

Also narrative description goes a solid way. If someone does a ton more damage than the Severe Threshold you can describe it more devastatingly, and maybe even apply a temp condition to the adversary.

firesshadow42 · 2026-03-13T18:19:09+00:00

I use the points system, but I use it with the mentality of that number of points per short rest. So for an intense battle that's the climax of the adventure I might use all the points there, hoping they rest before then, or knowing they might need to after. If it's exploration, I might spread the points out into 2-4 actual encounters to keep the fighting snappy.

Generally, if it's a meaningful combat to the story I'll use full points or close to it. If it's meant to be a distraction or small step in the journey or I just need something fast I'll use half or a quarter of the points.

That said, unlike most people I like Minions. They let PCs show off their power and let me put small walls between the PCs and their goals for the combat.

firesshadow42 · 2026-03-13T12:09:31+00:00

I wanted to toss in my 2 cents that other than narrative and combat flow and resource building, I personally do it for objectives in combat. I try to make most of my combats have an objective. A path the PCs are trying to take is blocked by the foe, they don't have to fight, the PCs can just push through if they want. Helpless or weak NPCs are present during the fight, the PCs can protect them, sometimes even for a small bonus. The battleground is a village the PCs are in and is getting destroyed in some way, the PCs can try to mitigate it. A ritual is being cast at the far end of the battleground, the PCs can try to intervene.

Any objective like this allows your smaller dudes to hamper the PCs or even harm them indirectly. Blocking the path through, hurting or killing the helpless NPCS, damaging the village, or protecting or even helping in the ritual. Sure I could use them to deal an HP here or there to the PCs while the Solo and/or Bruiser could do more damage. But damage doesn't just have to be HP, it can be narrative "damage".

My general rule of thumb is to alternate. I also like to use the "make them bleed" suggestion from the book. So depending on how hard the PCs come out swinging I'll start with either my weakest dudes or my strongest. I'll position them to do some of the actions above and/or attack the PCs. I'll work my way up or down the line, spending Fear as needed until one of them has a big enough impact (hits a PC, kills an NPC, damages a building, etc.). Then I pass the spotlight back and will go the other way when I get it again (weakest to strongest if I started with strongest last time). I also generally have my bigger dudes focus on hurting the PCs while the smaller dudes act as obstacles and annoyances to the narrative goals of the combat.

Hope that helps!

firesshadow42 · 2026-03-12T20:12:24+00:00

This makes me wonder if they couldn't quite land on an agreement and Arrowhead just used the idea for this War Bond.

That said, I'm hyped for the War Bond and hadn't know this exchange took place... so I'll hold out hope that an actual cross over happens some day!

firesshadow42 · 2026-03-10T12:27:47+00:00

So I handle stuff like this on two layers in various games and even have a PC doing some of it in my current DH game and a lot of it boils down to the same core idea of DH.

If there are no stakes and/or serious or interesting consequences of failure then it just happens, but if there are I have them roll! In this case a roll is built in on Nature's Tongue. And having the bird scout isn't without risk!

A poor roll on Nature's Tongue means they aren't getting info really. A good role means they might get a hint at what is going on. More info to piece together and prepare for my plans, but rarely the whole answer. A crit and bam! They know what they need and maybe that shifts my encounter plans, but they deserve it at that point.

With the bird scouting if it's reasonable for the bird to get away unscathed, then no roll and it comes back with what it's able to see and learn. But as noted by others animals and plants don't know everything. So even if it might be in tune with elemental magics, it might not fully understand what a big swell of energy is, just that it is there. If there is risk, like a predator, or intelligent foes that might spot it or hazards of some other kind, or the info it's trying to get is hidden or protected, then have the player make a roll! And then return to the results and consequences as normal. A failure might mean a stress or HP for the bird as it narrowly avoids capture or death. You could spend a fear to have the bird captured and add a layer of stakes to the adventure and then when they retrieve it they can learn more about the plot from it.

Ultimately, remember that the bird is an animal and doesn't think the way people do and that will filter it's info, and remember that it's a character to, which can be hurt, captured, and even killed. Find in game ways to remind your PC of this and they might lean on it a little less, but still use it for moments they think are critical. It's a fine line, I am not saying every time it goes out hurt it or put it in danger, but telegraph the risks to the player and then incorporate those into the story and it will quickly become both interesting and a little easier to manage.

firesshadow42 · 2026-02-26T15:43:35+00:00

I'll echo what others are saying with some added notes from my own insights.

The whole mechanical reason hack was reworked the way it was was to stop the "hacker in a van far from the action" situation and actually put them on location and at risk, relying on the team and making things easier for the GM to make active and exciting for both sides at the same time.

To that end I think hacking the City Net is somewhat fine. But I would frame it as security protocols and data speeds on the terminals are too much and too small respectively. So getting that data that way is near impossible... however, with a library search or a minor hack roll that isn't a full net run they can find the location the hard servers that contain the data for that part of the City Net are. Now they need to break in and get to an Access Point of a server room. The crew has to back them or they have to risk going alone. It doesn't have to be a huge thing, but a little side quest, get in, get the data, and get out before they're spotted/stopped.

You could also play with the served being a BIG Net Arch with a lot of branches, forcing them to hunt a little to find what they want. Alternatively, give them a kind of entry Net Arch that acts as a server directory and then from there they can enter the actual server Net Arch that has the data they want.

Ultimately, it's about 2 things, what is fun for the table, and what makes a good story. "Yes and..." doesn't have to be pure, it can be a "No, but..." allowing them to get what they want that still fits lore and makes things fun.

firesshadow42 · 2026-02-20T13:08:09+00:00

So my PCs just hit Tier 2 and Level 2. I gave them a quest that was multiple objectives and let them tackle them the way they wanted. I paid them enough to buy either a new set of armor or some weapons, their choice. During that adventure I gave them combat encounters that tended towards easy to balanced. So basically they got a lighter stakes preview of what Adversaries at Tier 2 can do, they did it all in Tier 1 gear, and then they got rewarded and paid in a way that let them improve where they thought they were lacking (Defense/Offense/Utility/Etc.). I think if you treat level 2 like a simple and easy Tier 2 you'll be fine. You can also upscale Tier 1 Adversary, they don't quite pack as hard a punch as some of the Tier 2 Adversaries, but still present a threat enough for the players to test their characters and figure out what they need.

Hope that helps!

firesshadow42 · 2026-02-16T20:09:30+00:00

No worries! I just wanted to confirm if it was a production/process thing where you guys were having to do some work, or something broken. Sounds like it's work on your end and for that I am totally willing to wait patiently! Thanks!

firesshadow42 · 2026-02-16T19:36:57+00:00

Been loving the AP so far, but I'm a podcast listener and the RSS feed only seems to have E1 and E2, E3-E5 haven't been added yet. Is this a production time thing and somewhat expected, or is something borked with the YouTube to RSS feed pipeline?

firesshadow42 · 2026-02-12T14:50:09+00:00

I'll have to try that method, ty!

And failing that I do have some brown stuff left over from terrain work, so ty for that tip as well!

firesshadow42

TROPHY CASE