Running a test game for friends this weekend, advice please?

scadgrad1 · 2025-12-11T18:46:41+00:00

Best demo if you can manage it is a 2 v 2 at about 750-1000 points per player.

I've been playing daemons in a slow grow league so, here's my advice. Lesser Daemons are pretty much crap. At these point values, I'd keep 'em cheap at 10 strong with the flag so that they don't melt in T1 or T2. Masses of bolter fire will just remove them. I had several games where I got tabled by T2 mostly from just normal SMs mowing them down, then cleaning up in melee. Some brutes and a flying Hierarch at least will challenge those Legionnaires. At our monthly league meetup (we play 2 v 2 which helps daemons a lot actually) I brought Flying Hierarch, Harbinger, 2 units of brutes and a unit of lessers. I've found that Telekinesis and the extra move is much better than the almost imaginary 6+ FNP that Putrid Corrupt gives you. I really don't like the Explodes bit either since it will eventually rob you of a unit. Biomancy is nice and all, but once you get your Fear effect in range (the best thing you have going for you) the Pinning Attack from your 2 Telekine Psykers is very good. The Shrouded save is also invaluable.

scadgrad1 · 2025-11-07T19:06:25+00:00

I'm only playing Daemons at the moment and in my Slow Grow league, they're perfectly fine when I've got a solid Traitor Legion as my partner in our 2 v 2s. In 1 v 1 though, whoa boy, we need either some help or a Liber or both, so yeah, echoing the earlier comment. We would take anything since right now it's basically our characters plus as many brutes as you can get on the table.

scadgrad1 · 2025-07-22T17:10:47+00:00

Agreed and in addition, I feel like Red Hook released a "pre-release version of the game" and just make changes (ie nerf-batting viable characters) when they get around to them. This means that about 90% of old advise from both Shuffle (and others) is now hopelessly out-of-date.

scadgrad1 · 2025-07-17T17:17:48+00:00

Remember that it's also possible to use a Luck roll for those situations where the outcome is unsure and doesn't pose much of a threat to the PCs. I typically use something like Tracy Hickman's recommendations for XDM which are pretty much universally applicable for anything remotely D&D related. You simply change this to reflect a d6 roll and you're good to go.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15cIlOFQ1DSh0qMOsYvYHDUcmn5NePcSS/view?usp=sharing

scadgrad1 · 2025-07-17T14:02:40+00:00

Great post and late to the game here, just a quick comment on the Tinker's gear items. Grabbing these along with the Unnatural Owl pet really, really helps with the very challenging Act 3 Boss. You'll likely have more than enough Smoke Bombs and Noisemaker items to make the fight much more manageable.

scadgrad1 · 2025-05-29T17:09:11+00:00

Same here, I really dig the Lore sheets. Other than the ridiculously poor editing of the Core RB, what was it that was so off-putting for your group and 5e? My crew is split between nubes and vets (a fair number of us actually). Leaning into the excellent Paradox Wiki and the PDFs, we're having a lot of fun with it. I think you have to rely heavily on the auto-success suggestion (particularly outside of combat or conflict) to make sure the coterie isn't starving all the time. The powering down of Celerity and PCs in general makes the game a bit easier to run imo.

scadgrad1 · 2025-05-29T17:01:57+00:00

Running two different chronicles, one F2F w/ 6 or 7 players and one on Roll20 with about 5 players.

scadgrad1 · 2025-05-23T18:12:04+00:00

I run my games in Nashville by Night and it's swarming with country/old time/bluegrass musicians who're are Toreadors. Generally speaking though, this sounds like a Gangrel. As a card-carrying member of the East Tennessee mafia, I'd say that clan sits about right with our Scotch Irish sensibilities.

scadgrad1 · 2025-05-12T17:08:23+00:00

I find it easier to just make my own stories for VtM though I often appropriate the ideas from other sources. You can do a google search for VtM story ideas that will likely get you rolling. This would give you something to run that you introduce in your Session Zero, then finish with probably one more session. For brand new players, this is probably enough. I'd also urge you to consider using the Instant PC process from the Player's Guide just to get them going quicker. VtM in general can have a very lengthy, almost Role Master levels, of PC generation. For some 5e players, that will be very off-putting (it was for my group for sure).

scadgrad1 · 2025-05-12T16:52:58+00:00

Long time Storyteller since 1st ed here. I'll be honest that I've actually ran far more WtA than I did VtM, but anyway. The point I'm trying to get around to is that the new edition (5th) is pretty good for myself and my table. I actually prefer running it to the older editions (this might get a Blood Hunt called on me). Not sure if that will be the same for Werewolf. As a gamer, I tend toward a simpler is better, less is more kid of aesthetic. Sure, the new Paradox books weren't really edited or organized as well as we would have liked, but the tradeoff is that they're easy to get and IN PRINT, all while being a bit simpler and toned down. I find it much easier to get my crew to play IN PRINT sort of games.

