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- ● Designer Diary: Food TrucksHello, everyone! This designer diary was written by our awesome designer Jose D. Flores, who's also the mind behind Sherlock in Time. From him and all the team at TCG Factory, we hope you love this diary and Food Trucks as much as we loved making it!
From Juices to Cursed Weapons and Hot Dogs
Once upon a time, when I was working in the video game sector, I developed a game called Juice Mania. You had to serve juices to clients, and you made the juices by picking different fruits.
From there, we had some ideas for how to make Juice Mania into a board game, and while the design originally had a board, a client list, and so on, we had to simplify it due to it being too complex for the intended audience. Slowly but steadily, we worked on it, and we finally reached the product you can now play.
Juice Mania — clear inspiration for Food Trucks
Everyone has played this type of game at least once in their lives, so it’s fairly easy to learn how to play Food Trucks. On their turn, players can take one of two possible actions:
• Take ingredients from the common market.
• Serve orders.
When picking ingredients from the market, players can choose only one type of food from all the types available, and they must take every adjacent card of the same type as the one they choose (Candy Crush-style, so to speak). When a player has all the required ingredients to fulfill an order, they can discard them and take the corresponding order card, which has a coin value of 1-3. We gave each card a value based on the ingredients they require since statistically they're not all equivalent.
We pondered having other ways and abilities to level the playing field, but when lowering the game's complexity, we thought this way was the easiest, and it worked fine.
As I said, we started working on the game with a fruit theme in mind, but we went through lots of different themes! After the juices, a colleague had the idea of theming the design about a shop that lifted curses from medieval fantasy weapons. "Uncursed", as we called it, was my absolute favorite choice, but that theme was way too dark for the line TCG Factory was working on. In the end, we came up with the food trucks option, and we all liked it.
Juice Mania and "Uncursed" prototypes
The Secret Ingredient
Food Trucks is a special game for a couple of reasons. It reminds us of those "casual gaming" games with fruits and gems that got popular a few years ago, and the design has a building pressure thanks to clients who keep coming and adding orders to the pile. But the coolest thing about Food Trucks is that we made three different versions of the game with three types of cuisines, and you don't know which one you'll get!
On the outside, the boxes look the same, but inside you don't know whether you'll find American, Mexican, or Asian food. This awesome idea came up when we were deciding which food we wanted the food trucks to serve. We had the three options, and when we voted, the results were neck-and-neck. One of the bosses suggested making all three, but having the same box and rulebook. We loved the idea! It was a very original, and everyone likes a surprise, right?
Surprise! You got the churros!
Another fun thing about Food Trucks is the name of the restaurants. Coming up with the names was a great experience because we shared a document with everyone at TCG Factory's office, and they all contributed ideas. It was a hilarious process. In the end, we voted and the winners are the ones you get in the game.
My favorite thing about Food Trucks are the illustrations. I love how everything has come to life, especially having been able to see the evolution throughout the process as I also worked as editor on the project. Going from simple sketches to this amazing art has been an incredible process to watch.
A quick 3D tryout vs. final illustration
Tweaking and Perfecting the Recipe
As Food Trucks was always a game about obtaining ingredients and serving orders, based on an existing casual game, it was always a set-collection game. However, it’s been through a lot of changes since the beginning, especially regarding simplification and making it easier for family audiences.
Cards were also standardized, so the player doesn't have to be watching out for a thousand different things. We also had to do a great statistical job to make all orders work the same way, while having different scoring and rewards. That problem was solved with different types of ingredients and quantities.
What?! Only a single coin after all that work?
A lot of the changes and plenty of ideas came up during testing. Some of the biggest changes were the addition of a "steal" card, the introduction of a second delivery boy, and how orders are introduced. (At one time they entered in columns, making the game slow and heavy.)
The "unhappy customer" card lets you steal an order that another player has already completed. This was a late addition as in the final tests we realized that the last player had a little handicap. We compensated it with the unhappy customer. The player with this card can steal an order from another player by fulfilling the order like normal, but instead of discarding the ingredients, they give them to the person from whom they stole. The unhappy customer card also goes to the stolen player, who could use it to snatch the order back in the next round, but that's not always a wise move as a new order comes up every round — and if you let them pile up, everyone will get penalized.
The addition of the second delivery boy was absolutely necessary to control the game's timing. We realized that players had a hard time completing orders before being penalized, so we had to add something to give them more leeway.
The punishment for letting the orders pile up is an interesting part of the game because it introduces a little bit of co-operation in a competitive game. If you end up with more orders than spaces in your order row, everyone gets penalized, which translates into everyone losing their last served order. Quick-witted players may use this to their advantage and have everyone lose an order when they have none or theirs is less valuable than the other players.
Game set-up with Asian food
You can also play the original base game by playing with only one delivery boy in the "Happy Hour" variant. We wanted to keep this version somehow in the game as more experienced players like it better.
In essence, that's Food Trucks. We had a lot of fun making this game and coming up with surprises for it. Now I can only hope that the game finds its way to tables all around the world and that players enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it!
Jose D. Flores Read more »Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 29, 2024 - 6:00 am - Embody Shakespeare, Design a Dungeon, and Pick Your Nose for EmeraldsI've already covered Thunderworks Games' Citizens of the Spark, due out in Q4 2024, but the U.S. publisher showcased a few other forthcoming releases at GAMA Expo 2024.
• Stephen Kerr's Metrorunner, for example, is scheduled to debut at Gen Con 2024 in August, and you can learn about that game in this January 2024 post.
• Jordy Adan's Stonespire Architects will debut before either of those games on April 9, 2024, with this 1-5 player game set in the world of Roll Player challenging players to construct the most dangerous labyrinth possible. In short:Players simultaneously draft and play cards to expand their dungeons, one chamber at a time. Follow a unique blueprint and a variety of scoring challenges. Choose between mapping a path through your underground passages, placing key elements in your rooms, or searching for extra treasure.
Spend gold between rounds to customize your labyrinth with monsters, traps, treasures, and secret passages. At the end of four years, the player with the most perilous dungeon earns the title of Master Architect!
• Emerald Sparks is a design being Kickstarted in July 2024 in which players roll dice to fill, if I remember correctly, a goblin skull. (I didn't take a pic of this in-progress design, but I don't recall whether I wasn't allowed to or whether I forgot as I was about to run to the airport.)
On a turn as active player, you roll dice, then place them in the skull — filling the nose, filling the eyes, etc. — with higher numbers going into higher spots. You can stop and score after the first roll, or you can pay to roll more than once, but you bust if you can't place dice of at least the same value. Other players can bet on whether you'll bust or not. "Picking your nose" — that is, removing the die in the nose position — allows you to pull dice from the skull and roll again. Multiple scoring conditions are in play, and the game ends when the shared money pool is depleted.
• Restoration Games was showing off the newly announced Unmatched: Slings & Arrows, with this standalone addition to the Unmatched game line featuring William Shakespeare as a playable character, alongside three of his wondrous characters: The Wayward Sisters, Hamlet, and Titania.
Shakespeare's deck, designed by Jonathan Guberman, was one of the winning decks in a 2020 design competition, and it rewards players for completing lines in iambic pentameter. The Wayward Sisters, a runner-up in that competition from Jason Hager, is a multi-hero deck that challenges you to bring the witches' potion machinations to life with cunning co-ordination.
Unmatched: Slings & Arrows is due out in June 2024.
• In July 2023, Restoration Games crowdfunded two new versions of the 1983 game Crossbows and Catapults.
In both versions of this two-player game, each player builds their castle, then players take turns using their weapons to fire discs at their opponent's castle, trying to knock over their warrior figures. Crossbows & Catapults: Castle Battle is the more streamlined version of this game system, featuring only buildings and weapons, with the weapons featuring "spring-powered and pinch-to-fire technology" instead of the rubber bands of decades past that would slowly rot on the plastic bits and prove unreliable in terms of how much tension they provide. Crossbows & Catapults: Fortress War features buildings, weapons, and mercenary miniatures that you play through the use of a deck of asymmetrical tactics cards.
Restoration Games expects to fulfill the Kickstarter campaign in July 2024, then will ideally have copies for sale at Gen Con 2024 in August.
• Here's a look at Windmill Valley, a Dani Garcia design due out in June 2024 from Board&Dice that I first covered in November 2023:
Read more »Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 28, 2024 - 6:00 am - Use Gardlings to Form Gems, Make Your Animals Spark, and Fulfill Your Dinosaur DynastyIf you're not a fan of anthropomorphic animals, read no further and try exploring a useless website instead — but if you're good with being a gamey gopher, check out new options available to you:
• In October 2024, U.S. publisher Thunderworks Games will release Citizens of the Spark, a design for 1-5 players from Philip duBarry that has a different assortment of critters in play each game:The fate of creatures touched by the spark of intelligence hangs in the balance. You must recruit strong animal allies to your city and unlock the potential of your citizens if your settlement is to survive the days to come...
Citizens of the Spark is a variable set-up card game in which players take turns attracting citizens, taking actions, and claiming sparks. The more citizen cards a player has of a specific type, the more powerful that citizen's action becomes. The player with the most sparks in their city when the deck runs out wins!
In more detail, you play with 7-10 animal citizen types per game, chosen from over thirty available creatures and combined into one shared deck. Every citizen type has distinct powers, making each game's action combos uniquely variable.
On display at GAMA Expo 2024
On your turn, recruit multiple citizens by selecting an available group of cards, placing them in your city tableau, and grouping like citizens together to grow their action strength. Next, select one type of citizen in your tableau to activate, taking the effect of the card and discarding it from your city. Keep watch on rival cities because when you activate a citizen, all players who have the same type can follow your move and activate a matching citizen of their own.
• Wondrous Creatures is a worker-placement game for 1-4 players from Yeom.C.W and Bad Comet that was crowdfunded in late 2023 and is due out in English by the end of 2024, with editions also coming in Dutch, French, and Spanish.
Your goal in the game is to set up a creature reserve, using your mounts to gain resources and cards as you place them on an evolving hex map. You can upgrade mounts to unlock unique abilities, collect and hatch eggs to claim achievements, and add creatures cards to your reserve to gain their abilities.
• Gardlings features cute and cuddly versions of real and fictional animals, but it's not clear whether the animals have any agency in the game, so they might not fall in the category of anthropomorphic. Hmm. So many dilemmas when trying to classify games...
In any case, Gardlings will be a SPIEL Essen 24 release from designers Kristian Amundsen Østby and Maria Østby and publisher Alion – by Dr Ø, with this being a 1-4 player game being a bag-builder in the vein of The Quacks of Quedlinburg:Each round in Gardlings, all players simultaneously build their garden in front of themselves. You do this by drawing and placing tiles from your bag. You may stop drawing tiles at any time because if you draw too many gnomes, they will steal gems from you. At the end of the round, use any gems you matched in your garden to buy a new tile, then return all of your tiles to your bag to prepare for the next round. Each tile features potential ways to match gems, as well as a creature with a special ability. Your garden will grow larger and better each round, and the puzzle of placing tiles will become increasingly complex.
The goal of the game is to match enough gems to buy the victory tile.
• What about instead of playing human-like animals, you just play as an animal...but with far more awareness of your surroundings and your potential for growth than an animal ever had?
Designer Jon Manker will take you into that world in Dino Dynasty, a 2-6 player game coming from Ion Game Design in 2024. Here's an overview:Read more »In Dino Dynasty, players represent dinosaur species from the Cretaceous period that compete in various aspects of survival. Which aspects are important vary from game to game. Each game features a scenario with specific starting conditions and a set of random challenges. The player who completes the most of these challenges wins.
The map, called the territory, is created by the players placing territory tiles. These tiles create biomes can span several tiles. It is not specified where in the world the game takes place, but the biomes are based on the ones that existed during the Cretaceous period. The map is mostly unknown at the start of the game and is gradually revealed as players spread and explore it.
There are alternative ways to play using different map set-ups called scenarios, playing in teams and even playing several games as a campaign. In addition, a "legendary" part of the game gives players the ability to change between species inside a dynasty and save their current development over several games. This can be used to get suitable dinosaur variants to manage harder scenarios; it can also be used to get a specific dinosaur or combination of dinosaurs to best counter opponents.
The foundation for this game is facts, what is known and theorized by the latest scientific discoveries regarding different dinosaur species, but in Dino Dynasty, the players can explore the fantasy of what could have been. What would have happened if a dinosaur had developed in an evolutionary direction other than it did? These possible changes are still within reasonable limits and are based on the real physical characteristics of the dinosaurs.Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 27, 2024 - 6:00 am - Designer Diary: MatchesThis is the story of my game Matches, covering the game design and the path to being published. It's a pretty wild ride...
A Simple Beginning
I was a professional magician for many years prior to delving into game design, and I've learned that game design has quite a bit of overlap with putting together a sleight-of-hand routine or a cohesive magic show. I try to keep this in mind when I design games. When starting to create something in your hobby, you should immerse yourself in it as much as you can. The more magic that you can watch, study, perform, or learn, the more that you can pull from this compendium of knowledge, the more likely you are to create something unique.
When I started working on Matches, I already had a head start thanks to my background with cards. Specifically, I collect playing cards — and not just some playing cards, I mean MANY playing cards. I currently have a collection of about 2,500 card decks: old decks, new decks, unique decks, rare decks, strange decks, funny decks, fancy decks, and more. When I got into collecting card decks, just like I did with magic, I dove in full force! I learned card games, collected books about card games and tricks, amassed a collection of gimmicks (to use a magic term), and more. Needless to say, when I got into game design, I wanted to learn as many card games as I could, and that was the basis for this new card game I wanted to create.
Math and Puns
I grabbed a few card decks I had as spares thanks to magic performances that led to them missing a number of cards. (Don't ask, it's a magician thing...) I put together a 48-card deck with four copies of numbers 2-10, eight aces, and four jokers. I had a fairly simple idea that one player would start by playing a card in the middle, then the other players would play cards that add up to that number. The last person standing would win.
The idea worked to a degree, but it was missing something. Quite a few games use addition to meet a number. I wanted mine to allow players to play a mini-game for themselves if they weren't going to win the round. I added point tokens, which players could gain by playing pairs over the course of the round; players would also add point tokens to the pot when they played the same card that started the round.
I increased the number of cards to a total of sixty, which is a magical number for games because it is divisible by all numbers 1-6. I love this number and try to use it in most designs when possible.
With the new changes, the game now works like this: The round leader plays a number card in the middle — let's use a 10 as an example — then turns go clockwise. On your turn, you can play any number of cards so they add up to the lead card, such as two 5s, a 4+3+2+1, or even a 10. If you play the same number as the card lead or play a joker, you create a match and add another token to the lead card. The player who stays in the longest gets all of the tokens on the lead card, and all of the other players score one point token for each pair of the same number lying in front of them.
When I realized that the whole game is about "matching" numbers in many ways, I knew I had my theme: matches! That's right, the title is a pun, and that's not where the puns stop. More on that later.
I designed the tuck box to look like a match box, drew matches (later described as french fries with ketchup) on the cards, and changed the point tokens to fire tokens using bright orange poker chips. The package was complete!
Prototype from 2017
A Surprising Meeting
With my new card game in hand, I started to show it to publishers. I set up meetings at the GAMA Trade Show, along with a few other conventions. One publisher took interest as he appreciated a new take on classic-style card games. Because we never signed the game, I'm not going to say which company this was, but I will add that this publisher spent a number of meetings and emails giving me feedback and suggestions to make the game the best it could be.
With his advice, I created a small deck called "Burn Cards". This supplement to the normal game gives players a chance to mess with their friends. Sticking with the theme, I gathered every fire-based pun I could think of and made cards to match, e.g. "The Fire Dancer" has players trade their hand of cards, "You're Fired!" replaces the central match card with a new one, "Bucket of Water" removes all of the fire tokens from the match card, etc. This development took the game to a new level.
After many years of showing Matches at local conventions, it grew a small cult following with a few of my convention friends, including John, who I met at RinCon in Tucson, Arizona. John runs an RPG podcast called "Legends of Tabletop", and while he typically enjoys more thematic games, the absurd theme of Matches caught his interest. We played it many times over the years, and I would use my games as an excuse to go to this convention each year and see friends.
