Tabletop RPG Catch All

So I have a week off in August, where I have no plans but to laze about my house watching tv and playing computer games. Would anybody fancy doing a one shot of anything? time difference shouldn't matter due to the fact I have the time off work.

I have a few systems I could run, if there is interest.

Perdita is always looking for more DM's ;-).

Ha, yeah I'll run some DnD, just use the Warhammer Fantasy 2ed Ruleset instead :p

Zudz wrote:

I'm not saying that all Chaotic Evil characters need to be Snidely Whiplash, but morality in Standard Assumption DnD isn't really compatible with the way it works in the real world.

As usual, this all comes with the caveat that if you're not playing the Standard Assumption then you should feel free to do whatever you like.

Yes this was my point. We're playing in a highly political, low fantasy setting. No-one's likely to be casting "protection from evil" any more than they are to cast "protection from socialism". For players comfortable with the concept of alignment but unfamiliar with a more historical setting, it's a useful reinterpretation.

Maq wrote:
Zudz wrote:

I'm not saying that all Chaotic Evil characters need to be Snidely Whiplash, but morality in Standard Assumption DnD isn't really compatible with the way it works in the real world.

As usual, this all comes with the caveat that if you're not playing the Standard Assumption then you should feel free to do whatever you like.

Yes this was my point. We're playing in a highly political, low fantasy setting. No-one's likely to be casting "protection from evil" any more than they are to cast "protection from socialism". For players comfortable with the concept of alignment but unfamiliar with a more historical setting, it's a useful reinterpretation.

That's fair. And I find the common good/individual liberty axis to be an interesting replacement/analogue for good/evil.

Also, now I totally want to cast "Protection From Socialism". I'm definitely going to annoy my next GM with that one.

complexmath wrote:

Yeah, the problem is when you start mapping hunamoids from the Prime Material to these platonic ideals of morality. Casting "protection from evil" should logically protect you from basically every bad guy the typical party faces, while the intent is clearly to protect from extra-planar evil specifically.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/pro...

There are 3 things the spell does and one of them is literally some protection against every bad guy the typical party faces.

Zudz wrote:

Also, now I totally want to cast "Protection From Socialism". I'm definitely going to annoy my next GM with that one.

"Protection From Fascism" would be even better.

I think you can use protection from socialism to prevent the party cleric from healing you. I mean, if you're young and you've got a d10 or a d12 hit die you should be able to opt out of getting cure wounds spells in exchange for an ever so slightly bigger cut of the loot.

"Hey, Cleric, heal me!"

"Pay me first."

"What?! We're all a party! Do your part!"

*protection from socialism*

"Dammit! Okay, here's 12 silver."

Yeah, that's more like it.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

"Hey, Cleric, heal me!"

"Pay me first."

"What?! We're all a party! Do your part!"

*protection from socialism*

"Dammit! Okay, here's 12 silver."

Twelve silver? In this economy? I don't think so.

Ran my first game after years of listening to various podcasts. I GMed with a group of also first timers. D&D 5th edition via roll20.net using a one off adventure. Going to be going through Hoard of the Dragon Queen as a campaign.

BrandonCHFG wrote:

Ran my first game after years of listening to various podcasts. I GMed with a group of also first timers. D&D 5th edition via roll20.net using a one off adventure. Going to be going through Hoard of the Dragon Queen as a campaign.

How did it go?

Everyone asked me the next day when we could play again, so from that standpoint really well.

We got going late and stayed up too late. I found that it's hard to run a game and to learn a rule set and a tool at the same time.

So next time hoping to just be more prepared

However, at one point my dwarf and elf got in a slap fight to distract from the rogue trying to climb the building, and my cleric got stuck in the last fight drunk, with only his fists and a book of poetry as his weapons. So Fun times.

BrandonCHFG wrote:

So next time hoping to just be more prepared

I believe that's the official GM motto.

