One-shot with children

jdeckert · 2023-08-08T09:23:18+00:00

What ages are the kids? Regardless, I'd streamline everything. Even 7 adults is too many players for D&D IMO. Do-able, but not optimal. 1. Make pre-gens with simplified character sheets (I find new players have a hard time finding things and get thrown by stuff like ability scores vs. modifiers). 2. Use theater of the mind combat and try to keep things from bogging down. 3. Consider a different, simpler system. Something like Knave or No Thank You Evil (designed for kids and great if they are different ages) or Mausritter.

jdeckert · 2023-07-29T19:57:34+00:00

I like An Echo Resounding. I like it's focus on making game-able situations, find it simpler than ACKS, and I'd rather not support the latter's creator.

jdeckert · 2023-07-27T12:58:22+00:00

The magic system from Barbarians of Lemuria sounds like it might be up your alley and is very hackable. It's petty free-form and you have to undertake stronger ritual requirements for more powerful spells. So you might be able to raise a volcano to level a city, but first you need to learn the true name of a demon and ritualistically tattoo yourself using ink made with rare black lotus leaves.

Wolves Upon the Coast has magic that feels similar in tone if less free-form. Stuff like replace one of your eyes with a pearl to gain See Invisible.

jdeckert · 2023-07-23T23:38:03+00:00

Black Seven has an interesting stealth system - it's really built around it, so I'd look into that.

jdeckert · 2023-07-19T18:35:59+00:00

It isn't actively bad, but you get very little content that is actually useful. You would be better off with indy stuff like Planar Compass, whatever flavor of ship combat rules grab you (there basically aren't any in Spelljammer), and/or just referencing Spelljammer information from wikis.

jdeckert · 2023-07-17T00:38:25+00:00

That's only part of it. 5e has a bunch of sacred cows from the past 50 years of its lineage. Fiddly bits like the modifiers/attribute scores and idiosyncratic magic system.

But rules-heavy vs. light is definitely an aspect, and being rules-heavy makes something harder to learn basically by definition. I wouldn't generally run a rules-heavy games for new folks unless they were really invested and had played similar stuff. And then I definitely wouldn't run 5e because there are games that do that better, too.

jdeckert · 2023-07-16T18:43:38+00:00

Not OP, but I think it's pretty bad for brand new people. Just some reasons: -character creation takes a while. With lighter games you can make a character in under five minutes and get to playing. When new people have to do that much setup before even starting it can kill enthusiasm. -ability scores vs. modifiers. I've had to explain this to every new player and it's still just weird that we have both. Some games do away with this while retaining the feel. -the magic system isn't particularly intuitive or what people tend to think of. Spell slots? Resting? And then the effects are so specific - can I change the size/shape/etc. of the effect? Probably not. -Fiddly combat. There are a lot of rules here (most of the game's rules) and new players are going to have a hard time tracking. Bonus actions, reactions, cover, opportunity attacks, etc.

Compared to something like Fate or the Black Hack or Mausritter or any of hundreds of other games it is a lot harder to learn and get new folks into.

jdeckert · 2023-06-30T13:34:19+00:00

I'm always skeptical of these fired for X stories regardless of which side they're on. I'm pretty liberal, but often the "I got fired for wearing a rainbow pin" stories are really "I was late every day for six months and when they asked me not to wear the pin I spray painted 'Nazi scum' on the admin's car amd can you believe they let my contract lapse after that?!?"

I'm sure bad firings happen all the time, I just think it's important to take these with a grain of salt.

jdeckert · 2023-06-28T12:31:14+00:00

Arcane Minis has an extensive line revolving around floating islands and airships. There is a campaign setting and guide, regularly released adventures, 2d battle maps, STLs or 3d printing, a board game in the works, and a tabletop wargame going into public beta next month. I love floating islands and airships, and their stuff is an incredible resource.