Returning to RinCon, a surprising meeting occurred. John introduced me to Sean of Thing 12 Games and immediately started telling him about Matches. Sean was interested in seeing the game, and thankfully I had my copy, even though I wasn't planning on pitching it at this convention. We sat down in a bar, and they enjoyed it. My favorite memory of this night was watching Sean take pictures of my cheesy packaging, sending it to his partner, and groaning at the incoming onslaught of puns from his partner: "It's the hottest game of the year!"
Eight Years in the Making
Thing 12 agreed to publish my game, and we worked out the details to bring it to Kickstarter at a future date. This was going to be the first of my designs to be published on its own, not self-published or part of a compilation.
This was a very exciting time because I had almost shelved the game and stopped trying to pitch it to publishers. I live in a small city in southern New Mexico, with few gaming conventions within a short drive from my city. It's always been an uphill battle to arrange meetings with publishers, so I've had to pick and choose which of my games would most likely be published. At that point, Matches had almost made the cutting block as I was focusing more on other designs. If not for this chance meeting, the game might never have been made.
The Kickstarter ran in 2022, and as of March 2024 Matches is being fulfilled to backers and going into retail stores. I checked on my original files when preparing this diary and discoverd that from its original inception, Matches was created over eight years ago. It has been a long journey, and I hope this diary is a form of inspiration for aspiring designers. Just keep diving into the hobby, and keep making games! You never know when you might get that chance to make your game a reality!
What Is This Mechanism?
Matches is a card game that shares similarities with many classic-style card games, but is unlike all of them. When teaching this game over the past years, many people have been asking which mechanisms are in this game, which is a tricky answer to give. I will try to clarify that here:
Is this a trick-taking game? Yes, kind of. This is the closest mechanism we can use to describe how the game works. The lead player chooses the number for all players to match. However, the cards have no suits. The number acts as the "suit" for the round as all players must match the number led by adding numbers together to get the desired match. However, in traditional trick-taking games, each player plays only one card or one set of cards, then the round ends; in Matches, players continue to play until there is one remaining leader, which brings us to the next question:
Is this a ladder-climbing game? Yes, kind of. Similar to ladder-climbing games, players continue to play cards or sets of cards until one player remains. However, in Matches, there is no escalation of the cards played; each play is independent of the previous plays. There is a rising tension to playing an exact match because that will add more points for the player who stays in the longest, but this is not a requirement to play — or even win — the game. Often, if playing efficiently, players can gain more points than the player who "wins" the round. This is done by maximizing the pairs played during the game and burning out early instead of feeding points to the "Blaze" — the collection of point tokens, a.k.a., the pot — in the center. Which makes players ask:
Is this a set-collection game? Yes, kind of. A viable strategy in Matches is knowing when to go for the points by outlasting the others or when to focus on playing pairs during the round. For example, if the lead card is a 10, playing a pair of 5s is a power play. It uses cards efficiently and keeps you in the round for a long time while giving you a pair to score if you can't stay in for the long run. An even bolder move is to play ten 1s, giving you five full pairs to score! Unless that scares the other players into burning out and folding, which would reward you only the points on the match card (as the last person remaining scores only the blaze, not their pairs). This tension can often result in players refraining from playing exact matches to prevent the Blaze from getting too hot for the last player. So this make us wonder:
Is this a bidding game? Yes, kind of. Like games in which bidding tokens to the "pot" is part of the experience, Matches handles this in a different way. Only by playing a single card matching the lead card will points be added to the Blaze. Players do not ante their own tokens; they simply make the Blaze more valuable by playing single cards. This gives players agency as to when to make the Blaze more valuable in the hope of reaping the rewards by outlasting others, and understanding when to play many cards and go for pairs versus when to play efficiently will differ depending on the current status of the game. But since you may want to play many cards or few:
Is this a card-shedding game? Yes, kind of. If you don’t believe that you are going to outlast the other players, dumping many pairs could be the path to victory, but planning the timing is key. If the other players are aware of this strategy, they might jump out early and force you to take fewer points than you expected, which leads us to ask:
Is this a hand-management game? Yes, kind of. The cards in your hand will tell you the key information as to which pairs you can score and how many times you can play to stay in the round. Will it be better for you to play the long game or collect pairs for short term? Also, one point I haven't discussed is that when the round is over, cards remaining in your hand can be kept until the next round. If you don't like the number which was lead, you can burn out early and plan for the future as the first player to burn out becomes the leader for the next round, in addition to earning 1 point for taking the leader token — that is, of course, assuming the Burn Cards don't throw a wrench in your plans since they allow players to mess with one another, which means:
Is this game a "take that" game? Yes, kind of. The Burn Cards act as controlled chaos. They are optional if players don't want them in the game, but they can add amazingly memorable moments. They are very powerful and can alter the course of each round drastically, but they come at a cost as players must spend fire tokens — that is, their points — to play them. Is it worth three points to mess with another player? You get to decide this for yourself.
So what is the mechanism of this game? You must play your cards in a way that best assists your current ever-evolving strategy. Playing your cards at the right time and in the right way is key to winning. Sometimes you want to play more cards, sometimes fewer, but you always want to control the cards, just like a fire. You want it to burn bright and long without getting out of hand. I have spoken to many players, and a fellow board game reviewer came up with a new term which I feel best describes this mechanism: This is a card-burning game.
Burn bright fellow gamers!
Daniel McKinley
Read more »Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 26, 2024 - 6:00 am - Build an Alpaca Farm, Count Foxy Animals, and Save Caesar...or Finish Him• In this post, I continue to relive my GAMA Expo 2024 experience in writing and pictures, starting with a stop at the Play to Z booth to get a look at 23 Knives, a 3-8 player game from Tyler J. Brown that will be crowdfunded in 2024:It's 44 BC, the pinnacle of the Roman Republic. At the end of Julius Caesar's civil war, he is left holding enormous power. He has the love of many, but for others, there is only fear. This fear leads Caesar's friends and allies to question his intentions. They're stoking a fire of conspiracy, a conspiracy that will end on the Ides of March, with 23 wounds, a republic in ruin, and the birth of an Empire.
In a game of 23 Knives, you take on the role of a Roman citizen with one of three allegiances: a loyalist to Caesar, a liberator of Rome, or an opportunist biding their time. Throughout the game, you travel through Rome, manipulating other citizens and swaying them to your cause.
Mock-up cover at GAMA Expo 2024
At the end of the game, if 23 or more knives are in the Curia, Caesar is dead and the liberator most committed to killing Caesar wins. With fewer than 23 knives, the loyalist most dedicated to saving Caesar wins. Opportunists are those who linger, waiting to shift the fate of Caesar at the last moment, and if they do, they win as a team.
Play to Z's Zev Shlasinger explained that each round, two issues are revealed, with each player voting for one of them. Issues affect the game state, and as players vote, their cards end up face down in a central pile that will serve as the "knife count" at game's end. Players can be exiled during play, which can shift the balance of power between the allegiances. After all, if you're a liberator of Rome, you want Caesar to die — but if you suspect another liberator of doing more of the damage than you, you want them gone...yet if they're removed from play, the loyalists might end up thwarting the assassination.
The opportunists want the knife count to be close enough to 23 that they can change Caesar's fate from death to life or vice versa, thereby proving themselves a force of influence in whatever environment would develop afterward.
• Another forthcoming Play to Z title is Kaleidos, a version of the public domain trick-taking game Big 2 in which 2s are the highest cards in the deck.
• In February 2024, I wrote about King's Coalition, another upcoming Play to Z title, and several people, "Sounds like Fantasy Realms". At GAMA Expo 2024, I watched the second half of a game and can now give more details of play.
Each player has seven subject cards in hand, and the game lasts six rounds, indicated by six face-down subject cards laid in a row. Each subject card features a number from 0 to (I think) 11, with each card featuring a suit (knight, merchant, clergy, etc.) and with each suit having the same special ability on each card. (You can ignore these abilities if you want to have a more streamlined game.) Four random bonus cards (from a deck of 19) are laid face down as well, with bonus values from 30 to 10 placed under them from left to right.
Non-final cards
At the start of a round, reveal a subject card from the row and the leftmost unrevealed bonus card. Next, players in turn take a face-up card from the table or a mystery card from the deck, then discard a card face up on the table. (The one exception: If you recruit a face-up peasant, place it on the table in front of you, then skip your discard.) At game's end, you score points for having a sequence of at least six consecutive numbers, a set of at least three cards of the same suit (with multiple sets being possible), and a hand that matches the condition of a bonus card, such as having no knights and three cards that are peasants or artisans, or having no peasants or royalty and at least two gentry or merchants in some combination.
I'd say that King's Coalition is like Fantasy Realms in that you're trying to craft a well-scoring hand, but what you're scoring for are public goals revealed over the course of the game.
• The North American branch of Pegasus Spiele featured several forthcoming titles, including two that haven't yet appeared in Germany from the parent company.
First, let's look at Alpaca, a game from Christian Giove that Italian publisher GateOnGames debuted in 2023. An overview:Alpaca is a competitive deck-building game that pits players against one another in the competitive world of alpaca farming. Players each begin with an identical deck of alpaca cards and fence materials. Customize your deck with alpacas from the market, and build a strategy to take advantage of each alpaca's special ability. You score points for each alpaca on your farm and any purchased endgame bonus cards. The interaction with other players will get tighter as soon as the rules are clearer... run to buy a new alpaca!
• Alpaca hits the U.S. market in April 2024 at the same time as Foxy, another GateOnGames with this David Spada design dating to 2022:In Foxy, you'll put your memory and observation skills to the test while looking at a sequence of large, full-color cards. Each card shows one of four environments, as well as 1-2 animals that live in that environment — although a cat can show up anywhere, so sometimes a card will feature three animals.
To set up, shuffle 19 of the 40 cards into a deck, then shuffle the fox card into this deck. Each player takes a dry erase board and a marker. Flip the top card; for the types of animals depicted on this card, everyone secretly writes the total number of animals of these types that they've seen on all cards revealed so far. For the first round, this is easy — write the number of animals on this card! But you'll start seeing cards of many environments, and wait, how many chickens have I seen so far? How many cats? You can write only a single numeral for each round, with no reminders of which animals were which. When the fox card appears, write a numeral showing how many different animals you've seen total. Once during the game, you can circle a number to take a chance on doubling that score.
Sample cards
Once you've finished the deck after twenty rounds, flip it over, then go through the cards again, this time keeping a public tally of how many animals of each type have been seen. If the number you wrote for a round is equal to or less than the total number of animals seen, you score that many points; if the number is larger, then cross it out and score nothing for that round. For the circled number, if you correctly wrote the exact number of animals, score twice that many points; if you guess higher or lower, score nothing. Whoever scores the most points wins.
• Pegasus Spiele has already released Dorfromantik: The Duel in the U.S., with Alexander Pfister's Port Royal: The Dice Game and Sophia Wagner's Zilence due out by the end of March 2024.
• Six titles from GateOnGames' Mini Crimes game line will also be released by Pegasus Spiele in the U.S. in March 2024. These titles retail for US$6 each, and each contains ten postcard-sized clue cards that depict elements of a crime scene, with you trying to use as few cards as possible to figure out what happened.
• Rita Modl's tile-laying, coral-building game Lumicora from Deep Print Games will reach the U.S. in June 2024 through Pegasus Spiele.
Read more »Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 25, 2024 - 2:00 pm - VideoVideo: How to Submit a Game Listing to the BGG DatabaseYears ago, I wrote a loooong guide for how to submit game listings to the BoardGameGeek database, but I recognize that not everyone loves reading loooong guides — and possibly not even short ones.
In an effort to make the game submission process a bit more comprehensible, I've filmed me submitting a game listing and talking about the steps involved in doing so. Along the way, I also submit a designer listing and show how to submit corrections to game listings and version listings. Bonus!
I've been thinking about doing something like this for years, and the process turned out to be far easier than I had expected, partly because I just ran my mouth and raced through everything, but perhaps I can make a more refined submission video down the road. If so, what questions do you have about the game submission process? What's gone wrong in the past when you submitted a listing? What have we done wrong?
We've talked a bit about overhauling this form, which I think has been roughly the same since I started working at BGG in 2011. We've added elements to the submission form for short descriptions and whatnot, but the form itself hasn't changed...and it should. I welcome suggestions that I can compile and submit to the development team.
Youtube Video Read more »Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 25, 2024 - 6:00 am - Designer Diary: The Finest Fish
by Nathan Jenne
When Jake and I sat down to design what resulted in The Finest Fish, we wanted to design something beautiful and we wanted it to be a tile-placement game. Surprisingly, we stuck to those goals! Frequently, once we start designing a game, we run into roadblocks or have amazing new ideas and completely depart from the initial idea that started the whole process. This time everything just clicked into place, and we stuck with the original concept.
Jake really liked the idea that the tiles could be shapes other than squares, rectangles, or hexagons. We started brainstorming. Ideas that were brought up included tessellations, feathers, peacocks, fish, and others.
We cut out shapes and started experimenting. Believe it or not, we started with feathers on a peacock. We made it pretty far through game development using peacock feathers...but it didn't feel like there was a natural ending to the feathers. It seemed they could just expand forever with no bounds. Furthermore, we weren't completely in love with our peacocks as they didn't seem to have that cute factor that we wanted in this game.
At length, we settled on fish scales. Scales felt right. Fish felt right. Goldfish are relatable, and they feel serene.
We wanted players to earn points from groups of adjacent colors, but we knew the design needed more than that, so we added pattern cards as goals. These pattern cards added internal conflict to a player's choices as we intentionally made them somewhat at odds with creating groups of the same colors. We loved it!
Additionally, we added a bonus color — red — that never appears on the pattern cards, but is always worth 1 point per scale and can still score in groups of three or more. After doing more research, we discovered that "calico" patterning on a fish was a desirable trait in prize goldfish, so we realized that we should make the bonus scale black instead.
We also wanted the game to have a pleasant color palette. Our first game, Life of a Chameleon, has many vivid colors, which can be jarring to some. While we love those vivid colors, we wanted something to match the calming feeling of watching fish and the casual feel of the game play.
Jake set to work illustrating the box and created four amazing unique fish. We love the art and have received so many positive comments about how they look.
Designing this game came with a lot of challenges. We also had a lot of fun working on it and playing this light, casual, fun game. It was all that we hoped it would be.
Nathan Jenne
Read more »Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 24, 2024 - 6:00 am - Wear Wanderers on Your Sleeve, Await New Inventions, and Discover a Gateway to Lorcana• In its Kickstarter campaign for Vital Lacerda's Inventions: Evolution of Ideas, publisher Eagle-Gryphon Games offered an early fulfillment level in which backers could pay $249 — roughly double the price of the game on its own — to receive an air-shipped copy of the game approximately one month ahead of everyone else. Those 120 backers have received the game, and the rest of the Kickstarter backers will start receiving the game in April 2024, with the game hitting retail in Q3 2024.
• For those who want to get on the Lacerda cycle once again, Eagle-Gryphon Games will crowdfund Speakeasy in the second half of 2024, with the lighter Lacerda game House of Fado — co-designed with João Quintela Martins — hitting Kickstarter first in May 2024.
• As with Inventions, Age of Steam Deluxe: Expansion Volume IV will ship to crowdfunding backers in April 2024, then hit retail in Q3 2024.
• A new edition of Bruno Faidutti and Alan R. Moon's Incan Gold will hit retail in April 2024, with this item including a "New Dangers" expansion that I believe corresponds to the Diamant: Caution and Betrayal expansion released by IELLO in 2022.
This expansion will also be available separately for those who own earlier editions of the game, and its presence will undoubtedly make the BGG database just a tad bit messier.
New on the left, older on the right
• EGG released a new edition of Sid Sackson's I'm the Boss! in 2023, and it also had a new edition of Sackson's card game Sleuth in the works.
• U.S. publisher Resonym is working on an expansion for Phantom Ink, a 2022 team-based communication game from Mary Flanagan and Max Seidman.
• In August 2024, Ravensburger plans to release Lorcana Gateway, a version of Disney Lorcana that includes a fixed set of two 30-card decks designed for the newcomer. Cards will include characters, items, songs, and perhaps one other mechanism that players can add into their decks after getting comfortable with the basics of play. The contents of Lorcana Gateway will change on a twelve-month cycle, rotating in new material as additional sets are released.
