RPGreyhawk

Pregame Prep Talk

2011-06-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

what's your social contract?

Have you experienced a game where expectations varied wildly? Did you have sessions where things went awry because the GM failed to mention some important information about the game?

I've found that a pre-game talk is necessary to establish the ground rules for the game as well as provide a guide for player activities. Here is a list of topics to discuss with the rpg group before the dice fall.

Theme, Genre, Flavor
What's the game about? Do not take it for granted that your definitions are the same as your players'. Someone's fantasy is another players horror. Be as specific as possible without giving away too much information. Don't be too afraid of spoiling the surprise for your players. You may find that what you're planning is not the kind of surprise they want.

Game Length
How long is a campaign? Is it something that goes on forever? Ten years? Even a ballpark will help get people into the right mindset. You may find some people saying "So when do we see the ending?" Conversely, some people may find a "short game" too short.

Group Interplay
Are you expected to play in a party or as a troupe? The typical game puts characters in a team that functions as a unit. Troupe play, as used in the old White Wolf games, means players can take the role of supporting characters when their PCs are not in a scene. Play dynamics will differ.

Conflict Resolution
This is my favorite part and heads off a lot of problems. Agree on a method for resolving intergroup or interparty conflict. I go one step further and tell players if this game can actually handle conflict or not. If it can withstand conflict I give guidelines as to how much. This is simply because I also have preferences. If I don't feel like GMing a particular style of play then I wont. It also becomes easier to see which character and player violated the group agreement. That also makes remediation easier.

Play Style

How do you like to play? Is there a focus on power over role playing? Which aspect of roleplaying do you focus on? Better let everyone know before hand or rather... before things get out of hand.

Houserules
Tell your players about any non-standard mechanics you use or alterations to flavor. This might be the least of your problems unless it impacts someone's character design.

Badass RPG

2011-06-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

This is a shameless plug. Overall great guy Jay Steven Anyong has published an rpg, specifically a Badass RPG.

Badass takes you into the world of cinematic action where the improbable happens all to frequently and is usually accompanied by a heaping of special effects. This is a game of crazy car chases, martial artists dueling on bamboo stalks and, yeah, doing the Matrix bullet dodge. Logic and reason takes a back seat to providing fantastic action sequences. In fact, asserting logic strips you of your abilities and turns you into Joe Average. Yep there are mechanics that force you to shut up and fight.

Needless to say this is a tongue in cheek pick-up game, the kind you'd bring out when the grey matter wants a break. I'd say it's also the game you need if you listen to the news all day. It'll put a smile on your face. Or maybe a wry grin if you want to be a Badass.

... and do I have to mention that its currently FREE on Drivethrough RPG?

Dragon Adversaries

2011-06-14T23:28:00.001-07:00

Mix up your dragons

In the early days the draconic nemesis was nothing more than a massively powerful brute lying on top of a pile of gold. Adventurers with enough muscle (ie. levels) regularly prayed on them. Players realized that they wanted more fearsome dragons especially when the adventurers reached higher levels. All sorts of ideas came about, opening many eyes. Dragons became tactical geniuses able to use terrain to the best possible advantage. Some transformed into campaign arch villains or party benefactors. Still others became rather colorful NPCs such as the Greyhawk City dragons.

In all the editions I've played, the dragon has fulfilled one or the other of these niches. In many cases we've had to use GM fiat to modify the dragon to suit its role (ie. homebrew stats). I appreciate 3.5's ideas for codifying these adjustments. That allowed greater interoperability, in a sense giving gamers a more consistent language for describing unusual creatures.

One thing I did notice was that some Game Masters tended to stick to one particular flavor of dragon. Someone fond of combat always creates a combatant that seemed prescient. The Dragon not only prepared his lair with guerrilla booby traps, they knew what the PCs could do. A few encounters like this would be novel. Every encounter invariably like this becomes tedious. The same goes for the villainous dragon being a spider at the center of the web. You'd think every one wanted to be a spymaster. Sticking to one characterization becomes boring.