If you get a chance, you might check out Apocalypse World. It has some excellent advice on running a game.

fogrob wrote:

If you get a chance, you might check out Apocalypse World. It has some excellent advice on running a game.

It sure is good advice, but you can't just apply it straight to D&D. Dungeon World is probably a better place to start if you want to run D&D in a low-prep style.

Another good resource for improvising as you play is Play Unsafe. It has lots of techniques from theatrical improv, written up for use in rpgs.

True on both counts. In addition, the advice we were both talking about is freely available to view on line in the Dungeon World SRD.

Is there a Google docs thing or something somewhere where GWJ people can see who lives somewhat nearby who might be down for in person gaming sessions? Sorry if this is a well known thing that I've missed.

At one point, we had a "Goodjer Map" hosted on Google Maps, but the link in the thread for it is 404'ing.

Dungeon World I like a lot. Bought the core rule book and listened to a couple podcast campaigns. Originally considered that but my players seemed disappointed they weren't playing "authentic" D&D so decided to start with that and branch out. Now they are all really getting into things and we're asking about different games so we'll see.

Does gwj have a roll20.net game anywhere?

fogrob wrote:

True on both counts. In addition, the advice we were both talking about is freely available to view on line in the Dungeon World SRD.

Lots of good advice in the Dungeon World gamemastering chapter. Although, if you plan to run Dungeon World, I'd also check out the Dungeon World Guide, since a few people tend to bounce off the specifics of the system until they understand what is going on under the hood. More of a problem for players with a bit of experience who are suddenly confronted with the way that Moves turn the rules inside out while still facilitating play. (I don't follow the Guide exactly on everything, but it has helped a lot of the people who are initially confused.)

If you're just pulling stuff to make your D&D DMing better, there's still some useful stuff in the Guide, but start with the Dungeon World Gamemastering chapter.

Warriorpoet897 wrote:

Is there a Google docs thing or something somewhere where GWJ people can see who lives somewhat nearby who might be down for in person gaming sessions? Sorry if this is a well known thing that I've missed.

I like this idea. I'm pretty sure this can be done with google maps. It's a little late tonight, but I'll try to get something working tomorrow.

I have a Google doc of helpful websites I made up when 5e came out. I will post a link to it again when I get to a computer.

Has anybody here used Astrosynthesis from NBOS Software?

It's 25% off at RPGNow as part of their big sale (which runs through the 30th), and I'm intrigued but on the fence. I have Fractal Mapper and, although it's a little clunky, like it well enough -- and there seems to be even less competition in 3D starmapping software for gaming than there is in 2D mapping software.

I picked up a copy of Night Witches which is an RPG about the Soviet WWII all-female night bomber regiment 588. It's now at the top of my to-play list. Partially because I have some players I know it will grab, but it's a pretty neat concept all around.

Gremlin wrote:

I picked up a copy of Night Witches which is an RPG about the Soviet WWII all-female night bomber regiment 588. It's now at the top of my to-play list. Partially because I have some players I know it will grab, but it's a pretty neat concept all around.

I'm halfway through a campaign (we have two more missions to go at duty station three), and we're really enjoying it. Definitely worth getting into play as soon as possible.

They announced a Witcher tabletop RPG. Since this is bar none my favorite fantasy setting, in super stoked. I hope the system is streamlined and well implemented.

Warriorpoet897 wrote:

They announced a Witcher tabletop RPG. Since this is bar none my favorite fantasy setting, in super stoked. I hope the system is streamlined and well implemented.

I was just shocked because I figured that there already was one. In Polish if nothing else.

Anyone watching Wil Wheatons Titansgrave? Fantasy Age and the Titansgrave adventure are both in drivethrurpg.

Moon Design takes over Chaosium. (Sort of, more or less.)

Yeah, I've been following this. From what has been said the previous Chaosium management had totally screwed things with their Kickstarters and were in a financial mess. The new team that has taken over is doing their best to rectify the situation. I hope everything works out for the best.