• Worn Wanderers from newcomers Brodie Kelley, Dennis Perlstein, and Cleromancy Games harks back to James Ernest's Button Men, with both of them being games that you can wear to let others know you're ready to play. Here's an overview of this two-player game:To play Worn Wanderers, you assemble a team of six unique characters, each represented by a beautiful enamel pin, and customize them with wearable cards that represent the weapons your characters use, the attacks they make, and the loot they guard.
Your goal is to use your nomad's attacks (represented by the cards you assign them) to defeat your opponent's characters and steal the most loot. Beware, though! As you thwart characters' low-level defenses, you'll strengthen their resolve and drive them to use more powerful weapons against you to protect what few resources they have.
Gameplay consists of turns in which you pick a member of your warband to attack an enemy character, with each dealing damage to the other. The survivors you battle may enlist their cohorts for powerful combo attacks, pierce your armor for extra damage, lay traps for your characters, and more!
Worn Wanderers was crowdfunded in April 2023, and the publisher expects to fulfill the project and release the game at retail in late Q2/early Q3 2024. Read more »Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 23, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoDestroy Your Games to Collect Artifacts, Fight Monsters, and Keep the Kids• In 2019, Renegade Game Studios released ClipCut Parks, a roll-and-cut game in which you used scissors to try to cut certain patterns more quickly than anyone else to claim blueprint cards. I played it once at Gen Con 2019, and that was that.
Five years later, we have a new take on the idea from Ellie Dix, with Stronghold Games releasing her game Digsaw in February 2024. Digsaw is labeled as a game for 1-6 players, but that limit is due only to the box containing six pairs of scissors. If you pass the scissors around the table or use your own, more folks can join in!
To play, each player takes one of the dig sheets that depicts a hexagon made of triangles thanks to a criss-crossing pattern of three intersecting lines: red, green, and blue. On a turn, any player rolls the two dice, with each die showing a line color and a numeral. Each player chooses to match the line of one die with the numeral of the other or vice versa, then cuts exactly this many segments on a line of the matching color.
Cut two on blue or one on green
Your goal over the course of play is to cut out pieces that contain exactly one artifact — gem, skull, or vase — but you can't cut through an existing cut, and if you can't make a legal cut on your turn, you must take a penalty, reducing the value of an artifact type. If a piece contains a star of the same color as an artifact, you can take a bonus cut with a length matching the number in the star. Cut out a number on its own, and you'll score that many points; cut out a question mark, and you count it as an artifact type of your choice at game's end.
Any pieces with two or more artifacts are worthless, and you can work on only one dig at a time, so if you cut your paper in two, you must choose which of the sites on which to continue.
Digsaw includes five levels of dig sheets, with the higher levels containing more densely packed artifacts, bombs that cost you points unless they're isolated on a cut-off piece, and boulders that block cuts.
• Should you prefer a more hands-on approach to the process of destroying a game during play, perhaps you can try Yaburo Quest from designer Shintaro Ono (大野 森太郎) and publisher ボドゲイム (Bodogeimu):Yaburo Quest is a game for at least two players in which you tear a sheet of paper into tiny pieces to represent your attempts to defeat the monster of the current round. For instance, you may have a goal card that shows purple bows and arrows and a purple monster. You score points if you tear off a piece of paper that has exactly one such weapon and one such monster — and more points if it has one such weapon and two monsters.
Players tearing their sheet at the same time during a two-minute round, and they get only one sheet of paper to use over four rounds.
After the first round
On the back of the sheet are treasures, coins, and ghosts that can provide positive or negative points. Try not to rip them when you're focusing on the front of the paper.
The player with the most points after four rounds wins.
I got to play Yaburo Quest once at BGG.CON 2023 thanks to JP game hunter James Nathan having a copy on hand, and I was smoked by him and others as the game rewards experience. Look how expertly he tore a scoring piece from the center of the paper in that top image, whereas I was tearing from the edge like a chump!
Tallying points after the final round
The monsters and the endgame boss monster are randomly drawn from a larger set, so even though the paper doesn't change, you don't know what's coming in the future and can't tear bits away in a pre-determined order or save the best pieces for the higher-scoring final round. Also, two minutes isn't a lot of time, so it's easy to overlook a better way to tear something or overlook a coin or treasure chest on the back of the page, nicking it just enough with your tear to render it worthless.
• Looking for more games that you destroy during play, I was reminded of Fahrenheit 420, a 2016 design from Matt Fantastic that consists of a single sheet of paper. You roll up the paper with the score track on the inside, light the designated end, then put out the fire whenever it feels right to you. The scorch mark closest to the end of the track indicates your score. You can play once each or compete in multiple simultaneous games until someone's score hits 420.
An example of play
• A similar design from Fantastic in the same year is Love Will Tear Us Apart, a single sheet of paper printed on both sides with items and beings you would likely find in the house: children, pets, TV, jewelry, cars, the house itself, and so forth. You and another player are getting divorced, and this is how you're going to decide who gets what:
— Hold the paper up between one another for five seconds. The side you are looking at shows your goal items. You then flip the paper over so that each player is looking at the other player's side.
— Each player takes turns trying to rip out a single item at a time from their goal side without looking at it while the other player holds the page up.
— Each item successful ripped off in full, with no pieces of any other item visible on the same side is worth 1 point. Once all the items have been taken or damaged, the player with the most points wins.
In the designer's words: "You'll find that in the process of trying to get the most stuff, you'll not only end up destroying what you want by accident, but also knowingly trashing the stuff your ex wants."
Youtube Video Read more »Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 22, 2024 - 2:00 pm - VideoDesigner Diary: Altar: Realms of the Gods, or An Idea of the Moment that Became RealityHello, everyone! My name is Vasilis Patroulias. I am from Greece and I live in Athens, the city that is home to the Acropolis and the Parthenon, the temple of the patron goddess Athena, in the historic heart of the city. Perhaps this proximity is what fuels my deep interest in the world of the gods and their rich myths and legends. The idea for the game Altar: Realms of the Gods came to me like a flash. In just a few minutes, the concept of this game crystallized in my mind, and over time, I made the decision, to my great satisfaction, to have it published by The Red Joker.
Here is the story of the game: Long before the "Covid era", I had already created a prototype of a game based on managing teams in a futuristic cyber world within the underworld of entertainment. It had brought me a lot of success and praise, especially within the group of players of which I was part. However, I had to leave my hometown and move to Athens, so I entrusted the prototype to my former gaming companions to do with it as they pleased.
However, the designer's inspiration was firmly rooted within me, and I continued to refine the game gradually. Everyone welcomed the changes and eagerly anticipated the completion of a new prototype to be played as soon as possible. This was supposed to occur at a friend's wedding in my hometown, where I would reunite with my group of players, so I prepared eagerly for the journey while everyone impatiently awaited the chance to finally play this new prototype during our free time — but as luck would have it, after I had set off driving towards my hometown for the upcoming wedding, I realized that I had forgotten to bring the game with me.
With no option to turn back, I suddenly found myself in a challenging predicament: I had to either come up with a plausible excuse for the absence of the game, or improvise and create a new game on the spot.
Challenges don't intimidate me. Immediately, I conceived of a card game as a solution. It seemed ideal, considering that everyone would likely enjoy playing something involving the variety and strategy that card games offer. I needed to determine the theme of the game, and being Greek and a mythology enthusiast, I naturally thought of the ancient gods and sought to incorporate asymmetry among the different deities. As I drove for thirty minutes, Athena guided me, Apollo intrigued me, and Ares, the god of war, loomed over me. In my mind, I had already crafted a universe blending gods and mortals...yet I had not yet determined the objective of the game.
As the car radio began to play one of my favorite songs, "The Temple of the King" by Rainbow, inspiration struck. I envisioned creating not a game centered on conflict or confrontation, but rather a card game in which players must construct altars and pay homage to their chosen deity, striving to make their god the most revered and adored.
Upon arriving at my destination, my mind was abuzz with questions: Who would be fitting characters to embody the followers of each deity? What interactions and potential combinations could arise between them? Lastly, to complete my task, I needed to devise a simple, yet engaging mechanism suitable for beginners, ensuring they wouldn't become overwhelmed by complex rules.
When I finally arrived at my parents' home, ninety minutes had passed. I had the theme, the goal, and the characters ready. All that was missing was the finalized prototype and the text for the cards.
In my opinion, one of the most important qualities of a designer is the ability to turn ideas into reality. This means, in short, proving their speed in articulating thoughts, as well as their ability to create a prototype using the means and materials immediately available.
The first thing my friends asked me as soon as we met was whether I had brought the prototype with me so that we could finally play. With a trembling voice and great uncertainty, I replied, "Of course I brought a game"...without telling them, however, which game it was.
Unfortunately for me, when I presented them with the alternative game I had created just a few hours earlier, the results were not up to my expectations. The disappointment of my former companions at being deprived of the game they had been eagerly anticipating was so immense that they did not pay attention to what I was trying to show them. Moreover, plain sheets of paper and my messy handwriting did not help improve the situation.
That night, I drowned my sorrows by enjoying the drinks and fine food at the wedding. After a while, everything was forgotten, although something inside me told me not to give up...
Afterwards, during Covid in a state of "intense inactivity", many of us stopped working and were condemned to stay at home indefinitely. On the bright side, this situation also sparked a need for creativity so that everyone could make the most of the imposed inactivity by indulging in their favorite hobbies. For my part, unable to bear leaving things in limbo, I decided once again to focus on Altar! With the help of my
brother Panos and my wife Eleana, we were able to fully explore the game's vast potential by creating a rich universe, developing the characters' traits, and fleshing out the nature of the gods.
The mechanisms became more refined and fleshed out, while still remaining easy to understand. The quality of the prototype materials improved, facilitating a series of tests. Over time, the quarantine health measures became more flexible, allowing the game to be tested by a diverse range of people with different perspectives. Thanks to their feedback, Altar has evolved into a game that can be enjoyed by beginners, seasoned players, women, men, children, and small or large groups of players — and many of them encouraged me to seek out a publisher.
Becoming a designer and publishing a game wasn't something I had thought about before, so in my efforts to find a publisher, I tried to do the graphics myself, but this turned out to be a big mistake because I wasted a lot of time and the result was not satisfactory. I realized then that my job as a designer was actually done. I had a complete, bug-free game with good feedback and a very good theme. I shouldn't have been concerned about the graphics because that was something an editor could take care of to take the design to the next level.
One day, when I was looking for a company with a similar portfolio to Altar, a game caught my eye: Okko: Legendary Journey, published by The Red Joker. I was impressed by the game box, the illustrations, the quality of the cards, and the overall appearance. I immediately envisioned Altar in a similar box, and I knew that this was the company to collaborate with.
Mr. Frédérick Condette from The Red Joker will now tell you the rest of the story, and I thank him for the great job he did. I hope you enjoy our game now.
•••
Hello, everyone! Let's pick up Vasilis' story where he left off — but first, a little introduction is necessary: The Red Joker is a French publishing company operating primarily through crowdfunding on Kickstarter, and it celebrated its tenth year of existence in 2023. Since its inception, the company has published more than ten games divided into two ranges:
• The Chronicles range, and
• The Versus range.
In the middle of 2022, Thanos Potossis, a long-time collaborator and creator of the Boardgame Stories YouTube channel, informed us that one of his acquaintances was looking for a publisher for an original game based on "the management of ancient deities". An appointment was immediately made for Vasilis (yes, it was him) and his brother to present their game Altar.
From that moment on, everything fell into place in a simple and natural way. On the one hand, the game seemed perfect as a contribution to the renewal of the Versus line that's intended to appeal to a broader range of players around the table, and on the other hand, the prospect of developing an epic graphic style depicting the exploits of ancient gods was highly inspiring.
In addition, as icing on the cake, despite the current period of inflation, the production estimates provided by our various factories seemed quite reasonable. All that remained was to develop a solid communication plan to launch a new Kickstarter campaign. To create the illustrations for the boards and cards of the game, we called upon Nicolas Jamme and Alena Ignatkovitch, who did an unexpectedly good job! The gods were with us!
We proceeded to create prototypes, which were sent to various content creators for preview videos. Additionally, a virtual version of the game was available on Tabletopia to provide people with a taste of the enjoyment of playing Altar.
In conclusion, we can say that the Altar project was born from chance and unexpected circumstances, but fate played a decisive role in bringing together bold and passionate protagonists ready to collaborate. We are confident that this collaboration will lead to the best outcome, and we believe that the game Altar will undoubtedly find the large audience it deserves!
The early feedback and reception for Altar has been nothing short of exceptional. People across the globe have embraced it, making it a staple on the shelves of countless households in numerous countries. We're thrilled with this overwhelmingly positive response. As we look ahead, we're confident that by the end of 2024, Altar will stand as a widely recognized game with a devoted fan base and a future brimming with promise.
The Red Joker
Read more »Source: BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek | Published: March 22, 2024 - 6:00 am
BoardGameGeek News | BoardGameGeek
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- ● The Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms - Print at Home - Imperial Legion Starter SetPublisher: Modiphius
Protect Tamriel and the Third Empire from your enemies with the staunch heroes of the Imperial Legion. HADVAR provides leadership and tactical expertise to the Legion Troops and is supported by the IMPERIAL MAGE, whose expertise with magic and weapons makes her deadly at range and up close. Finally, three IMPERIAL SWORDSMEN provide a stalwart backbone for your force.
This 3D print product lets you print five 32mm scale high quality multi-part The Elder Scrolls miniatures with scenic bases.
Files have been pre-hollowed where possible, and all files include supported versions for easier printing.
Contents:
- Hadvar, Hero of Helgen
- Imperial Mage
- Imperial Soldier 1
- Imperial Soldier 2
- Imperial Soldier 3
Please note: this is an STL ONLY for 3D printing and not the physical product. Requires a 3D printer and knowledge of 3D printing to use.
Technical notes
- The files have been designed and split to fit within a minimum print bed of 120x60x150mm.
- The files are designed for 32mm scale miniatures.
- These are high quality 3D print production files intended for resin printing. They may work on filament printers, but we do not support that printing method as standard.
- STLs are provided in both pre-supported and unsupported forms. We suggest you download the free sampler pack to familiarise yourself with our formats and check compatibility with your printer(s).
- We suggest a printer such as the Photon 4K or Elegoo Mars as being compatible with the files.
Legal notes
3D printable file and model ©2024 Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media company. All Rights Reserved.
- This is an STL ONLY for 3D printing and not a physical product. Requires a 3D printer and knowledge of 3D printing to use
- STL files are sold on an "as-is" basis only, we do not accept modification requests and printing and technical support is not provided.
- 3D Printable files have strictly non-commercial, non-distribution licences and shall be downloaded for personal use only.
- The customer may not share, distribute, sell, rent, sub-license, host or transfer the 3D printable file.
- The customer may not 3D print these files for commercial or mass production purposes.
- 3D printable files may be downloaded for personal only and may not be used for marketing, collecting money, fees, donations, reimbursement or any purposes of remuneration: Including but not limited to selling 3D prints, posting content on Ebay, Etsy, Shapeways, Facebook, store or any other product or file sharing or distribution site or service.
- Any violation is subject to legal enforcement of intellectual property rights to the fullest extent of the law, including criminal prosecution.
Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 11:05 am - ● Nemesis Collection - Szor'danPublisher: Grim Press
A dark elf wizard seeking to wield the power of the shadow realm to elevate the city of Noctharin to unmatched supremacy, manipulating political factions and arcane forces from the shadows.Nemesis Collection - Szor'dan, The Veilmage contains the following content:-
CAMPAIGN BOSS - A wizard who wants to unlock the secrets of the Shadow Realm.
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MULTIPLE TIERS OF PLAY - Quest hooks and statblocks for T1, T2, T3, and T4.
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NEW MAGIC ITEM - Gloomforged Dagger.
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TOKENS & MAPS - Unique monster tokens and two encounter maps (150dpi; grid & no-grid versions).
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FULLY ILLUSTRATED - Unique art for the NPC and magic items.
The Nemesis Collection is an assemblage of D&D5e campaign bosses usable in multiple tiers of play, featuring unique quest hooks, statblocks, encounter maps, magic items, and additional content to help you introduce these NPC in your campaign and make an impression on your players.