You could get more impact from your Dragons simply by mixing up your characterization. Try to use as many different ones to keep the party on its toes. For major villains you can also construct one with deeper personality much like a PC or NPC.

Some samples for differentiating

Brute

1. The Duelist. He relies only on innate ability and thinking on the fly to defeat opponents.

2. The Guerrilla. Initiates a hit and run strike then leads pursuers into traps.

3. The Brash. Has little combat experience and may be overconfident

Brain

1. The Gageteer. Uses all sorts of magical and mundane implements to offset weaknesses.

2. The Mastermind. Has a lot of minions for spying, sabotage and combat.

3. The Hermit. He leaves you alone if you leave him alone. No really.

Also, remember that intelligent does not mean perfect. Even the best and brightest make mistakes. Often emotion trumps intelligence. You only have to look at the many economic crises in history for proof. The Hermit for example might be willing to bargain if that means some peace and quiet.

Levels of NPC Development

2011-04-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

Give just enough detail

The level of development spent on an NPC should reflect the amount of time the players spend interacting with him or her. It's a waste to completely develop the random wanderer players meet on the road. It's equally wasteful to avoid detailing the background and traits of regular contacts and followers.

For those familiar with management theory, I tend to use the Pareto Principle when working on roleplaying games. This principle states that 80 percent of your results come from 20 percent of your effort.

For the odd bystander or townsfolk I'd often just create one or two memorable trait. These traits tend to be something you can sense physically. It would often be visual - perhaps the guard has a handlebar mustache, the butcher's accent marks him as a migrant, the librarian always has a hat.

For more regular contacts the NPC gains a personality and a few background details. I would sometimes use my Quick NPC Flavor method for more input. For example: The librarian's name is Rolf and his brother is the local hat maker. They both live in the same town. He often notes how people react to the hats and he tells his brother. Since the librarian doesn't have much of a sense of humor, he rarely reacts to people giggling at the more outlandish hats.

For constantly recurring NPCs there's only one way I'd prefer to do it - treat them like a PC. The more regular they are, the more detailed the record. Cohorts and followers will have their own character sheets. The same goes for a character's mentor or sponsor.

By providing the right amount of usable detail, you can avoid needless effort but at the same time create a useful resource for your game - an interesting character to interact with.

Rolpunk

2011-02-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

are you one of them?

Rolpunk, a term coined by Uncle Bear, promotes a more accepting view of different gaming philosophies. Read the Rolpunk Manifesto for a better idea of what the term signifies.

I've been espousing something similar and I'm glad someone came up with the idea of a manifesto. Now I can just point people to it instead of trying to explain everything.

Perhaps, I've been too distracted to give so much stock to an edition war. Perhaps its because I've seen so many variations of "roll vs role" I tend to ignore it. I don't act as in-your-face punk about telling people to let it be. Let people play how they want to, so long as it doesn't mess with your fun.

Am I rolpunk? Maybe philosophically, just don't expect much screaming.

Watchers Guild Stats, part 2

2010-12-27T23:24:00.000-08:00

Rules for the Organization

Playing a Member

Watchers serve as the counter intelligence arm of a good kingdom. In my game that is Furyondy. Watchers gather information through observation and deduction more than threats and violence. In public they do not have the image of the action-oriented hero. Instead most of them seem to hang back and observe. Of course, things are different out of the public eye.

Combat
Most members avoid combat if possible. The prefer to inform those publicly authorized to use force. That means a Watcher will prefer to call the city guard or town militia instead of tackling threats in public. There are exceptions to this but the individual Watcher must weigh the benefits of keeping their image or breaking it.

Advancement
The organization has a ranking system based on seniority and number of missions performed. The most experienced tend to rise in rank. Those with adventurer classes also tend to attain higher rank given their survivability.

note: in my game the ranks correspond to generic police ranks such as Senior Watcher, Watcher Captain and so on.

Mission
Missions involve information gathering or investigation.