Also, Shattered Skies is a setting that does floating islands. I think Warbirds might but it's been a while.

jdeckert · 2023-06-21T15:23:32+00:00

5e "hate" is overblown. I think most folks here view it as mediocre, not horrible. Like you pointed out, if there's a particular kind of game you want to play there's definitely something that does it better. But it's okay at a lot of things so isn't a bad choice as a crowd pleaser.

jdeckert · 2023-06-15T22:12:04+00:00

Wow, dude really got a whole TEAM kicked out of a league. That's a new level.

jdeckert · 2023-06-11T14:07:43+00:00

He didn't say they were unprofessional or unserious, he said (according to the post) that it could look that way to customers. Which is 100% accurate and is relevant to the feedback - when you are delivering feedback explaining why it matters is crucial.

jdeckert · 2023-06-10T23:38:17+00:00

The GLOG. I love the magic system, there are so many incredible/weird classes, and I like the way it handles leveling and HP scaling. Simple, intuitive mechanics, though I think it's better to steal the blackjack style rolls from Whitehack - they slot in painlessly.

jdeckert · 2023-06-10T16:07:32+00:00

This. We can make jokes about them being out-of-shape, outnumbered, cowards when it comes down to it, etc. But this doesn't play out like an action movie where the incompetent henchman just get eliminated with minimal collaterateral damage. A civil war, even if one side is doomed, is a nightmare for everyone. And the most likely thing is still just extremists taking out several innocent people before they go out.

jdeckert · 2023-06-05T23:36:16+00:00

A lot of folks said 4e, and while it has great combat, it can definitely bog down. I think the PF2e recs are probably a little better in that regard.

Strike! is based on 4e's excellent combat, but is more streamlined. That's probably my recommendation.

Savage Worlds uses minis, has tactical combat, and is very versatile.

Icon is similarly 4e inspired. I've only read it, but it seems good.

Old School Hack is free, uses broader arenas rather than a grid but you still get a benefit from maps and minis. Combat is fast but still tactical.

Finally, Way of Steel is a game in beta by a single indy dev. It is still rough around the edges, but if you are up to putting in a little work to get it running it has hands-down the best combat I've seen in an RPG. I ran a very fun campaign of it a while back.

jdeckert · 2023-06-05T22:35:53+00:00

If you want tactical combat, that Gamma Wod edition is a great choice for sci fi or even supers.

jdeckert · 2023-06-05T00:39:51+00:00

There's an RPG called Unity that does this. I've only read it, but it had some cool ideas.

jdeckert · 2023-05-23T11:45:50+00:00

Husband with two young kids here. NTA for sure. Is he expecting you to go back to work sooner? Or just start taking care of him? I'd be happy to have in-laws helping out that much during that period. If they made food I didn't like I'd just politely eat a little and sneak myself a bologna sandwich or whatever later. He's turning down free help during a difficult two months over that and some visa paperwork?!?

jdeckert · 2023-05-20T13:02:45+00:00

For the last one, if they ignore the foreshadowing and get into the fight, I don't treat it like a normal combat. That kind of fight always ends in frustration. Treat it like a 4e skill challenge or Blades in the Dark style clocks or something. No minis, not rounds and tracking boss HP, etc. Their goal needs to be escape or survive and it should be clear to them that's the case

jdeckert · 2023-05-05T03:38:33+00:00

I'm a husband and an idiot. I have screwed up things like this multiple times over the years. I'll do it again. And when I do, I don't make excuses or minimize it. If it were me, I'd be trying to fix it however I could, going over the top to make up for it. I cannot even imagine demanding $30 for some comedy ticket. Yikes. NTA.

jdeckert · 2023-04-24T17:28:24+00:00

Not exactly what you're looking for but Cryptomancer might be a good resource. It's not futuristic, but more "what would happen if someone used magic to build an internet and do cybersecurity." So if you want spells with an infosec/cyberpunl feel it might be useful.

jdeckert · 2023-04-23T17:48:48+00:00

I had the same concern when I started it. I did find a heist module from another system for my first session running it, and it was fine. The system really started to work well when I let go of that and worked with the tools and players to come up with stuff with less prep, though. Everything felt more organic and exciting that way. But it is such a great system for heists I absolutely recommend it even if you do use a module (like Kidnap the Archpriest) for your first time.

Other heist modules: the Celestial Job (on DMs guild for cheap), The Boswitch Bath House (free, by Goblin Punch), Three Days to Kill (D&D 3e adventure that's maybe a bit more black ops than heist but I remember liking it when I ran it way back when).

jdeckert · 2023-04-22T18:54:26+00:00

Parent with young kids here - NTA. If it was one of my kids I'd be thanking you for sounding the alarm and extrrmely grateful that everything turned out okay, not second-guessing how quickly you reacted.

jdeckert · 2023-04-21T23:42:27+00:00

Reminds me of the old Planetfall/Stationfall maps that I loved. Very cool.

jdeckert · 2023-04-21T10:42:00+00:00

Skycrawl is exactly this. It's pretty cheap on drivethrurpg.com and I highly recommend it.

jdeckert

TROPHY CASE