Like this content? Get each new release at a discount on:
Patreon.com | GrimPress
Price: $4.99 Read more »Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 11:05 am -
- ● DoubleZero: Police OfficerPublisher: Lightspress Media
Welcome to DoubleZero: Police Officer, a comprehensive toolkit designed to immerse you in the world of law enforcement within modern roleplaying scenarios. Within these pages, you will discover a wealth of resources meticulously curated to bring authenticity and depth to your experience as a police officer. Whether you're patrolling the bustling streets of a metropolis, investigating complex crimes, or navigating the intricacies of departmental politics, this toolkit provides everything you need to embody the challenges and responsibilities of maintaining order in a dynamic and ever-evolving society. From tactical training to ethical dilemmas, from high-speed pursuits to delicate negotiations, prepare to embark on a thrilling journey through the complexities of law enforcement in the modern age.
Expand the world of modern roleplaying with the DoubleZero: Professions series. Explore distinctive character types and tailor them to your preferred setting and genre. Each volume presents a rich array of options, profession variations, faction insights, worldbuilding support, and captivating plot hooks.
DoubleZero: Modern Roleplaying offers a fresh take on the roleplaying experience, where characters are grounded in reality without relying on magic or supernatural abilities. Dive into modern genres like crime, mystery, espionage, horror, romance, and science fiction, and watch your characters thrive. Our skill-driven system, utilizing two 10-sided dice, ensures dynamic play with degrees of success and outcomes that keep you on the edge of your seat.
Lightspress promotes a lo-fi approach to roleplaying, focusing on the utility and value of the content rather than flashy production. We strategically employ visual elements to amplify the message conveyed by the text, allowing us to create powerful and affordable toolkits. Remember, the true essence of the roleplaying experience lies not within the pages of a book, but in the creativity and collaboration fostered around your tabletop.
We structure our books using a uniform format and standardized content to improve clarity between the various titles in the series.
This Book Contains
- Police Officer: About this profession, its background and requirements, and why it’s a compelling choice for a player character.
- Skills: Characters possess a diverse array of skills, defined in this section, ranging from technical expertise to interpersonal abilities.
- Advantages: This profession offers unique advantages, providing characters with specialized knowledge, resources, and opportunities.
- Disadvantages: Characters face challenges and drawbacks, including risks to safety, ethical dilemmas, and societal scrutiny.
- Variants: Players can explore five distinct variations, each offering its own set of abilities, motivations, and story possibilities.
- Worldbuilding: Integrating this profession into the setting requires elements like relevant institutions, technologies, and societal norms.
- Genre: Whether in crime, mystery, romance, horror, or science fiction, this profession adapts seamlessly to various modern genres.
- Theme: Across different themes, this profession remains versatile, embodying themes of redemption, ambition, justice, and sacrifice.
- Tone: Depending on the tone, this profession can be interpreted differently, from gritty and realistic to whimsical and fantastical.
- Factions: Essential factions profoundly impact the lives of characters, providing allies, adversaries, and intricate power dynamics.
- Plot Hooks: Tailored plot hooks await, offering exciting narrative arcs that resonate with their skills, motivations, and personal journeys.
96 pages. PDF, epub, and MOBI files included.
Price: $5.00 Read more »Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 11:05 am - ● DoubleZero: JournalistPublisher: Lightspress Media
Welcome to DoubleZero: Journalist, a comprehensive toolkit designed to immerse you in the world of investigative reporting within modern-era roleplaying scenarios. In this guide, you'll discover the intricacies of embodying a journalist, from navigating the cutthroat world of media to uncovering truth amidst a web of deception. Whether you're delving into political scandals, unraveling corporate conspiracies, or chasing down leads in the heart of urban sprawl, this resource equips you with the skills, tools, and ethical dilemmas necessary to bring your character to life in the relentless pursuit of truth. So grab your notepad, sharpen your wit, and prepare to unearth stories that will shake the very foundations of the worlds you inhabit.
Expand the world of modern roleplaying with the DoubleZero: Professions series. Explore distinctive character types and tailor them to your preferred setting and genre. Each volume presents a rich array of options, profession variations, faction insights, worldbuilding support, and captivating plot hooks.
DoubleZero: Modern Roleplaying offers a fresh take on the roleplaying experience, where characters are grounded in reality without relying on magic or supernatural abilities. Dive into modern genres like crime, mystery, espionage, horror, romance, and science fiction, and watch your characters thrive. Our skill-driven system, utilizing two 10-sided dice, ensures dynamic play with degrees of success and outcomes that keep you on the edge of your seat.
Lightspress promotes a lo-fi approach to roleplaying, focusing on the utility and value of the content rather than flashy production. We strategically employ visual elements to amplify the message conveyed by the text, allowing us to create powerful and affordable toolkits. Remember, the true essence of the roleplaying experience lies not within the pages of a book, but in the creativity and collaboration fostered around your tabletop.
We structure our books using a uniform format and standardized content to improve clarity between the various titles in the series.
This Book Contains
- Journalist: About this profession, its background and requirements, and why it’s a compelling choice for a player character.
- Skills: Characters possess a diverse array of skills, defined in this section, ranging from technical expertise to interpersonal abilities.
- Advantages: This profession offers unique advantages, providing characters with specialized knowledge, resources, and opportunities.
- Disadvantages: Characters face challenges and drawbacks, including risks to safety, ethical dilemmas, and societal scrutiny.
- Variants: Players can explore five distinct variations, each offering its own set of abilities, motivations, and story possibilities.
- Worldbuilding: Integrating this profession into the setting requires elements like relevant institutions, technologies, and societal norms.
- Genre: Whether in crime, mystery, romance, horror, or science fiction, this profession adapts seamlessly to various modern genres.
- Theme: Across different themes, this profession remains versatile, embodying themes of redemption, ambition, justice, and sacrifice.
- Tone: Depending on the tone, this profession can be interpreted differently, from gritty and realistic to whimsical and fantastical.
- Factions: Essential factions profoundly impact the lives of characters, providing allies, adversaries, and intricate power dynamics.
- Plot Hooks: Tailored plot hooks await, offering exciting narrative arcs that resonate with their skills, motivations, and personal journeys.
96 pages. PDF, epub, and MOBI files included.
Price: $5.00 Read more »Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 11:05 am - ● Nibiru Kit de découverte (Livret d'initiation)Publisher: Les XII Singes
Kit de découverte gratuit pour le jeu de rôle de science-fiction Nibiru.
Nibiru est un jdr de science-fiction dans les méandres de l'oubli : devenez un Vagabond, un amnésique perdu dans une titanesque station spatiale à la recherche des vestiges perdus de son passé.
Découvrez l'univers du Monde sans Ciel avec ce livret de découverte gratuit, présentant les bases des règles, la station Nibiru, et un scénario d'introduction avec des personnages prétirés.
Ce pack numérique Kit de découverte pour Nibiru, adapté au jeu dématérialisé, contient :
- Le livret de base (39 pages) au format PDF avec signets hiérarchisés (code-couleur, mise en évidence des aides MJ, etc) pour retrouver toutes vos informations en un clin d'oeil
- Les cartes et illustrations du scénarios
- Les fiches de personnages prétirés inscriptibles et la fiche de personnage PDF vierge inscriptible
- Un lot de pions pour VTT (10 pions vierges et 3 pions propres au scénario)
Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 11:05 am - ● Backwater Town: Farm | Dynamic LightingPublisher: MmpApps
This version is a Roll20 VTT game addon with dynamic lighting and layered maps. If you are interested in general use downloadable maps visit Backwater Farm Map Pack.
Part of our Backwater Town map series, Farm includes full-size maps detailing a farm that you might find near a small backwater town of the type that would be found on a planet on the outer rim or a frontier area on your campaigns main world.
Versions of the farm have been provided to fit into each of a Desert, Arctic, or Grasslands envioment. The maps also come in furnished or unfurnished versions.
Designed to be able to be used with any roleplaying game system.
Whether your characters are rebel scum trying to resist an evil empire or a part of a rag-tag colonial fleet fleeing an apocalyptic attack, moisture farmers looking for a missing robot, the former crew of an ice freighter trying to survive in the endless expanse of space, mutants sruggling to survive in a post-apocolypitc world, cowpokes looking to make their fortune in the wild west or just travellers journeying through the galaxy, at some point or another in your campaign these maps will come in handy.
Price: $3.75 Read more »Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 11:05 am - ● The Dungeon That Never Ends - Level 41Publisher: Le Paysagiste de l'Imaginaire
Forty-first level of the Dungeon That Never Ends / Quarante et unième niveau du Donjon Sans Fin
Hand drawn by / Dessiné à la main par Jean-Claude ''Raznag'' Tremblay
This map pack include / Ce paquet de cartes inclut:
1 Dungeon level in 4 versions (8 variations) / 1 Niveau de donjon dans 4 versions (8 variantes) (70 pixels per square / 70 pixels par case) (88 x 68)
Don't forget to follow me on this platform to stay up to date with my latest maps news! / N'oubliez pas de me suivre sur les plateformes suivantes pour avoir les dernières nouvelles!
Instagram
Facebook
Youtube
RedditFor personal use only/ Pour usage personnel seulement
If you are interested in a commercial use of this product, feel free to contact me. / Si vous êtes interessé par un usage commercial, contactez moi.
Price: $0.50 Read more »Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 11:04 am - ● The Tower in the Meadow: a solo rpgPublisher: Sam Robson
The Tower in the Meadow is a solo rpg utilising the For Truth's Sake system pioneered by H. Moon.
Ten days ago, a tower appeared in a meadow outside of town. This tower is home to not only mages, but also magical beings of all kinds. The tower's wizard has invited you to spend a few months in the tower, in exchange for an honest account of your time there to de-mystify the magical structure in the eyes of the outside world.
Are you up for the challenge? A world of magic and wonder awaits!
Price: $1.99 Read more »Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 10:44 am - ● Dungeon Decor - Pack 32Publisher: ForgottenAdventures
MOM! I’m going on an adventure! since I got some sweet new adventuring gear…
Price: $4.99 Read more »Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 9:56 am - ● PoisonCraftPublisher: PlanarInk Editions
Master the Art of Darkness with PoisonCraft for 5E!
Welcome, shadow walkers and cunning alchemists! We're back into the dark alleys of poison-making. PoisonCraft is your ultimate guide to the most secretive and deadly arts.
From ancient toxins to volatile oils and deceptive flasks, this module is your key to unlocking a new realm of power. In this comprehensive guide, available in PDF or Printed edition, you will discover how to craft over 36750 different deadly concoctions, with even more to come as we hit our stretch goals!
About PoisonCraft:
Crafting 'PoisonCraft' is our latest labor of love. While the core content is prepared, the compendium will grow with your support. We aim to delve deeper into the dark arts with each milestone reached. As our community grows, so will the secrets and powers within these pages. Your support will unlock new ingredients and recipes, enhancing the book's content and providing a richer experience for all.
In this unique module, you will be able to create a minimum of 36750 different poisons, oils or flasks (way more if we reach the different stretch goals) !!!
Same system as PotionCraft but with a twist, multiplying the number of possibilites by 3!Price: $7.99 Read more »Source: DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items | Published: March 29, 2024 - 9:00 am
DriveThruRPG.com Newest Items
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- ● Planning By Mad Libs
Planning in RPGs has always been a problem. On one hand, it’s often necessary for a group of players to plan out something their characters are trying to accomplish. On the other, most groups are not adept at planning, and even if they were, the activity is never that exciting at the table – worse if you are the GM who is more of a spectator. All of this is worse if you are under any kind of time constraint, like running a one-shot.
That is the problem I was having. In a few weeks, my high school gaming group is having a reunion, and we wanted to play some games. One of our group’s main games was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Rather than run TMNT, I offered Mutants in the Now, which I think is a better overall game. It will be a one-shot, and likely time bound to 4-6 hours. The scenario I wanted was a raid on an island of the evil genius Dr. Feral. But planning…
Other games have done a good job of designing around planning, but Mutants in the Now does not have any direct planning rules. So I started to think, what if we didn’t plan everything but the group just made some choices? That is when I got the idea for Plan by Mad Libs. So let’s talk about it.
What are Mad Libs?
A Mad Lib is a word game where one player asks for certain words – a noun, a verb, etc – with little or no context. The words are plugged into pre-written text. After all the words have been collected, the person reads the text, which often results in a silly, but entertaining narrative. For more info see:
What is a Plan?
A plan is defined as a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something. There is an objective, and there are the steps to achieve that objective. Typically when this is done in RPGs the group knows or decides the objective, and then works to figure out the steps. This often results in iterative discussions as details that are discussed prompt a new discussion about older details. It can be time-consuming, frustrating, and boring.
Plan By Mad Libs
The idea is to use the Mad Lib format to streamline planning so that we can quickly define the plan and move on to its execution, where the characters are taking action.
The idea is to use the Mad Lib format to streamline planning so that we can quickly define the plan and move on to its execution, where the characters are taking action.To do this, I needed to take some of the agency from the players, for the sake of time. That is, I needed to come up with the pre-written text – the plan for how the characters would raid the island. I did this using a simple story framework for a typical raid kind of story. The plan would need info on infiltration, a diversion, achieving the objective, and exfiltration from the island.
The blanks could then be the WHO and in some cases the HOW. Those choices could be left to the players so that they could customize the framework and make the plan theirs.
Here is an example of how I used the WHO to define the infiltration to the island:
We first have to get onto Dr. Feral’s island. NAME will smuggle themselves aboard Kris Pierce’s yacht in Miami, and arrive on the island at the docks. At the same time, NAME and NAME will take a private flight out of Ft. Lauderdale and will parachute onto the southeast grasslands with our backup gear. NAME got a job as a bodyguard for Linda Davenport and will arrive on the island as part of her entourage, and will be at the arena.
Here is an example of how I used the HOW for the diversion:
While that is going on, WHO will go to the CHOOSE (DOCKS, AIRSTRIP, POWER STATION) to cause a diversion by BLANK (ACTION or METHOD).
Implementing the Plan By Mad Libs
The full plan is written as if one of the characters is going over the plan with the rest of the group (this was highly inspired by a scene from the A-Team movie). The players will fill out the Mad Lib plan and then one of them will read it back to the group. As soon as it’s read, we can jump right into playing.
Advantages of Planning by Mad Libs
There are a few advantages to this. The first is that it should be quick. Filling in the blanks won’t take long and we should be up and running quickly. Second, the plan is written out and on the table while we play. There is little chance people will forget the plan with it there on the table. Third, I can prep for the plan, which means that I can add some nice mechanical details that I might miss if I was ad-libbing based on a plan made at the table. Fourth, I can roughly manage the duration of the game based on the size of the plan I write.
Kind of Sounds Like A Railroad
Not really. Of course, there will be twists in the plan – some from me and others through the actions of the characters – and that I will manage while we play. The players can abandon the plan as soon as we start, or they can follow it all the way through. Both work.
The goal of the Mad Lib plan wasn’t to control the whole adventure, it was to minimize planning and get into the execution of the plan. The Mad Lib plan accomplishes that goal.
One-Shots vs. Campaigns
For sure, this idea works great for one-shots, but could it work for a campaign? I think so, if the players were to buy into the concept. Hijacking a bit of agency in a one-shot is not that big of a deal, but in a campaign it could be more of a complex topic.
I think it would work in a campaign where planning was not the norm, where the core loop of the game is something other than planning and for a specific story there needs to be a plan, and you use the Mad Libs format to streamline things so that the story goes smoothly. For instance, I would not use this for a Night’s Black Agents op, but I might use it for a one-off supers heist in the Marvel Multiverse game.
Anything But Planning
Planning is not a fun activity in most RPGs. There are a lot of ways modern designers are trying to reduce or remove planning from games, all for the better. That said, there are plenty of games out there that need a design for minimizing planning. For those games, something like a Mad Lib plan can help.
I hope that this Mad Lib plan will help my table come up with an interesting and entertaining plan that unfolds into an exciting session.
How do you manage planning at your table? Would you try a Mad Lib plan?
Read more »Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 29, 2024 - 10:00 am - mp3Gnomecast 185 – Taking OverAng, Jared, and JT get together on the mics to talk about all the ins and outs of taking over the GMing duties in an existing group. Links: Pathfinder Mini-Dungeon Tome D&D 5e Mini-Dungeon Tome Coriolis: The Great Dark Kickstarter Stewpot: Tales from a Fantasy Tavern Read more »Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 27, 2024 - 10:00 am
- Girl by Moonlight Review
It’s become a bit of a meme for people to declare characters from different genres to be “magical girls.” Prince Adam lives his life, during the day, as an unassuming royal heir that hasn’t quite grown up enough to assume his full responsibilities, but when he holds his sword aloft and says “by the power of Grayskull,” he transforms into a big buff dude that can punch holes in tanks. He’s even got a talking cat.