Creating Encounters on a Budget

2010-11-15T16:56:00.000-08:00

the saga budget

John Robey aka the Gneech authored some good supplemental rules for a sword and sorcery SAGA game. One of my favorites is the encounter budget adaptation. It helps in gauging the difficulty of encounters. Many games tend to forget that adverse conditions are called such for a reason. Translated to game-speak that means adverse conditions = higher difficulty and higher awards.

In old school AD&D, a GM was encouraged to pile on the adverse conditions to make encounters more interesting. The flip side to this was players could potentially reap incredible amounts of experience points with a good strategem or incredible luck. That was unlikely in 3.x given the experience cap rule. with such a rule it became important to balance the other end of the equation. Giving experience for adverse conditions became important to the game.

Watcher's Guild Stats

2010-11-06T04:51:00.001-07:00

Rules for this Organization

Entry Requirements
sense motive
non-evil
pass magical and psionic screening

Benefits
Economic: watchers have a stipend which covers daily food and shelter

Gear: watchers are provided a badge of office and a cloak, for long journeys the organization will provide transport

Services: Watchers will likely be scanned for any form of mind control, enchantment or possession especially after a mission. They are on good terms with local clergy and have easier access to healing

Information: A Watcher's trade is information.

Access: Members are allowed into the Organization's strongholds. When specifically assigned to missions they are considered emissaries of the king. This requires a writ approved by the head of the organization, as authorized by the king.

Status: They receive a +2 reaction bonus to law abiding citizens.

Next:
Playing a Member
Combat
Advancement
Mission

Gaming Music 2: group culture

2010-11-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

Full audio gaming

I decided to revisit the topic after seeing a comment on http://www.roleplayingtips.com. To recap the previous gaming music post, our BESM game typically had continuous music. I attributed this largely to the group's openness to technology. That's an incomplete answer. I realized that the greater enabler was the openness to new ideas, the sense of group responsibility and the willingness to delegate.

For starters, there was a tradition of participative GMing. Much of the setting and the flavor was determined in consensus - it's inherent in setting up a BESM game. It was similar with the music. For each story arc we chose our soundtrack. We had an opening song and an ending song. There was a menu for combat and mood pieces. Whatever we failed to cover in advance was left to the discretion of our Audio Tech volunteer.

The Audio Tech/ Music GM/ Sound guy had unusual duties. Part of the skill set was that he'd have to think like a GM - sometimes to the point of second guessing. When the group confronted an enemy, the sound tech would start looking for the combat music. Or he'd switch from background to comedy when people started goofing. It didn't earn any particular reward save that feeling of participating in a well run game. I sometimes think of this duty as Music GM.

DM Delegation

2010-10-28T02:59:00.000-07:00

many hands make light work

I recently came across a comment about how some Game Masters assigned administrative duties to their players. At times it becomes necessary to delegate. It may be because of the particular game system or part of the characteristics of the gaming group.

We used to assign a Technical GM or Tech GM for particularly rules heavy game systems. We would also assign at least one where there was an unusually large number of players present. The Tech GM's duty was primarily in combat. He tracked initiative orders, looked up bonuses and penalties, located spell descriptions and did all the things that would slow down the game if we let the GM do the task.

For less rules heavy systems like BESM. there was less need for the Tech GM. Instead, other duties were farmed out to volunteers. One would be Music Tech. Because BESM is cinematic, we felt the need to incorporate as much sensory cues as possible. Music is one of them. Armed with our CD's and MP3's, the Music Tech played the appropriate music during the game. He could choose which music to play, much like how the music director would define the soundtrack of a movie.

Mage Knight: The Resurrection

2010-10-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

an old favorite comes back from limbo

Mage Knight was the first collectible Miniatures Game and the first to use the clix system created by Wizkids. Tabletop skirmishers felt the loss when Wizkids closed shop. By that time, Mage Knight went into stasis. Although people continued to play the game, its just different when you know the original creators are no longer around.