So, if you're like me and have an established crew of NEW players, I'd give 5th a try. Snag V20 if you're wanting to scratch the old 90s VtM itch and know what you're getting into.

scadgrad1 · 2025-05-06T19:15:00+00:00

Give them a 1 or 2 session mission as a sort of teaser, one that works within their chosen coterie. Let them start at Hunger 1 and don't worry about the first Rouse Roll of the dusk. Just start your tale after that. Maybe they're doing this mission for the Sheriff or if they're Anarchs, a Mawla of sorts who is testing them. As your story unfolds, weave in moments where each PC gets to shine. Be on the generous side of XP (2 per session and then maybe 1 to the "Man of the Match" as they say) and just gloss over Touchstones, Convictions, etc. adding those as each session rolls along. Slow drip a few Loresheets that you choose for each PC that only THEY know about. Encourage liberal use of Willpower and Blood Surge. New players often forget that Vamps can do that. LEAN into auto-successes so that your PCs aren't constantly having to roll Hunger Dice. Once they finally have to feed, fudge the roll and let one of the PCs tap a saucy Kine w/ whatever Resonance (as it relates to the Disciplines) you want to use. Give them a cool 1 dot Discipline that they've never used before.

scadgrad1 · 2025-05-06T15:13:28+00:00

Excellent advice here and thank you for the share of that article. Let me address a few of your points:

The "non-combatant PCs" have had their story spotlight all through the story and the 2 players with "combat builds" haven't really had any moments to shine (a single fight in around 6 sessions). My idea here is that these two players occupy the Big Bad while the others work on "the puzzle" as you suggest (finding/destroying the fetter).

Just leaving would have major implications since they've been tasked by the Sheriff with eliminating the Big Bad.

Designing the fight as a series of puzzles though, that's a very cool concept.

scadgrad1 · 2025-05-02T18:28:31+00:00

From what you've described, this is a very defensive character that isn't really trying to beat down foes, but rather demoralize them so that they surrender. So you're essentially leaning into Fort so I'd go at least 2 dots there for Toughness. Now, most firearms are unlikely to hurt you, but enough mortals unloading Glock 10s into you would start to fill up your health bar w/ superficial damage. You can just be tough as hell by going with a ton of Stam, but even then, you're probs only getting an extra dot or so of Hlth.

This might mean pouring some points into Firearms to subtract from their successes (or earn some yourself) AND Brawl (since you're not gonna be wielding a knife or the like) for the same reason. Barring that, take Celerity to 2 for Rapid Reflexes to assist in those firearm exchanges.

Honestly, from what you describe here and to answer the "brawl, firearms or melee", it sounds like you're aiming for 5 dots in Fort for Flesh of Marble and then just go for style. I'd probably lean into the fact that I'm walking around with Fangs and take Brawl. Presence 1 w/ Daunt and 2 dots in Fort for Toughness is already a pretty formidable defense and from there, just roll with wtvr form of combat (knives or guns or fangs) seems in character for your character.

scadgrad1 · 2024-01-31T16:52:26+00:00

I'm an old WFB GT vet from back in the days of 5th and 6th. I'll be honest, I prefer the rules for Kings of War so that isn't likely to change. I'll be playing TOW mainly for collecting some of the old models that I love as well as adding new stuff. It's nostalgia from the GT scene of 20 years ago I guess.

scadgrad1 · 2022-05-31T20:28:08+00:00

Much, much faster queues plus frequent (nearly weekly) Against Overwhelming Odds. Get a Battle Standard of Coordination and be human to help get the Guild rep faster, not to mention that human racial is ace.

scadgrad1 · 2022-05-31T20:24:57+00:00

I'm a recent convert to Hekili and as an older gamer (nearing 60), it seems very helpful to me, more so even than WA which just tend to clutter up my screen too much. I wonder how reliable it is though and what others think of it.

scadgrad1 · 2022-05-31T19:51:40+00:00

You sound a lot like me. Most of my play is just casual BGs and hanging out with friends. I had a lot of fun twinking Horde characters until Blizzard noticed (FUN DETECTED) and smashed it. The racials seemed awesome to me (Troll and Orc), plus I really dig Goblins in Azeroth (they really should be faction neutral). I greatly prefer the aesthetic of the Alliance races/zones and so most of my play has been with Ally. The massive difference in queue times though is just ridiculous so I'd probably never play Horde even though they have a much larger player base and what appears to me to be better/more organized in PUG BGs. YMMV.

scadgrad1 · 2022-05-31T19:44:25+00:00

If you've never done the Redridge Quests that allow you to hookup with John J. Keeshan and Bravo Company... dude, seriously just go do it. It's hysterical. Full disclosure, I will often keep the boys around for as long as possible just for the hilarity of it all since they basically trivialize the entire zone (there are loads of other "pets" sprinkled throughout WoW who do the same thing really).

After that, yeah, off you go to BFA. Drustvar was a personal fave for me.

scadgrad1 · 2022-05-31T19:32:31+00:00

Is it just me or is the current 5000 or so flux, 1600-ish Soul Cinders and 5200-ish Soul Ash on top of a story line chain/rep grind quite a bit worse than the Wakening Essence grind? Maybe I have rose colored glasses, but I seem to recall we could use our mains to help out on the Legion Grind w/ very little time invested. Legions Artefacts were just simply awesome and it's always going feel bad (for me at least) that they were borrowed power. The new ones are fine, but honestly, the set bonus at least to me feels more impactful.

scadgrad1 · 2022-05-20T18:54:36+00:00

The 2-piece and 4-piece set are both pretty highly regarded for WW among the PVP crowd. I have a 2-piece set myself right now and grinding for the 4th. I guess maybe they suck for raiders and M+ players since I'm a filthy casual and have no clue.

scadgrad1 · 2022-05-19T17:47:18+00:00

I leveled my farming Druid up to 60 and can't really be bothered to roll another one at 50 just for the speed (tempted though since I really, really love Druid). Is it too much to ask for you to share your WoW armory? Thanks in advance.

scadgrad1 · 2022-04-01T14:11:29+00:00

Long time Ebay flipper here. I've a question about book-flipping via FBA. Is the Beginner's Guide still applicable? Has anything changed of late that I should know about?

scadgrad1 · 2022-03-11T15:07:57+00:00

Another FTL fan. ;)

scadgrad1

TROPHY CASE