But a lot of those memes assume that the concept of the magical girl is really about Sailor Moon style stories. You have young women living a normal life at school, with normal student problems, who are also superheroes that need to transform into their superhero persona and save the world. But the magical girl genre is broader than those tropes. In broader terms, the magical girl genre is about someone who has magical powers that aren’t common in the society they live in, dealing with the dual nature of being separate from the world they live in, while also living in it.
Two of the earliest magical girl creators in Japan, Mitsuteru Yokoyama and Fujio Akatsuka, have cited the American sitcom Bewitched as an inspiration. While I have watched many magical girl anime stories, I grew up watching Bewitched, so this makes a lot of things click for me. Samantha is a woman with magical powers. She comes from a culture that can’t be revealed to the contemporary American culture to which her husband belongs. She had to deal with complications in her mundane life, as well as using her powers to deal with the complications that arise from her connection to a magical other world.
Understanding that underlying concept of being an outsider who would be less conflicted if you could be what you are, all the time, and juggling the mundane complications that everyone in your position in society needs to deal with, along with additional complications that come with being who you really are, is really important to understanding the game we’re looking at today, Girl by Moonlight.
Disclaimer
I did not receive a review copy of Girl by Moonlight, and I was a backer of the crowdfunding campaign for the game. I have not had the opportunity to play the game, although I do have experience both playing and running Forged in the Dark games, the engine on which the game is built. I have played and run other magical girl RPGs, though, so I have that going for me.
Girl by Moonlight
Publisher Evil Hat
Author Andrew Gillis
Editors Daniel Wood, Jenn Martin
Proofreader Jenn Martin
Cover Artists Lorne Colt, Kelsey Phillips
Design Consultant Luke Jordan
Indexer Sadie Neat
Art Director Trivia Fox
Interior Artists Carly A-F, Lonnie Garcia, Kelsey Phillips, Zak Goggins, Simon Sweetman, Raven Warner, Jabari Weathers
Sensitivity Readers Jess Meier, Takuma Okada
Layout & Graphic Design John Harper, Fred Hicks
Playtesters Allison Arth, Andi Carrison, Ash Mcallan, Emily Mcallan, John Harper, Luke Jordan, Melody Watson, Nadja Otikor, Violet MillerGirl by Moonlight Format Power, Mark Up!
This review is based on both the physical copy of Girl by Moonlight, and the PDF version of the product. The physical copy I received is the limited edition cover, because I’m extremely weak against the powers of FOMO.
If you have any of the other Evil Hat Forged in the Dark games, the physical book matches the digest hardcover format of the other games they have released, like Blades in the Dark, Scum and Villainy, and Band of Blades. This also has the matte finish cover that those books have. The pages are sturdy, glossy, and hold the colors in a vibrant manner. The end papers display a repeating pattern of the symbols that appear in the game, in purple, blue, green, and dark pink.
The PDF and the book are 226 pages long. This includes a title page, a publication page, a two-page table of contents, a two-page index, a three-page summary of game rules, and a page of author bios. The PDF includes an image of the limited edition cover in addition to the standard cover.
The book itself has bold headers, many bullet points, it’s “side bars” are actually color bands that introduce their topics in the center of the page, and the layout is in single column format. I love lots of different book formats and flourishes, but I don’t think Evil Hat gets enough credit for maintaining very clear, uncluttered formatting that still looks very inviting and attractive. They make books that bridge the gap between bold, clear formatting, and stylish presentation, better than about anyone else. Girl by Moonlight is no exception.
The Magical Girl Power Source: Forged in the Dark
When Blades in the Dark introduced the Forged in the Dark engine to RPG games, it was built to portray heist-based action, where the story follows a predictable pattern that moves from gathering information, performing missions, dealing with consequences, and working on long term projects. While this makes sense for games about mercenaries trying to survive the winter, striving against an enemy force, or space pirates trying to get rich while dodging the authorities and avoiding political entanglements, it may not seem to be the most natural engine for magical girls.
Remember up in the introduction when I mentioned the expanded concept of magical girls that goes beyond the superhero style magical girl stories? This game uses the more structured, procedural format of the Forged in the Dark engine to make sure that characters think about each aspect of what the stories they are telling are touching upon. Right away in Girl by Moonlight, the book introduces the thesis of this game. Magical Girls, in this instance, are symbolic of people that belong to a marginalized community, drawing the most direct inspiration from the marginalization LBGTQIA+ people experience. If the only version of magical girls you have been exposed to has been the 90s version of Sailor Moon introduced in the United States, you may not realize exactly how apt it is to use the Magical Girl genre in this way.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about and want a quick course, go google Sailor Neptune, Sailor Uranus, or the Amazon Trio, especially if you’ve only encountered 90s Sailor Moon. Then come back. Is it clearer now? Okay, let’s get back to it.
It’s also probably important to point out that “magical girls” in this game aren’t limited to people whose gender identity is female. The genre leans towards portraying women protagonists, but includes characters that have a male gender identity, or do not conform to a gender binary. The term “magical girl,” however, does help to remind us that the default protagonist in these stories isn’t a straight cis male.
The structured nature of the Forged in the Dark engine makes it very clear how each aspect of gameplay contributes to the narrative of marginalized people living in a world that doesn’t accept them, while not being able to ignore the aspects of themselves that aren’t accepted. The phases of play in this game are:
- Obligation
- Downtime
- Mission
- Fallout
Each of these phases will look different depending on the series framework that the group agrees to use, but in general, this means that the characters will need to deal with what the mundane world expects them to do, choose what projects they want to focus on, attempt to fight back against the manifested destructed elements of the story in the mission, and deal with how the resolution of the mission affects the character’s long term goals and their daily lives.
While there has been a trend in a few more well known iterations of games based on the Forged in the Dark engine to move away from some of the more granular aspects of Forged in the Dark resolution, most of those standards as still present in this game. The baseline of the game is taking an action to resolve a situation, rolling a number of dice based on the ratings of the action being used, modified by help provided by others and additional dice provided by taking a dangerous compromise, and taking the highest result of the dice. If your highest die is 1-3, you don’t get what you want, if it’s a 4-5, you get it with a complication, and on a 6, you do exactly what you wanted to do the way you wanted to do it.
Downtime allows you to do things like recover from stress or start and advance long term projects. Mission objectives that can’t be resolved with a single action are tracked with clocks. Fallout can force the PCs to deal with enemy attacks when they aren’t ready, or see their opposition increase in tier, meaning that the PCs will have a harder time advancing mission clocks against the threats they face (usually because it takes more successes to fill in a clock to completion).
Depending on the series playset, there are aspects similar to claiming territory in Blades in the Dark. You might expand your superhero hideout’s resources, the carrier ship facilities of your bastion, or shut down aspects of an ongoing conspiracy.
Transforming the Forged in the Dark Engine
One of the ways that Girl by Moonlight addresses the genre is by introducing Transcendence. When characters meet the conditions by which they transform, they gain access to the Transcendent special abilities on their playbook, gain the use of armor, pick up more dots in some of their action ratings, and gain increased effect. Remember when we said that the opposition tier might go up, making it harder to fill your mission clocks . . . this is one of the ways you can counter that. Of course, there are also some powerful forces that you really can’t act against unless you are transcended.
There are a limited number of actions you can take while you are transcended. Because actions, especially in missions, represent more than just punching someone once or lifting a heavy object, this doesn’t mean that you only stay transformed for a minute or two, but it does mean that you only have so many mechanically significant, player driven moments with your transcended powers.
In many Forged in the Dark games, when your stress track is full, you leave the scene and take some kind of long term mark or injury before your character returns to play. Instead of leaving the scene, a stressed-out character falls into Eclipse. Eclipse is like the concept of the Darkest Self from Monsterhearts. You don’t become an enemy fighting against your friends, but the actions you are taking are harmful to your psyche and push yourself beyond your personal boundaries. You leave eclipse when one of your allies performs the action that is listed on your playbook as your escape.
All of this is meant to show that you have to fight to act as your true self and make it count, and that because you can’t always be the self you want to be, you have these shadows that fall over you, telling you that you aren’t the person that you want to be.
The specific actions in Girl by Moonlight include:
- Defy
- Empathize
- Express
- Confess
- Forgive
- Perceive
- Analyze
- Conceal
- Flow
The playbooks that the game uses include the following:
- Enigma (the mysterious character that helps the others while hiding who they are even from their allies)
- Stranger (the character that doesn’t connect with others as well as they do with things)
- Time Traveller (someone that knows what happens in one version of the future, and is trying to change things)
- Harmony (two characters in such a harmonious relationship that they act together to accomplish things)
- Guardian (the honor bound hero)
- Outsider (the character with a shady past and a rivalry with one of their allies)
- Unlikely Hero (the normal person who helps the other protagonists, and may not see what’s special about themselves)
Before we move on from the playbooks, I would just like to quote how your character views the world if they fall into Eclipse as the Unlikely Hero: “you are not who they need you to be. You’re weak, useless, unworthy of their friendship. They have given so much to you, and in return you give them nothing.”
Girl by Moonlight. I don’t know why you need to attack me personally, but I’m telling my therapist about this.
Another unique aspect of Girl by Moonlight are links. You gain links with different characters, and you can spend them in a number of ways to help one another, like recovering stress, ignoring harm, boosting an ally’s action, or preventing them from falling into eclipse. This is to reinforce the fact that the protagonists aren’t just individuals working towards a common goal, but that working together is one of the protagonists’ goals.
The Series
A game of Girl by Moonlight is a combination of picking your playbook, and picking the series that you are going to play. Series may have special rules that affect the general rules of the game, like the shrines that grant special abilities in At the Brink of the Abyss, the modified means by which the characters must recover stress and transcendence in Beneath a Rotting Sky, the rules for bonding with your giant robot friends in On the Sea of Stars, or the intimate moment rules for In a Maze of Dreams. They also have specific series abilities that can be taken in addition to playbook abilities, as well as customized transcendent abilities.
While there is a general theme for each of the series, the group still customizes and details the elements when they discuss what series they want to play. For example, they will often define the form the series opposition takes, where the characters derive their powers, what the mundane obligations of the characters are, and what end they are working towards, or fighting against.
The series included in the book are the following:
- At the Brink of the Abyss (magical girls as superheroes fighting for a better future)
- Beneath a Rotting Sky (magical girls as supernatural hunters fighting against a corruption that will ultimately break them)
- On a Sea of Stars (magical girls as mech pilots defending the last vestiges of human society against a destructive alien entity and its minions)
- In a Maze of Dreams (magical girls as manifestations of the characters’ subconscious selves, investigating the dreams of others to uncover an ongoing conspiracy)
Each of these series not only presents a different collection of tropes to utilize in storytelling, but also uses these different settings to explore different aspects of characters dealing with their marginalization in the face of the challenges they encounter. Not every setting is about our protagonists fighting hard and prevailing in the end.
At the Brink of the Abyss is what many people will think of when they think of the magical girls genre. Characters have a mundane, day-to-day life, with responsibilities they must perform. There is a unifying villainous force that both infects day to day life, making it harder for our protagonists to be themselves, and manifested villainous monsters, which can be challenged with superheroic action. Monsters in the setting are usually regular people corrupted by the unifying evil force that heroes are working against and can often be “saved” by reaching the human within the monster and appealing to their better nature. While the PCs still need to deal with the evil force corrupting society, they can defeat evil and make the world better. Some of the people that are adversaries are just people that don’t understand how they have been manipulated. It’s an overall more positive and optimistic setting, emphasizing perseverance and communication to overcome bigotry.
Beneath a Rotting Sky is perhaps the polar opposite of At the Brink of the Abyss. A very horror-inflected series, the evil that is corrupting society is so entrenched in the world that it’s not likely that it can ever be cleansed. If characters want to remove stress and recharge their powers, they need to consume the hearts of the monsters they hunt. They must deal with an opposing group of hunters who act as their rivals. They are portrayed as survivors, doing the best they can for as long as they can, until they can’t anymore. They try to do what they do because they don’t want to give up, not because they can win. In some ways, they are never fully free of the taint that has affected society, even when acting against the monsters of the setting, and may even come into conflict with others who are just trying to do the same things that the protagonists are doing. This series really explores the stress of existing in a world that actively resists change, and rather than moving forward, sometimes actively moves backward.
On a Sea of Stars splits the difference between the two previously detailed series. The humans’ last bastion isn’t as open and welcoming as it should be, meaning that the PCs may need to fight to make the surviving human society better in addition to fighting against the external forces trying to destroy humanity. It’s not assumed that the PCs will succeed, like At the Brink of the Abyss, but they aren’t doomed to eventually fall, as in Beneath a Rotting Sky. On a Sea of Stars puts an emphasis on building defenses and improving the human bastions, so that they can survive while the PCs are out taking the fight to the alien leviathans, which introduces the idea that big, grand gestures aren’t the only thing necessary to be successful, but also long term planning and change.
In a Maze of Dreams is the most conceptual of the settings. In superhero settings like the one detailed in At the Brink of the Abyss, the character’s heroic identity is often referred to as their “alter-ego,’ their self in a different reality. In a Maze of Dreams presents the concept that your transformed identity is really your “alter-Id,” your drives and desires given active reign over your supercharged form. The emphasis in this series is that there isn’t a big, obvious villain to fight, rather there are nefarious people that are subtly linked, causing harm as part of an established superstructure. Characters go into the dreams of people to determine how and if they are parts of the conspiracy, while also exploring desires and aspirations that the protagonist doesn’t fully understand. In a way, it’s trying to do what’s right, without knowing what’s right, while also learning why you really do the things you do.
Viewing the game through the lens of the series playbooks brings into focus what the game is trying to accomplish, using both the magical girl genre and the Forged in the Dark engine as tools to that end. Each of these series explores an aspect of surviving and interacting with society as a queer individual, each one asking, “but how would it change if you had to face this?” In some ways, it feels like the ultimate experience of this game would be to play through all these series and examine what they all say, and where those narratives overlap. That said, I can also see where some of these settings would be harder to engage with. For example, I could see running or playing in At the Brink of the Abyss or On a Sea of Stars, because when I’m gaming, I like at least the possibility of a happy ending. I may be able to engage with In a Maze of Dreams if I was in the right, introspective mindset, but I suspect that Under a Rotting Sky would be emotionally taxing for me in a way I wouldn’t enjoy.
That’s not a proclamation on what series are “good” or “bad.” I think, as a product, that Under a Rotting Sky and In a Maze of Dreams make the product feel more complete for the perspectives that those series offer. Other people are going to have different dials and perspectives they enjoy when they address these topics in a game.
Cosmic Heart Compact
This is one of those games that I feel is just as strong as a commentary as it is as an actual game, but it balances that commentary and gamification well enough to be both. The specific phases of play support the exploration of the game’s themes by pacing the game in step with the topics introduced in the other phases. The four series do a wonderful job at touching on the same topics, while also turning the dials on the details up or down to explore the same philosophical questions with different priorities.
Losing the Crystal Star
I think anyone looking at this game closely will understand that it’s “magical girls used to produce a specific experience,” but it’s probably still worth noting that if you want a game that leans harder on blow by blow action against a villain of the week, the pace of this game is probably going to be more deliberate and more introspective than you want to scratch that itch. It’s not really a failing of the game, so much as an easily foreseen misalignment of expectations.
Recommended–If the product fits in your broad area of gaming interests, you are likely to be happy with this purchase.
This game is going to be a great tool for using fantasy elements to explore important issues facing queer people in modern society, as well as exploring how marginalized people survive and work to change society in a narrative form. In addition to its use as an active tool at the gaming table, both for having fun and exploring perspectives, I think that anyone that is concerned about queer marginalization, and who enjoys engaging with tabletop gaming rules will benefit from reading through this book, even if they never get the game into active use.
If you just want to punch evil in the face after your magical girl transformation, you may still get something out of this game, just know that the focus of the game isn’t squarely fixed on that aspect of the story as the primary narrative. Even at that, there are still some series and playbooks that lean more closely to what you may want out of the game.