Well, it seems the dark ages are over because Wizkids/ NECA announced a relaunch for Mage Knight. Details are sketchy at the moment. What they did say was that the first release would be a boardgame. Then Mage Knight would branch out to other media like card games and perhaps an rpg.

The New Mage Knight Logo

I'm sure plenty of gamers the world over would welcome this development! It makes me hopeful that Wizkids would revive some of their other games. I'm particularly interested in the Fate of the Mechwarrior miniatures game. The milieu is one I find interesting and I always thought the clix version possessed its own merits. I hope more patience pays off.

The Watchers

2010-10-25T08:54:00.001-07:00

Organization for Greyhawk

I've always wondered about how places like Furyondy dealt with the issue of espionage. As a generally Lawful Good state there should some cultural distaste for the matter. However, we know that not everyone follows this, an alignment tendency is merely that. Plus, there is a need for counter-espionage given all the spies and saboteurs you would expect from that state's enemies. The idea of a counter espionage organization in a LG culture sounded like an intriguing challenge.

I chose not to create a Prestige Class because I envisioned this organization to be centered on NPCs. A Prestige Class, on the other hand, is too centered on the PC. It also means expending much effort. Why spend the time to detail a Prestige Class when only the GM will see the stats? Plus it may give the players the wrong impression - that the campaign is all about espionage. Maybe a Prestige Class would be appropriate in the future but this will do for now.

Also, I believe that the organization logically has low level members who have a degree of authority despite their weak combat prowess. So I turn to the rules for creating PC Organizations outlined in the DMG2. It uses few rules additions and is less involved than a prestige class. At the same time, it is slightly more powerful than the Guild and gives more benefits which may attract higher level NPCs. Further on, this organization could be fleshed out and expanded to make it an attractive option for PCs.

Tower of Gygax

2010-10-11T06:27:00.000-07:00

Keith Baker appreciates Gygax. In tribute to the co creator of DnD, Kieth conceptualized "The Tower of Gygax" a massive dungeon of ever changing rooms. Seems this event has been running for 3 years now since being first played in 2008. It seems a fitting tribute and Kieth deserves to be recognized for this.

Read more about it on Gloomforge

Prestige Classes Foundations

2010-10-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

thoughts on immersion through rules

I like adding little bits to customize a setting. In a previous post I noted some of my opinions on the use of prestige classes to flavor a setting. One of the ways to immerse a DnD player is to make his character an integral part of the rules set. The characters' playing mechanics become entwined with the flavor of the world. The Player's method of play thus becomes integrated as well. To achieve this means tweaking existing Prestige Classes or custom building one form scratch.

This is the first guideline from the DnDWiki:

Prestige classes should be campaign/setting/race/occupation/role/organization specific, and designed around a clear theme. (Example: Sherwood Bowman, Dutch Trader, Damascus Smith, Naval Officer)

Prestige Classes on DnDWiki

Lets expound:

Campaign
The campaign means the thematic focus of the current series of games. It is a narrower definition of Setting. Think of it as "what is important for this series of scenarios." When playing the One Well game we could have very specific classes like Liberation Army Veteran or perhaps Bakluni Archaeologist. Contrast these to broader concepts like Myrmidon or Loremaster. They may be similar but the former generate more impact in the campaign's flavor. This is done my focusing on the specific characteristics of the campaign.

Setting
The Setting refers to the game world. It should offer several ideas based on history, current events and location.

Race
Racial archetypes can be further enhanced by adding Prestige Classes. Highlight what each culture values.

Occupation
Similar to race but more focused on a broader social grouping. Seafaring nations may have a Mariner Prestige class that can be taken by all races.

Role
Perhaps you need a type of character that fulfills a specific role in gameplay. The ultimate ranged combatant as a combat role could go to Deepwood Sniper or Bow Initiate.

Organization
The more the characters interact with society the more important is this criteria. A prestige class can highlight what is important to these groups.

