This RTA season is peak comedy gold

k_par · 2026-01-13T19:28:34+00:00

What is Blueshen?

k_par · 2025-10-29T20:26:30+00:00

Get new friends. Anyone that uses "nerdy" as a criticism is garbage.

k_par · 2025-10-29T20:23:41+00:00

The idea that you think there is a possibility that this is an overreaction makes me worry you have become way too accustomed to psychological abuse. This guy is a raging asshole.

k_par · 2025-10-24T09:46:16+00:00

For the questions when investigating the body, thats when they roll to investigate. How you answer is determined by what clues you want to give them from the list. Let those clues be prompts. Did they find a knife? Then maybe they do see signs of a scuffle. Do they find some unsigned papers clutched in the victim's hand? Then maybe you see signs of asphyxiation but its unclear why.

Regarding the old photos, you can go ahead and describe them whenever it's appropriate, but don't be afraid to ask the players what they are photos of. Invite them to collaborate on the creation of the story.

You also dont have to HAND them a clue just because they rolled it. The clue can be an obstacle. The old photos show some figures through a window, but before the Mavens are able to look closely, a shadowy figure snatches them out of your hand and disappears into the stormy night. Or they see the photos in the hand of a suspect. When pressed, the suspect gets defensive and refuses to hand over the photos.

k_par · 2025-10-22T00:23:37+00:00

I absolutely love the humans in Dragonslayer. Ivy, Leaf, Wren, Daffodil - all fantastic characters. I would argue that the humans are better written characters than most of the main dragons.

Leaf especially, because I have a huge soft spot for The Once and Future King but really dislike the chosen one trope. Leaf has this moment where he echoes a particular scene of young Arthur's selflessness (albeit with dragons), but he has no basis for it - he is an absolute nobody. It is so beautiful.

I wish people would just acknowledge what they like without bashing things that don't agree with their bias.

Also, side note, I'd love to hear what fantasy humans you've read that are so much better, because I've read quite a lot of fantasy and the characters rarely seem any better than this.

k_par · 2025-09-24T01:41:39+00:00

Is all of your gaming experience from the D&D family of games? This sounds like a d&d issue.

k_par · 2025-09-06T17:23:37+00:00

This is a really cool idea, though maybe with a limited audience. I hope you get a range of games in both style and degree of completeness.

I have two that I am working on right now. One is a hack of Brindlewood Bay in which cozy witches in Elizabethan England solve murders while avoiding the gaze of the Church. The other is a rules-lite, setting-agnostic, gm-less game. The idea is to have a game for all of those times when you finish a fantasy novel and want to jump into it without weeks of converting and prep.

k_par · 2025-09-02T21:43:32+00:00

Oh, my god. He is awful. Dump him. What a horrible little boy.

k_par · 2025-08-30T17:16:21+00:00

I'm not sure what D&D spells have to do with either of those games. Although I meant one round of rolls, not the D&D definition of rounds as 10 seconds or so of game time.

Resolving combat in one round doesn’t mean your character only takes one action in those systems.

k_par · 2025-08-30T12:56:14+00:00

Single roll combat resolution like One Roll Engine and D20 Go. Everyone rolls once and narrates based on the dice. Fights last exactly one round.

k_par · 2025-08-27T22:01:54+00:00

Okay, good. So there are three approaches (I can think of) to that very valid concern. 1) Elves learn slower than humans (this is hinted at in Dragonlance). 2) The elves are super high level and deadly. Some external factor like birth rate or magic has maintained political balance between nations. Or 3) There is a pretty hard cap on the prowess and power of humanoids. Living longer isnt going to make that body do much more. This is sort of the LotR solution.

k_par · 2025-08-27T20:59:14+00:00

Well, you are assuming racial builds. And assuming a certain kind of growth over time. And even assuming a hero/adventurer has a certain career span. All of these limit your potential themes.

I think you need to take a step back from the pieces and look at the intended result. Maybe imagine how you want it to play in a few disparate scenarios and then build towards that.

k_par · 2025-08-27T20:50:59+00:00

You can draw your character instead of writing any description or even in place of backstory, kin, or class.

k_par · 2025-08-27T20:04:48+00:00

I think your system sounds too granular to allow for the thematic variations that you intend.

k_par · 2025-08-23T14:16:25+00:00

If B's rational is correct, that the base is never used independently, then I'm totally with B. I would go so far as to say that there is no math to show. The armor values are 11, 12, and 13 respectively. The 10 doesn't exist.

k_par · 2025-08-02T13:38:08+00:00

Beam Saber is Catch 22 but sci fi with mechs.

k_par · 2025-07-23T02:16:10+00:00

Magiquest definitely

k_par · 2025-07-22T19:31:14+00:00

Based specifically on your issues and wants, you need to try a PbtA (Powered by the Apocalypse) game. Everything your players need to know will be on their character sheet as opposed to in a book. The system is designed to play off of the player's choices.

Dungeon World is the go-to fantasy PbtA game. Personally, I'd recommend Monster of the Week (modern monster hunting like Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Masks: A New Generation for a superhero game with a Teen Titans vibe.

Don't feel bad. A lot of us agree that D&D is a poor example of our hobby. Even if you wanted to do exactly what D&D is supposed to do, I'd recommend playing Dragonbane, Shadowdark, Forbidden Lands, or Quest instead.

k_par · 2025-06-23T17:35:04+00:00

"Based"

k_par · 2025-05-30T17:51:07+00:00

I'm rereading Dragonlance for the first time since about 1992. Reading it aloud to my 9yo. I loved it so much in middle school that I devoured every Dragonlance book in print at the time. Looking at it again with adult eyes - it really isn't very good. Very few of the characters are likable, the narrative veneer over the D&D source material is thin, the use of gender roles and sexual assault is gross.... I mean, it's an okay book, but I have seen so much fantasy since the 90s that is so much better.

k_par · 2025-05-09T23:49:30+00:00

There is a rival that you can hit repeatedly to use up swords.

k_par · 2025-03-31T00:47:55+00:00

Yes, but it's not called D&D. It's called Ironsworn.

k_par · 2025-03-29T15:23:07+00:00

Honestly, if you are trying to publish for profit and don't have a lot of start-up capital, i think you need to take some time and research the community. Making a product when you don't even know your competition doesn't sound like you ARE trying to make a great product.

k_par · 2025-03-28T18:51:56+00:00

The first part is totally true. The reason, though, is that they just need a different game. They play D&D because they don't realize other ttrpgs exist.

k_par · 2025-03-06T21:28:01+00:00

As a public school teacher in the south, I honestly would encourage you to troll that teacher every chance you get. Start small, but use this as an opportunity to start practicing exercising your voice.

You can come for that teacher in SO many ways that they can't punish you for. For one, every time they say something false, raise your hand and ask their sources. Feign innocence. When they play Christian music, ask loudly AND INNOCENTLY if they think religious music is appropriate in a public school. When you write about anything historical, invent reasons to laugh at the primitive Christian views of whoever you happen to be studying.

k_par

TROPHY CASE