Maybe someday, when enough people have played games like this, and internalized what they learn at the gaming table, they’ll realize that Samantha should have been able to be accepted as a witch even though she married a man. Her current partner didn’t make her any less of a witch, even when she wasn’t actively using her powers.
Read more »Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 25, 2024 - 12:00 pm - Focusing Player Attention with Description
We know the meme: players latch onto the most insignificant goblin of a side character and ignore the walking plot hook in the fancy cloak. They’ll obsess over the most minor, minute details of a crime scene while completely missing the big obvious clue tacked to the board on the wall. They’ll squander all their time in the big city shopping and negotiating the price of a room instead of following the leads to the cultist sewer hideout you ever so painstakingly laid out for them.
The meme is funny because it’s true, but it can also be exhausting, especially if you’re not running a sandbox campaign and must steer your party back toward the plot. (And double-especially if you’re a newer GM or the type of GM that doesn’t handle curve balls well.)
Thankfully, there are techniques we can use to mitigate the “side character cinnamon bun effect,” as I like to call it. And if your players are stubborn, and you can’t seem to redirect their energy, there are ways to harness their attention for the benefit of your campaign.
It all boils down to how you describe things.
EYES AND EARS
As the GM, you are your players’ eyes, ears, and other senses. The choices you make when describing your game literally build the way they perceive their characters’ world, and their perceptions of the world will determine their actions. When they latch onto the wrong thing, be it the goblin barkeep instead of the mysterious figure in the corner, or the stale corner of bread instead of the bloody murder weapon, nine times out of 10, it’s a failure of description. Either you’ve got too much, too little, or the wrong kind altogether.
Let’s break ’em down, look at where things go wrong, and talk about how we can course-correct when they do.
When we’re presented with a list of information, we’re going to remember the first thing we heard and the last thing we heard.TOO MUCH INFORMATION
Imagine this: your characters arrive in a big city. A central trading hub on the coast, bustling with merchants and guilds and religious orders, tourists, and travelers of all sorts. It’s a big change from their time blazing trails in the wilderness. It makes sense you’d want to describe everything from the ramparts to the docks to the magical castle in the center of town. But what happens after you spend five minutes recounting all the wonders the city has to offer?
Instead of dashing off like kids at Disney World, taking in all the wonderful and dangerous streets and districts you’ve prepared, your players immediately ask for the nearest inn and haggle over the cost of a night’s stay.
They could be playing in the moment and just want to establish a home base for their time in town. Or, it could be, in your attempt to impress upon them the grandeur of the location, you’ve overloaded them with information, and they don’t see the forest for the trees (so to speak).
If you find yourself constantly relaying a ton of descriptive information to your players only to be met with blank stares and “ummmms” when asked what they want to do next, you likely need to pare back what you’re relaying.
HOW TO FIX IT
Fixing too much information is kinda simple and really fun, and it’s all thanks to two little psychological tricks known as the primacy and immediacy effects. Basically, when we’re presented with a list of information, we’re going to remember the first thing we heard and the last thing we heard. The stuff in the middle? Might as well toss it into the sea. There are exceptions to this, obviously, but in general – first thing, last thing. Those are what’ll stick.
So let’s use these psychological effects to our advantage when we’re describing the city (or any other important aspect of the game world) by first making sure the two most essential elements we want to relay – in our example, the size and the sewers – come first and last. Then, we can devote extra time to describing those particular aspects while glossing over the stuff in the middle.
For example: “The port city sprawls out from the ocean like a giant squid that’s beached itself on the shore. The buildings fill your field of view, stretching from nearly one end of the horizon to the other.” (We’ve started by emphasizing the size.) “As sailors, merchants, and other citizens go about their busy days…” (And glossed over the unimportant details.)” You notice something odd – one of the metal grates covering the entrance to the sewer system has been pried open, and a trail of muddy footprints lead inside.” (And dropped the details about the sewer cult.)
TOO LITTLE INFORMATION
When your players seem to be latching onto random NPCs and making their own trouble when you want them to follow up the plot threads you think you’ve been subtly laying down for them, they’re likely suffering from a lack of information.
If I’ve learned one thing in over twenty years of running games, it’s this: when it comes to laying hints and clues for my PCs to follow, however subtle I think I’m being, I’m actually being 100x more obscure. Subtlety is an excellent technique for many, many forms of entertainment – a good mystery novel, a tense costume drama, a black-box stage play – but TTRPGs are not enhanced by subtlety.
HOW TO FIX IT
There’s an old marketing adage that says a customer must encounter information about your product 7 times before deciding to purchase it. It’s an old adage because the number of times has increased dramatically in the 21st century, but specifics aside, it’s still a good rule of thumb for how often you need to drop hints and describe clues before your players will start picking up what you’re putting down.
If you’re nudging your characters in the direction of a plot, repeat the hooks often throughout a single session. If you want them to realize the conspiracy to overthrow the king signals their allegiance by wearing the colors green and gold, then do not mention the green and gold robes of a single NPC once and then, four sessions later, note the streaks of green and gold dyed hair of the assassin NPC. That’s not enough repetition of information.
Instead, talk about a whole gaggle of green and gold-clothed individuals taking up a corner of the local cafe. Mention the proliferation of green and gold decorations in windows. The banners hanging from horses and wagons. The scarfs and hats worn by a large number of people in the city.
Don’t be subtle. Hit them over the head with the descriptions and then reiterate. Reiterate. Reiterate.
I can’t tell you how often I’ve forgotten to describe a book, lever, or some other essential item while I was caught up describing the intricately designed marble fountain.THE WRONG KIND COMPLETELY
This description faux pas is often some combination of the first two, and one I’ve personally fallen into numerous times throughout my tenure as a GM. What usually happens is you get so wrapped up in the description of a scene, focusing in loving detail on the fauna of the forest or the tapestries in the library or whatever your current personal fixation happens to be, that you completely forget to describe the important elements needed for your players to grok what’s going on in the scene.
I can’t tell you how often I’ve forgotten to describe a book, lever, or some other essential item while I was caught up describing the intricately designed marble fountain. And so, of course, my players focus on the fountain. I spent so much time describing it, it has to be important right?
Oops.
HOW TO FIX IT
Course correcting this error is easy-ish, depending on what you’ve prepped. Of course, the best option is to avoid mistakes altogether by keeping notes on important details so you don’t get away from yourself.
If you’re the type of GM who likes to prepare their descriptions beforehand, read them back a few times with a critical eye and make sure you’re hitting the important bits. If you’re like me and prefer to come up with most of your descriptions on the fly, give yourself some bullet points so you don’t get too carried away.
If, however, you find yourself far afield from where you intended, all is not lost. The easiest in-the-moment way to fix the wrong kind of description is to alter your plans and make that fountain the scene’s focus.
Sometimes, a little ripple like that can throw off your entire prep work, though, so in those instances, call for a perception check (and maybe fudge the results if you need to), and voila! The clever PCs have seen through your red herring and found the real clue that was totally there the whole time…
YOUR PLAYERS’ GIFT TO YOU: When Things Go Wrong
No one is going to nail their descriptions perfectly every time. And no group of players will stay on task 100% of the time, either. But when your players do decide to focus on the side character or the detail of minor importance, take it as the gift that it is: this is them telling you what they find exciting and compelling.
That’s not a failure; it’s valuable information that you can take back to your prep and use to your advantage the next time you run a game.
PRACTICING WHAT WAS PREACHED
Since there was a lot of information in this article, I thought taking some of the key points and repeating them would be helpful. Remember, when it comes to description, you should:
- Keep it short and direct
- Reiterate
- Reiterate
- Reiterate
- Ensure you focus on the important bits
What about you? When was the last time your players latched onto a completely unexpected minor detail and derailed your entire prep? Let us know in the comments section below!
Read more »Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 22, 2024 - 1:30 pm - Adventure Design: Intro and Outline
Welcome to a series of adventure design articles that I’m going to publish over the course of the next many months. The idea for this series hit me hard while I was at the bus stop waiting to pick up my man-child. I’d gotten there about twenty minutes early, and the ideas just starting flowing. Like any good writer, I have a notepad and pen in the center console of my car. Within a few minutes, I had the small notepad page filled with ideas. Before I was done, I had most of the following ideas brainstormed and titled.
I also reached out to social media to see if anyone had concepts to add to the list, and an additional idea came in. If more good ideas come in, I might expand upon this series.
The core conceit of this series is to give you bite-sized chunks to chew on and think about as you design adventures for your home game. This might help you in creating adventures for publication as well, but my main target audience is for the home brew GM that is making adventures for their personal group. If there is interest, I might include a wrap-up article from my perspective on how to organize an adventure for publication.
I’ve tried to order the articles in such a way as to allow you to build upon the knowledge step-by-step without getting overwhelmed. As I move through the series, if you think of ideas that I can add to the list or concepts you want me to cover, feel free to comment on the articles. I’ll see what I can do to provide details in those areas for future articles.
For now, I’ll leave you with a teaser list of titles that I’m going to cover with this series of articles. I hope you find them useful and thoughtful.
- Mood, Tone, and Theme
- Detailing Back to Front
- Backgrounds and Factions
- Story Hooks
- Thematic Environments
- Thematic Bosses
- Thematic Mooks
- Combo Encounters
- Maps and PC Handouts
- Supporting and Opposing NPCs
- Clues, Rumors, and Connective Tissue
- Node-Based Design
Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 20, 2024 - 10:00 am - Managing Your Digital Library
An Infinite Digital Bookcase
I can still remember the first roleplaying game that I got in the early 1990s, the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide. The colorful cover with a roaring dragon and fiery wizard left an indelible mark in my memory. I have long since traded or donated that book, and my collection has expanded and contracted over the years to include the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, Earthdawn, Dungeons and Dragons 3rd edition, and now Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition. Over that time it was not only the games that have changed, but the books themselves.
After coming back to the game in 2020, my tabletop roleplaying game collection contains more PDFs than physical books. I’ve bought many books from creators both large and small through online stores like Drive thru RPG, Itch.io or the DMs Guild, plus deals on Humble Bundle, and the Bundle of Holding. This has led to an eclectic collection that includes multiple genres and systems across rulebooks, campaign settings, and sourcebooks. My bookshelf would be under threat, except for digital files my space is only limited by my hard drive storage space. Yet, I have still had to figure out ways to make my library organized, and also discoverable, or else I would never find anything.
Organize Your Files
Ideally, for any digital game book you purchase, you want to download a copy so you have a copy that you control. Don’t rely on the digital marketplace to keep a copy in perpetuity. After downloading the file I recommend creating a folder on a cloud service like iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc., and putting all your game books in a single place; this will function as your digital bookcase. If you want you can create subfolders by publisher or game and divide your books into different categories.
I also recommend naming the files with a simple convention (e.g.
– ) so you don’t get any files mixed up and minimize the chance you’ll overwrite a file by mistake. This way you know where all your digital books are located so you can pull them up easily during the game or in preparation for a game. Highlight, Markup, and Tag
Most libraries are for reading so you’ll want to make interacting with your digital library as easy as possible. There are great (free) PDF readers that are available, though if you want a tool that will manage your library and allow you to highlight then I would look at tools designed for the academic market. A good option is Zotero, which is free, offers loads of plugins and is available across all major operating systems.
Zotero allows users to create records for each PDF in their library with standard information like author, title, and publisher and then link that record directly to the PDF on your computer (or you can import the PDF directly into Zotero too, though be mindful of the 300 MB space constraint on free accounts.) Once this is complete if you select the record you can view the PDF from within Zotero with an array of markup tools.
The best way to read any digital document (IMHO) is to engage with the document by highlighting and annotating the text. Zotero captures any chapters built into the PDF, though you’re also able to make notes and highlight specific text. The highlights create an internal bookmarklet so you can navigate through the document to follow your highlights.
I like to think of myself as an ancient dragon surrounded by my library of treasures and I never know when a connection or an idea will spark between two different books.Zotero is not the only software option either. There is Endnote, which offers reference management with multiple document libraries and also the ability to markup and annotate PDF documents, though it requires a license for $275.00 or $125.00 for upgrade licensing. Also, if you’re on a Mac (or iOS device) there is the free Books application, which allows you to import PDF documents, sort them into collections, and provide some markup in the PDF via the MacOS Preview application. Though whatever you use is the smallest concern; the key factor is curation. Don’t let yourself get too weighed down by the application you’ve chosen.Browsing the Stacks
The effort in organizing and cataloging your collection bears fruit in the spontaneity of browsing and sifting through your collection. Whether looking through the folder that contains your collection or using a citation tool like Zotero, scanning through your collection reminds you of what you have and lets you draw connections between different sources.
Tools like Zotero provide some additional help via tagging which allows users to create classification groups and library groups, though you could do the same thing with folders.
Drawing an adventure idea from one setting into another, etc. I suggest setting aside some time to regularly look through your library and see what grabs your interest; whether for a game tomorrow or next year you never know when inspiration will strike.
Back-up, Back-up
Lastly, you want to keep a copy of the files safe from a computer crash or other accident. Having them in a cloud storage system helps, though to be extra safe you may want to keep a jump drive or similar portable hard drive with a backup copy somewhere safe in case there is a metaphorical storm in the cloud. PDF is a proprietary standard though it seems firmly embedded in the technological zeitgeist, so your files are fairly safe from bit rot.
Read & Play More Games
Hopefully, through organizing your library, you’ll gain insights and inspiration (or even just some time daydreaming) about potential games. Whether you’re a player, game master, or somewhere in between, engaging with this great hobby brings great value. If you have ways you’ve organized your digital library, I’d love to hear how they work. We are all in this together fighting against the dragon of disorganization.
Read more »Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 18, 2024 - 10:00 am - Unbound Issue 3 (The Draw Fate) Breakdown
In a similar manner to my articles in which I break down the articles from Arcadia that I used to write for Tribality, I now present you a series of breakdowns for the Unbound collection. Leon Barillaro has been kind enough to provide me with a copy of the issue for me to check out and review.
In many ways, Unbound is very similar to Arcadia and the Uncaged collections. Leon even mentions it in a Letter from the Editor at the very beginning! However, this collection has another purpose. With the disaster caused by the D&D OGL, many people started to check out other games, and the people in charge of Unbound wanted to make other games known. As Leon says “This zine is […] a collection of articles supporting the systems and genres we enjoy, many of which have nothing to do with heroic medieval fantasy”
The PDF itself is not indexed, nor provides alt text for the images. Additionally, the text cannot be selected, as if every page was a whole image. However, the layout is gorgeous to look at, the images selected are amazing, colorful, and thematic. Additionally, each individual article not only includes the author, but also who did the illustrations, the editors, and even playtesters for the adventures. I really liked seeing all the people involved being well displayed in each article, and having a whole Contributors section for each of them (except for the Playtesters). The contributors, I must also stand out, for being extremely diverse, both as BIMPOC, and part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Skip the Pantheon, Build a Tarot Deck
~ Article ~
Author: Dana Floberg
Artists: Cecelia Nesti
Editors: Ashton Duncan and Steffie DevaanWhen worldbuilding there are many things we usually start with: a map, politics, the kingdoms or planets, a pantheon… What if there was another better way to start and give you plenty of ideas on the aspects from your world? That’s right! That is a tarot deck! Through this article Dana takes some time to explain the origin of tarot, what it was created to represent, and how much it says about our world. After that, there is a guide on how to create your own tarot deck for your world, and make it impactful in the setting.
I can’t say I know much about tarot. I have my own set that I got at last Big Bad Con just because I bought a game that requires one, and there was a tarot deck that looked incredible next to it. Upon reading this article I got an urge to think of things from my world that would appear in its own personal deck. I definitely recommend this article to get those inspirational gears turning in your head, and creating a tarot deck your players can pull from in all your games!
Fourteen Blades
~ Resource for Thirsty Sword Lesbians ~
Author: Mathew Campbell
Artists: Margarita Bourkova
Editors: Brock Bergum and Leon BarillaroIn this article, you will find a collection of 14 different Blades for the TTRPG Thirsty Sword Lesbians. If there is supposed to be a connection between them and the tarot cards I really can’t find it (they are supposed to be tarot inspired… maybe it has something to do with the minor arcana cards?). However, the content to be found in this article is incredibly imaginative. It shows that Mathew is either a sword nerd or did a bunch of research on different swords, because half of the types of swords detailed here I have never heard of. The Blind Daab Sŏng, dual blades of justice and truth, and Mora’s Shashka, the sword for good witches possessed by a spirit, are surely my favorites.