Prestige Classes as Campaign Flavor

2010-09-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

3.x ways to define your Greyhawk Campaign

The idea of the prestige class was one of the big draws for DnD 3.0. For many long time gamers it was the incarnation of the idea that a character could become something extraordinary by choosing a particular set of skills and classes. It was the streamlining of the rules for the first edition Bard and the Thief Acrobat.

However, some gamers fail to appreciate the non-rules effect of Prestige Classes. The exclusion or inclusion of a particular class will affect the flavor of the scenario or campaign. This decision can be used to further clarify the vision of the world.

An example: There has been no mention of a Military Academy in the campaign world. The usual assumption is that the military follows the norms of medieval Europe. There is no standing national army. If one is needed, it will be raised from the forces of vassal lords. However, if the GM allows an Academy Officer Prestige class then the assumptions change. Now there would be some sort of training institution for soldiers. It follows that there is a need for professional officers. It is thus possible that a national army exists.

To go further, the introduction of a prestige class could become a campaign event itself. Imagine that the Military Academy had just opened its doors. Most likely enemy spies would begin observing and reporting on the development. Even better, suppose the Academy is just a proposed project. There would be much politicking as well as spying as proponents and opponents try to determine the outcome. A whole backdrop of espionage could accompany the idea that a prestige class will be introduced in the future.

It is this flavor generating characteristic that makes the Prestige Class even more valuable.

Mechwarrior

2010-09-29T11:16:00.001-07:00

two sites for a tough old game

The Longevity of Battletech fascinates me. It's one game that survived the dissolution of the parent company. Normally, a game maker chooses to kill a game when its outlived its usefulness.

While searching for Mechwarrior info I came across Catalyst Games Battletech site and what amounts to their online miniatures gallery. This is Camo Specs Online. This site provides us with a whole slew of Mech miniatures painted in official regimental colors. Not only that, they have tutorials teaching you how to paint the mech. I'm amazed at the support Catalyst is providing to Battletech.

On the other end of the support spectrum is MegaMek. This is an unofficial online version of the Battletech game. Now some publishers may balk at this kind of flattery. But I think Catalyst is keeping their hands off MegaMek because it benefits them. It's a way to keep interest alive. It also gets the player base involved in the fate of the game. That's something most manufacturers should pay attention to.

Soda Pop

2010-09-29T10:31:00.001-07:00

Tactical Games take a turn for the anime

Some reviewers liken Super Dungeon Explore to an analogue SNES rpg complete with pastel dungeons and chibi heroes. I wish I'd been there for the debut. It seem's I'll have to wait until everything becomes available but it will be something I'll watch out for.

Incidentally, the manufactureres, Soda Pop Miniatures is responsible for this bit of kawaii and they also have 32 scale figures. They've hinted at some game ideas but so far only the figures are available at their store.

Thanks to mini gallery/ forum/ community and trading center Cool mini or not for featuring some of the Soda Pop miniatures.

Mapping in the New DnD

2010-09-25T22:31:00.000-07:00

an old task is reincarnated

In the days of yore, a group of AD&D players needed a Mapper. On this person lay the responsibility of providing an accurate representation of the dungeon location and its contents. The primary concern was that the party may wander into more dangerous [ie. higher level] sections of a dungeon and get slaughtered.

Well those days have gone, but mapping has now undergone a renaissance of sorts. Thanks to D&D 3.xx maps, in general, and tactical battle maps, in particular, became important once again. Now this has some advantages and disadvantages. For one, the cartographically challenged will have another task added to his list. Then there is the added pressure to make these maps visually appealing. Finally, those maps need to make sense.

On the plus side, I find there are fewer arguments about movement and placement. People also tend to use their heads more during an encounter. Prior to 3rd edition, people often relied on just letting loose their most damaging attacks. Now subterfuge and subtlety become clearer options.

Fortunately, technology has allowed gamers to create good looking printed material. The same technology has been responsible for an explosion of small press gaming accessories like pre-made maps, paper miniatures and paper models. At least the GM has more options if not less work.

Gaming Music

2010-09-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

adding an aural dimension

When I was a much younger, Game Masters sought to create the perfect gaming environment. That included creating props, visual aids and the right ambiance. Thus there was a period where everyone sought to create their own library of gaming music. There was this sense that if the game master failed to provide the bells and whistles, then he wasn't doing his job. For a time the pursuit seemed exciting. Then it became stressful.

Who actually had the time to assemble a theatrical production? There was also the operational aspect. Pre-MP3 or even pre-CD, trying to locate the proper sound tracks was a chore. We only had magnetic audio tape. In the end, running a smooth game remained the priority. The audio was dumped.

Fast forward a few years and music started creeping into the games again. With my group, this culminated in our BESM game which practically ran with full audio. For each season we had Anime Music for the game. With the release of affordable portable MP3 players, it was easier to cue and switch music. We also asked someone to volunteer for Sound Technician duties. The game master described the mood and the sound tech chose an appropriate song.

Some old gamers may bristle at technology encroaching the tabletop world. We embrace it.

Custom Dungeon Crafter 3 Tiles

2010-06-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

fantasy flooring for your game battles

Here is a collection of floor tiles and links for Dungeon Crafter 3. Remember to place the tiles in the folder marked "floor" instead of the main program folder.

BESM Appreciation Page

2010-05-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

an old favorite fading away

I've mentioned my admiration for BESM, short for Big Eyes Small Mouth an anime inspired RPG. Sadly the game is fading away. The brand BESM originally created by Guardians of Order has been taken over by Arthaus. However, it seems that support from that company has not been strong. I could guess that the fanbase is dwindling. Perhaps its gotten to the point that the effort does not justify the profits, if any. BESM 3rd edition may be the last we'll see.

Which leaves the fate of this versatile game in the hands of the fans. So I will also be doing my meager share to keep the embers alive.

Dungeon Master of the Rings

2010-05-21T20:45:00.001-07:00

discovering an old webcomic

You tend to stumble on unusual gems while doing the most mundane of tasks. In this case I got a sample of the Dungeon Master of the Rings, a parody of the movie trilogy. Created by Seamus Young the comics takes scenes from the movies and overlays what would pass for player dialogue during a game session. The effect is subtle humor that pokes fun at both the movies and at gaming tropes. Unfortunately the series has ended but you can still see the archives at Young's site Twenty Sided.

Cover Design Nostalgia

2009-10-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Old School AD&D aesthetics over a D20 ruleset

I got a kick out of seeing this brand spanking new module wrapped up in a very AD&D cover. They got the look down pat - the yellow ribbon at the top left, the fonts, the layout and the panel picture too. Notice the cover says D20 at the top corner and instead of the TSR logo you have Goodman Games. Kudos to the publishers for giving a little joy to the old fogies like yours truly. Looks like I'll be writing this up for my Christmas list.

DIY Dungeon: Dungeon Crafter 3 Tile Mod

2009-10-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

Experimenting with mapping programs

In preparation for the coming adventures, I've decided to create some battle maps with Dungeon Crafter 3. It's a relatively easy-to-use tile-based mapping program. Although it's not suitable for complex maps it does admirably well for battle maps.

I've chosen the blue cornerstone tile for the current dungeon. However, the floor and the wall elements tend to blend together. To prevent eyestrain, not to mention positioning errors, I've lightened the floor tile to heighten the contrast with the dark wall tiles and the shadows.

This is the modified

Blue Cornerstone Floor tile.

If you'd like to use the tile, simply copy it to the "Floor" folder in Dungeon Crafter 3. Note that it may not work on earlier versions of Dungeon Crafter. I did not test the image on those programs.

Redux

2009-10-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

This blog needs a restart

I've fallen into the pitfall of all adult gamers - Real Life. After a tumultuous year, things have now settled enough for me to continue whatever I've left behind.

Unfortunately for me, it looks as if I won't be writing or gaming as much as I had hoped. Even the initial target of one RPG session a month was difficult to reach.

I remain cautiously optimistic this time. Let's see what the future holds.