Let’s Talk About Boiz!!11!1!
~ Adventure for Mork Borg (Cy_Borg) ~
Author: Isla Lader
Artists: David Markiswsky
Editors: Kai Linder and Steffie DevaanWhen an AI destined to collect information from thousands of individual’s fashion, and predict the future of it goes rogue and uses bodies constructed with flesh as its way of being corporeal in the world, you have to do something about it. I wouldn’t call this an adventure per se, but a series of imaginative bits of information about this SINdy AI to create your own series of stories around it. SINdy has a connection with the tarot cards in the sense that she (or her followers) can grant powers to the PCs that are defined through a draw from a major arcana deck. I had not seen Cy_Borg adventures before, but I do own a copy of the game. Now I really want to run a short campaign featuring SINdy, or at least having her be a side character!
Divined Chaos
~ A New Game ~
Author: Karren Loomer
Artists: David Markiswsky
Editors: Dana Floberg and Leon BarillaroI was surprised to encounter a new game in this issue. I mean, the last one did have a hack of Honey Heist, but this one is not based on anything. It is a very simple game using tarot cards and having all players interpret the cards they draw. You may use the actual meanings of the tarot cards, or the art in them to create your story, meaning that if you have a tarot deck surrounding a certain theme (for example, Lovecraftian), it is very probable your story will follow a direction of that sort. I like that this makes the game extremely easy for beginners, and that there are barely any rules to it. It’s 4 steps you need to follow, distributing the cards in a similar way to how you do it for the Fiasco game. Simple, yet a very cool idea for a boring afternoon, or if you are a tarot cards lover.
Final thoughts
I do find a use for all of these articles in particular. Setting up a world with the first article, creating my own set of tarot cards is something I became really interested in trying out. While I have never played Thirsty Sword Lesbians, I plan to do so someday, and still I find it very easy to adapt the swords from the second article to any other game of my choosing, as swords with lore are always cool. The Cy_Borg article awakened a need to finally play the game instead of only check out its art, which is always great to have, and I really want to roleplay SINdy. Lastly, for Divine Chaos, while I don’t think it is the kind of game I like to play, I believe it is simple enough to be able to be played with any non-TTRPG player. All in all, a very useful issue, with an extremely cool theme!
GET UNBOUND ISSUE 3 FROM DRIVETHRURPG
Be sure to leave them a rating if you get the product to help it grow and allow them to release more issues!
Read more »Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 15, 2024 - 10:00 am - mp3Gnomecast 184 – D&D and Me
In honor of D&D’s 50th Anniversary, a whole bunch of Gnomes get on the mics to talk about our history with this venerable game. Prepare for a little nostalgia and musings about this hobby we all love.
Read more »Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 13, 2024 - 12:00 pm - A Life Well Lived Review
In older editions of D&D, traveling from one place to another was an activity governed by a lot of rules, but not governed by a lot of active input by the player characters. Depending on what books your DM was using, you would find out how many days it would take to get from one location to another, as well as how many rations you would need to bring along. The DM may want to roll on various weather tables found in different supplements, and, perhaps most important, the DM would roll for random encounters. The one thing player characters usually rolled for, outside of those random encounters, was to see if the party got lost. Oh, if you had a ranger in their favored terrain in the D&D 2014 rules, you actually didn’t even have to roll for that.Many adventures had started telling the DM to handwave travel times or to narratively describe getting from here to there, because it wasn’t where the heart of the game lies. However, after cribbing some notes from The One Ring to make the 5e SRD Adventures in Middle-earth, Cubicle 7 created Uncharted Journeys, an expanded resource for traveling from one location to another, which engaged PC skills more actively, and created notable events that went beyond weather and wandering monsters.
In some ways, Cubicle 7 is doing something similar to A Life Well Lived. One aspect of The One Ring is the Fellowship Phase, an assumed period where the heroes aren’t actually adventuring, and they have time to remember what they care about most. A Life Well Lived feels like some of its rules, such as downtime, touch on similar themes. Does A Life Well Lived manage to freshen up “not adventuring,” the way Uncharted Journeys livened up overland travel? Let’s dive in and find out.
Disclaimer
I purchased my own copy of A Life Well Lived for this review. I haven’t had the opportunity to use the rules in A Life Well Lived in a game. I am, however, very familiar with D&D 5e, both as a player and a DM. And I have spent so much time, so much, thinking about topics like downtime rules and incremental task resolution.
A Life Well Lived
Writing and Design: Emmet Byrne, Alex Cahill, Josh Corcoran, Hannah-Lital Goldfinch, Eleanor Hingley, Dominic McDowall, Pádraig Murphy, Ross Parkinson, Samuel Poots, Ryan Wheeldon
Editing: Alex Cahill, Alexandra Iciek
Production and Development: Alex Cahill
Cover: Antonio De Luca
Illustration: Oleksii Chernik, Runesael Flynn, Daria Klushina, Dániel Kovács, Elsa Kroese, Andrew Lowry, Sam Manley, Tumo Mere, Clara-Marie Morin, Brendan Murphy, JG O’Donoghue, George Patsouras, Ilya Royz, Gareth Sleightholme, Matias Trabold Rehren
Graphic Design: Diana Grigorescu, Laura Jane Phelan
Layout: Diana Grigorescu
Proofreading: Calum CollinsCuddling Up with a New Book
This review is based on the PDF version of the product. The PDF is 144 pages long. That includes a credits page, a table of contents, a three-page index, and four pages of Kickstarter backers. There is also a two page A Life Well Lived character sheet, a patron tracking sheet, and a sheet for detailing the character’s home base.
The book is broken up into the following chapters:
- Lifepath
- Campcraft
- Downtime
- A Place to Call Home
- Who Pulls the Strings
- Hanging Up Your Sword
The book has a very clear and readable two-page layout, with many easily referenced tables. The artwork that appears in the book focuses on adventurers between moments of action, enjoying a drink at a tavern, telling stories around a campfire, and other similar scenes.
Let’s Make an Adventurer
The first section of the book is the Lifepath system. This isn’t the first lifepath system in RPGs. The most well-known, maybe infamous, is the lifepath system in the original Traveller game. Many modern games have incorporated a version of the lifepath, such as the Star Trek Adventures game.
This isn’t even D&D 5e’s first lifepath system. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything included the section This is Your Life, touching on origins, personal decisions, life events, and supplemental tables with further details. The Heroic Chronicle in Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount is a very intense lifepath/backstory generator that has a lot of mechanical weight, generating very specific numbers of contacts and rivals, and providing extra magic items, skills, or feats in the Fateful Moments section.
A Life Well Lived probably sits pretty firmly between the two. There are mechanical connections to various aspects of the Lifepath, but A Life Well Lived redistributes the other places where D&D 5e assigns ability scores and skills. A Life Well Lived moves ability scores away from race/lineage (which, to be fair, D&D 5e has as well), and has moved skills away from Backgrounds. There are no backgrounds in this system, or rather, background is distributed more granularly across various life events.
The Lifepath is broken into the following steps:
- Lineage
- Origins (Ability Score Bonus)
- Early Childhood (Ability Score Bonus)
- Adolescence (Skill)
- Life Lesson (Ability Score Bonus)
- Pivotal Moment
- Occupations (Tool Proficiency, Skill)
- Quirks
- Class (Ability Score Bonus)
- Call to Adventure
- Starting Funds
- The Lies We Tell Ourselves
- Skeletons in the Closet
- Connections
- Goals
The steps in the Lifepath that don’t provide mechanical benefits usually stand in for the Trait, Ideal, Bond, and Flaw normally derived from Background. These are meant to be your Inspiration triggers if you play into them. The suggested Standard Array in this book is 14, 14, 12, 12, 10, and 8, versus the standard array in the Player’s Handbook of 15, 14, 12, 12, 10, and 8. Essentially it just adjusts for the additional step that provides another ability score bonus.
The Lineages presented include Dragonborn, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Halfling, Human, and Tiefling. The lineages that previously had sub-races have been redesigned to remove that choice, and like more recent Lineages from WotC, these don’t assign skills or proficiencies based on culture, they just provide abilities. If you are using more recent Lineages with this system, it shouldn’t be too difficult, and if you’ve wanted a version of the Dwarf, Elf, or Gnome that is designed without sub-races, and you don’t want to wait until the summer, you have options.
Characters pick a Long-Term and a Short-Term goal. These goals act as XP triggers, including a chart showing how much XP a character should gain each time they meet one of their goals, based on level.
The Lies We Tell Ourselves and Skeletons in the Closet are interesting additions to the Lifepath, as they add a little bit of darkness, sadness, or tragedy to the character. There is plenty of that in the various other aspects of the Lifepath system, but if you have had a happy life up to this point, into every Lifepath a little rain must fall. The Lies We Tell Ourselves, in many cases, are like the Flaws from backgrounds, introducing something that drives a character, which is either unrealistic or drives them to selfish ends. Skeletons in the Closet give your character a secret, including the possibility that one of your previous Lifepath entries is the nice version of what really happened, because you don’t want to go into the real details.
I really like this Lifepath system. It doesn’t get quite as wild and potentially generous as the Heroic Chronicle, and adding mechanical weight to the various steps makes it feel more satisfying than This is Your Life. I could see having a whole session of players generating their characters, adding details, and connecting the characters, before the group even gets to deciding what kind of campaign they wanted to play. But that cuts both ways. I know some people want a backstory, but not as much as this chapter produces. Thankfully, each section of A Life Well Lived is modular, with most elements being able to be engaged without using the full book.
Campcraft and Downtime
While these are two separate chapters, they are very similar in the mechanics that they introduce. I had assumed Campcraft was going to be very focused on short trips, the kind you wouldn’t break out Uncharted Journeys to model. While that’s partially true, the real difference between Campcraft and Downtime is that Campcraft activities can be completed during a single day, often while PCs are doing something else, while Downtime activities assume around a week of free time to complete.
Many of these activities rely on a new resolution mechanic for modeling long-term tasks. “Long-term” meaning that these are activities that are, most often, not resolved with a single ability check. These tasks usually allow the character to make three different checks before the end of the time period (the end of the day, or the end of the week). There is a DC assigned to various tasks, but there is also a goal, a number that must be met to complete the task.
How does this work? Well, if you exceed the DC of the task, each point by which you exceed the task is added to the number that you are measuring against the goal. You can lose progress on your Extended Tests if you roll lower than the DC. Depending on the specific activity, what happens if you fail varies. Sometimes it means you just don’t complete the task. Sometimes it means the next time you attempt the same Extended Test, you do so with advantage on the rolls.
Quick Tasks
Campcraft can make gear that can provide very specific benefits in certain circumstances, create a limited subset of potions, or gather additional rations. Most of these have well defined mechanical benefits, but there are a lot of things to track if you start to prepare temporarily boosted weapons, make some special boots, and have a few extra potions floating around. All of this may sound like what you do sitting around the fire, but there are some items under Campcraft that are a way to adjudicate something your characters may want to do while they are also engaged with other things. For example, PCs can use Campcraft tasks to find a good place to buy gear at a discounted price, perform for a crowd, or lay a dead companion to rest.
Keeping Busy
Downtime activities are like these Campcraft activities, but writ large. If you combine the downtime activities in the Dungeon Master’s Guide and Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, and subtract the downtime activities that weren’t new, but were updated versions of the previous versions, you have about 18 Downtime activities. There are about 57 Downtime activities detailed in this section.
Downtime in D&D 5e is usually broken up into workweeks, meaning that for each 5 days that a character can dedicate to a task, they can attempt to resolve the downtime to see if the character gains the benefits of that downtime. Some activities take longer to resolve, so once you determine how many days the downtime takes, you subtract the days you put toward that goal and track your progress based on days.
Downtime in A Life Well Lived is broadly “about a week,” but it can stand in for an abstract period from a week to a month or so. It’s a relatively short break between adventures. Each character gets to attempt three downtime activities when they have downtime. Many of these activities provide a specific benefit for the character and utilize the Extended Test mechanics. Between the fact that characters have three downtime activities they can attempt per downtime, and the fact that most activities are resolved during a single downtime, it seems like characters are advancing on a lot more vectors than a character using the DMG or Xanathar’s. Some of that is true.
Getting Our Hands Dirty
For example, when it comes to learning tools or languages, characters often learn how to use something temporarily, and lose the progress they made if they don’t lock in their training by dedicating their next downtime to the same activity. I like this, because it means someone could learn a language very fast, from a narrative standpoint. If you learn a few words to get by, and don’t revisit that language anytime soon, you forget what you learned, which feels right. In other words, if you look at this abstractly, and don’t get too hung up on what the literal amount of time the downtime represents, the rhythm of learning a language or an instrument feels more natural than “I need to spend 5X days to learn this, and I managed to spend 1X days, so I only need 4X more downtime days to finish learning.”
The other thing that mitigates the number of downtime activities that the PCs get is that some downtime activities aren’t about the PCs gaining a benefit, they are a means of tracking what the PC values and what they want to add to their story. There are downtime activities like Appease a Patron, Find Companionship, or Rock Bottom. You may need to make nice with your boss, want to have someone to welcome you home after adventuring, or represent your downturn after running into a rough patch.
Why include downtime activities that are essentially just narratively saying you are doing a thing, and removing a “resource” by not performing a downtime activity that gives a direct benefit? This is going to be anecdotal, but I like representing downtime between adventures in my current ongoing D&D campaign. There are times that my players just can’t come up with something they want to do. Either their best options utilize stats that the PCs doesn’t have as their highest, or they just don’t have a good idea of what they want to start tracking. I’m almost certain that if I present my players with some of these narrative downtime activities, I’m going to know what they were doing between adventures, even if it wasn’t learning a language or a tool.
While some of these options can get heavy, especially when you are juggling three per player character, I also think it’s worth mentioning that tasks like starting a business are so much more logical and manageable than the rules presented in the DMG. I like a lot of these options, but it’s very much drinking from the firehose. The most manageable way I can think of to handle the sheer number of options in these chapters is to either have players that are willing to engage with the rules and internalize them, or for the DM to ask in broad terms what the PCs want to do, and then find a downtime that matches that description.
One important thing to note is that for all of the downtime activities introduced in this book, there are no downtime activities for creating magic items. Cubicle 7 has just recently finished a Kickstarter for two new books on crafting, focused on consumable items and permanent magic items. I don’t blame them for not trying to fit that into this book, as that’s a fertile space to rework and examine how the 5e SRD can be used.
A Word on NPCs
Some of the existing D&D downtime directs you to give the PCs contacts based on how the downtime resolves. But what do contacts do? Contacts are defined with a little more detail in this book. There are 18 types of contacts defined in the book. Each of these entries has the following sections:
- Suggested Stat Block
- As an Ally
- As a Rival
As an Ally determines how the contact is helpful if the PC is on good terms with them. This may be granting them advantage on certain tasks if the ally is present, or it may be that they can automatically provide certain requirements needed for campcraft of downtime activities. As a Rival determines what the character can do to make the PC’s life a mess.
A Place to Call Home
The next section of the book presents rules for the characters’ home base. This section is abstract where I want it to be abstract, and specifically defined where I want as well. What I mean by that is, it’s not too worried about the exact dimensions of the base. Base size tells you how many rooms the base can have, how much it costs to buy, and how much you pay each downtime for upkeep.
That means if your PCs want to have a large building as their home base, it’s going to cost them 5,000 gp to start, and it will cost them 120 gp to maintain each downtime period. They will be able to add 12 rooms to that building. Each room you build provides a different resource or benefit. If you fail to pay your upkeep, you don’t get access to your rooms’ benefits.
For example, if you have an armory, each downtime, you can count on it being stocked with standard weapons and having a certain amount of ammunition for various types of ranged weapons. If you broke a spear that you picked up from the armory last time, or you want to restock your quiver, every downtime you can count on new supplies as part of your upkeep. Some rooms may let you start with an extra hit die, or resist certain saving throws, as long as you spent some time in those rooms between adventures.
While all of the sections of this book are modular, this is another example of how the different sections of the book can interact, if you want. Once you have a home base, you start rolling for local events that can affect your property, and some of those events require you to spend downtime to deal with emergent problems.
Patronage
Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything introduced the concept of patrons to D&D 5e. I mean, I’m sure people know that they can have their PCs work for someone else, but Tasha’s gives some examples of patrons that might want adventurers as agents, and some motivations based on who that patron is.
The patrons section of A Life Well Lived expands this concept. There are twelve types of patrons listed, twelve motivations, twelve boons, and twelve liabilities. These can all be mixed and matched to create a unique patron, and once you assemble all of that, there are ten different example demeanors so you know how your PCs will interact with their boss.
In addition to the details that you can add to a patron to make them unique, this section also tackles salaries for those PCs that aren’t just donating their time. There are also Patron Events, to add in some events where the patron takes center stage, instead of providing the backdrop and the inertia for the PCs’ adventures.
Can You Retire
Ah, retirement, that thing that’s already a vanishingly rare concept for my Gen X rear end, and is even rarer for those generations following in our wake. But this is a fantasy game, and we get to pretend that eventually you can stop working.
I’ve rarely seen anything that addresses the end of a character’s career in a lifepath system. Part of this is probably because a lot of adventurers are lucky to reach their advancing age. There are several tables to help inspire the end of your story:
- What Made You Retire
- Showing Support (how do you still help your adventuring friends)
- Quiet Years (what happened in the last year when you aren’t adventuring)
- What Brought You Back (reasons you might come out of retirement)
- How Have You Changed (ability score modifications and new abilities to reflect your time away)
- Old Friends (how your relationships with your friends may have changed)
- New Faces (how you feel about the new members of your old adventuring party)
While most of us that feel the specter of not being able to retire can attest, we don’t stay as strong or as dexterous as time wears on. I can, in no way, play Castlevania the way I did in high school. But it can be tricky to say, “anyone past this age has these specific ability score modifications.” A Life Well Lived addresses this by making any modifications voluntary, and also adding in some additional abilities for PCs to pick up, as well as having different arrays for how a character’s stats might change that aren’t all the same.
Reading through the tables in this section, I felt the inspiration to start a campaign at tier 3, with a party of adventurers that have all been retired for 10 years, coming back together for “one last job,” that of course stretches out long enough to get a campaign out of it, and using several of these tables to reverse engineer the history of the adventuring company.
Happily Ever After
A Life Well Lived isn’t trying to reinvent D&D 5e, but like Uncharted Journeys, it’s playing in the spaces that D&D is willing to leave in the shadows. It does a great job of fleshing out those aspects of the game. There are other products that attempt similar goals, and while enjoyable, they often err on the side of being too light and narrative, or playing with mechanics that don’t mirror the rest of the 5e experience well. A Life Well Lived knows the 5e fantasy feel it wants to create, and it projects that knowledge in a direction not often broached.
Endings Are Hard
A Life Well Lived covers a lot of territory, and in keeping the rules well integrated into the 5e SRD experience, it occasionally pushes up against the limitations of the game engine. Too many doubled proficiency bonuses start to break the expected difficulty range of bounded accuracy. PCs often have a lot of ways to gain advantage on their actions, making some benefits lose their luster. In some ways, A Life Well Lived is hindered by doing what it does too well. A group that embraces this system is probably going to have a lot of fun and tell some well detailed stories, but some groups may look at all of the options and not know where to start.
Recommended–If the product fits in your broad area of gaming interests, you are likely to be happy with this purchase.
Like Uncharted Journeys, A Life Well Lived stakes out a position in 5e SRD fantasy that hasn’t been definitively claimed by anyone else working in the space. If you love details, or enjoy seeing clever implementation of rules, this will be an exciting acquisition. On the other hand, if your game rarely strays from active adventuring, or your players aren’t as likely to engage in details beyond the heroic, this isn’t going to deliver as much for your game.
Read more »Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 11, 2024 - 10:00 am - How To Make A Published RPG Setting Your Own
In the vast body of tabletop role-playing games (RPGs), published settings offer a canvas rich with lore, characters, and landscapes that ignite the imagination. From the sprawling, dragon-laden realms of Dungeons & Dragons to the cyberpunk streets of Shadowrun, these worlds provide a foundation upon which countless adventures can be built. However, the true magic of RPGs lies not just in exploring these pre-crafted settings, but in tailoring them to fit the unique visions and preferences of each gaming group. This personalization transforms a familiar landscape into a one-of-a-kind world, enhancing the gaming experience for both game masters (GMs) and players alike.
The purpose of this article is to guide you through the process of making a published RPG setting your own. We’ll explore strategies for understanding the essence of the original setting, identifying areas ripe for customization, and seamlessly integrating your personal touches. Whether you’re a seasoned GM looking to breathe new life into a favorite setting or a newcomer eager to make your mark on an established world, this article will provide practical tips and creative insights to help you craft a story in a setting that resonates with you and your players.
NOTE: This article assumes you want to keep the original setting intact and use its themes and motifs, building off what’s there. A GM could of course could just take bits and pieces of a setting or multiple settings and smash them together, but that’s a different article.
Understanding the Essence of the Original Setting
Before embarking on the journey of customization, it’s a good idea to understand the original RPG setting you intend to personalize. This step ensures that your modifications and additions enhance the world’s rich tapestry. The essence of a setting goes beyond its surface-level elements—it encompasses the lore, themes, characters, and the very details that make the world unique and engaging.
Tips on Researching and Immersing Oneself
- Study the core materials: Begin with the core rulebooks, sourcebooks, and supplements that detail the setting. Pay close attention to the history, geography, political factions, and major NPCs. Note the recurring themes and motifs that give the world its flavor.
- Explore Supplementary Content: Look for novels, comics, and even fan-made content that expands on the world. These sources can provide deeper insights into the setting’s culture, daily life, and unexplored corners.
- Participate in Community Forums: Engage with the RPG community online. Forums and social media groups dedicated to the game can be goldmines of information, offering diverse interpretations and insights that you might not have considered.
- Play the Game: If possible, play the game as both a GM and a player. Experiencing the world through different lenses can help you understand what makes the setting resonate.
Customizing a published RPG setting is a journey of creativity, offering a unique opportunity to tailor a world to your vision and enhance the gaming experience for you and your players. [social_warfare]Identifying Areas for Personalization
Once you’ve immersed yourself in the essence of the original setting, the next step is to identify specific areas ripe for personalization. This stage is where your creativity and the original setting’s framework collide, offering a playground for your imagination. Identifying these areas is both an art and a science, requiring a balance between maintaining the integrity of the original world and introducing elements that reflect your unique vision.
Identifying Elements for Modification or Expansion
- Look for Gaps in the Lore: Every setting has its unexplored corners or briefly mentioned locales and characters that can serve as a canvas for your creativity. These gaps in the lore are perfect opportunities for expansion without conflicting with established elements.
- Assess Underdeveloped Themes: Consider themes within the setting that are only lightly touched upon. Expanding on these can add depth and new dimensions to the world, offering fresh narratives or conflicts for players to explore.
- Incorporate Unused Genres or Elements: If the setting primarily focuses on certain genres or elements, introducing underrepresented or entirely new ones (while still fitting within the world’s logic) can offer new experiences. For example, adding mystery or horror elements to a primarily adventure-focused setting.
Integrating Personal Interests
- Align Personal Interests with World Themes: Identify themes or elements within the setting that resonate with your interests. This alignment ensures that your additions feel organic and enhance the setting’s depth.
- Create Signature Locations or Characters: Introduce new locations or characters that reflect your interests or background. These can serve as focal points for new adventures or add layers to the setting’s social fabric.
- Adapt Real-World Inspirations: Drawing inspiration from history, mythology, or other interests can add richness to the setting. Ensure these adaptations fit within the world’s context, providing a seamless blend of the original and the new.
Having identified areas for personalization, the next step is to breathe life into these concepts, weaving your unique touches into the fabric of the RPG setting. This process is where the abstract ideas formulated during your planning phase become tangible elements that enhance the game world. In the following section, we’ll explore strategies for incorporating these personal touches, ensuring that your contributions not only fit seamlessly within the existing world but also elevate the overall gaming experience by adding depth, intrigue, and a distinct flavor that reflects your vision and creativity.
Incorporating Personal Touches
After identifying the fertile ground within a published setting ripe for customization, it’s time to sow your seeds of creativity. Incorporating personal touches involves infusing the game world with unique flavors—be it through new locations, factions, lore, or even a nuanced reimagining of existing elements. This process is not just about adding content; it’s about enriching the setting in a way that deepens the players’ engagement and connection to the world.
Strategies for Adding Unique Flavors
- Design New Locations: Create locations that offer new adventures or serve as the backdrop for complex narratives. Consider environments that contrast with or complement the existing ones, such as hidden cities, secret societies, or untamed wilderness areas ripe for exploration.
- Introduce New Factions: Factions can add depth to the political, social, or magical landscape. Introduce groups with motives or philosophies that challenge the status quo, providing players with allies, adversaries, or moral dilemmas.
- Expand the Lore: Weave in lore that fills gaps or answers questions in the existing narrative. This can include ancient histories, myths, or legends that have tangible impacts on the current state of the world.
Encouraging Creativity While Maintaining the Setting’s Core Appeal
- While it’s important to introduce new elements, ensure they harmonize with the world’s established tone and logic. This balance keeps the setting recognizable to players while providing fresh experiences.
- Involve players in the creative process. This can lead to a richer setting that resonates more deeply with the entire group, fostering a shared sense of ownership and investment in the world.
- View the incorporation of personal touches as an evolving process. Be open to adapting based on gameplay experiences and feedback growing the setting organically over time.
Character Development within Customized Settings
A personalized RPG setting is a fertile ground for character development, offering players and GMs alike the opportunity to introduce backstories, motivations, and arcs that are deeply intertwined with the world. This customization enhances the players’ connection to the setting, making every quest, conflict, and resolution more impactful. By integrating characters into the fabric of the customized world, their stories become pivotal to the narrative, enriching the overall gaming experience.
Enriching Character Backstory and Development
Encourage players to create characters whose backstories are linked to the unique aspects of your setting. For example, a character could be a descendant of a faction you introduced or have a personal history with a new location. This creates a sense of belonging and relevance within the world.
Leverage the expanded lore to inform characters’ motivations and goals. Personal interests or experiences introduced into the lore can mirror in characters’ quests for knowledge, power, or redemption, making their journeys feel personal and driven by the world itself.
Unique Character Arcs
Characters could have arcs that involve their allegiance to, conflict with, or attempts to mediate between new factions, offering complex narratives that explore themes of loyalty, morality, or ambition.
Utilize newly created locations as the basis for exploration-driven arcs. Characters might seek out ancient artifacts, lost knowledge, or hidden realms that you’ve woven into the setting, driving adventure and discovery.
If your setting incorporates diverse cultures, characters can undergo arcs that explore their identity, heritage, or the integration of different cultural backgrounds. This can foster narratives of understanding, conflict resolution, and unity.
Collaborative Storytelling with Players
Regularly discuss character goals and backstories with your players. This collaborative approach ensures that the setting evolves in a way that is meaningful and engaging for everyone involved. Be open to letting player-driven stories influence the world. If a character’s actions have significant consequences, reflect those changes in the setting. This dynamic interaction makes the world feel alive and responsive.
Invite players to contribute to the world-building process. Whether it’s designing a new location or suggesting lore for an unexplored aspect of the setting, player contributions can enrich the narrative tapestry and foster a deeper connection to the game.
While personalizing a setting and weaving characters deeply into its fabric offers a richer and more immersive experience, it also presents challenges in maintaining canon and continuity.
Remember, the goal is not just to alter a world but to enrich it, making it more engaging and personal for everyone involved. [social_warfare]Handling Canon and Continuity
When customizing a published RPG setting, one of the most delicate tasks is managing the original setting’s canon and continuity. The goal is to introduce new, personalized elements that enrich the experience without clashing with the established lore or disrupting the narrative coherence that fans of the setting appreciate. Balancing this requires thoughtful planning, clear communication with players, and a flexible approach to storytelling.
Managing the Original Setting’s Canon and Continuity
Establish which aspects of the original canon are flexible and which are inviolate. This clarity helps maintain the setting’s integrity while providing spaces where personalization can thrive.
When adding new elements, aim to complement rather than contradict the existing lore. Introduce homebrew elements that expand the world’s horizons, filling in gaps or exploring areas the original setting left vague or untouched.
Strategies for Integrating Homebrew Elements
- Integrate homebrew elements through side quests or stories that run parallel to the main narrative. This approach allows for exploration of new ideas without altering the core storyline.
- Adding myths or legends offers a way to incorporate personal touches without directly impacting the current state of the world. These can explain new phenomena, artifacts, or locations in a way that enriches the setting.
- As the setting evolves with your additions, periodically review how these changes fit within the broader narrative. Ensure that new elements remain consistent with the world’s developing story.
Handling Player Expectations and Knowledge
- Leverage players’ knowledge of the original setting to enrich the game. Encourage them to contribute ideas that align with their understanding of the world, fostering a collaborative storytelling environment.
- Ensure that for every new element introduced, there’s a tie back to the familiar aspects of the setting. This balance keeps long-time fans engaged while exploring new territory.
Conclusion
Customizing a published RPG setting is a journey of creativity, offering a unique opportunity to tailor a world to your vision and enhance the gaming experience for you and your players. From understanding the essence of the original setting to incorporating personal touches and managing canon and continuity, the process is both rewarding and challenging.
Remember, the goal is not just to alter a world but to enrich it, making it more engaging and personal for everyone involved. We encourage you to experiment with the ideas presented, use the tools and resources recommended, and most importantly, enjoy the process of making the setting your own. The world of tabletop RPGs thrives on creativity and collaboration, and by sharing your experiences and tips with the community, you contribute to these ever-evolving narrative landscapes.
How have your made your favorite settings your own?
Read more »Source: Gnome Stew | Published: March 1, 2024 - 11:00 am
Gnome Stew
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- Visions of Mana - PreviewsCouchpotato spotted a trailer and two previews for Visions of Mana: Visions of Mana - Official Gameplay Trailer Visions of Mana: The First Hands-On Preview @ IGN Visions of Mana Feels Like A Vintage RPG—For Better And Worse @ Kotaku The series' first mainline entry in over 15 years is shaking off the rust, but shows some promise I’m filling in some gaps in my RPG history.... Read more »Source: RPGWatch Newsfeed | Published: March 28, 2024 - 7:23 pm
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- Outward 2 - Preview @ IGNIGN checked out Outward 2: Outward 2 Preview: The Survival RPG That Hits Hard This sequel brings the pain (again), but what else can it deliver? I started my playthrough in a quarry, having been dropped unceremoniously into the world with no preamble.... Read more »Source: RPGWatch Newsfeed | Published: March 27, 2024 - 8:52 pm
- Star Ocean: The Second Story R - Update 1.1Gematsu reports that Star Ocean: The Second Story R got an update: The version 1.1 update includes the following features: Highest difficulty mode added: “Chaos.” New raid enemies added: Ten Wise Men. Ten Wise Men appear as Assault Actions.... Read more »Source: RPGWatch Newsfeed | Published: March 27, 2024 - 8:50 pm
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- VideoRunning Missions and Quest Chains
This article is one in a series where we look at types of adventures and examine
- how we prepare them.
- how we run them.
- what pitfalls we might run into.
- how we avoid these pitfalls.
This series of articles includes:
- Dungeon Crawls
- Infiltrations and Heists
- Investigations and Mysteries
- Overland Exploration and Travel
- Missions and Quest Chains
- Defense
- Intrigue
Your own categorization of adventure types and how to run them may differ from mine. That's totally fine. There are many right ways to enjoy this game.
Robin Laws's book Adventure Crucible – Building Stronger Scenarios for any RPG inspired my thoughts on this topic.
Understanding Missions and Quest Chains
In mission-based adventures the characters accomplish several goals across a series of scenes. The scenes may be linear or run in a network where players choose different paths leading to different future missions.
Often mission-based adventures take several sessions, perhaps an entire campaign, to complete. Each leg of the mission might be its own adventure.
Each mission or quest of the quest chain might be small – like killing a fire giant boss at a burned out watchtower, acquiring one of several needed items, or getting information from the shady vendor in the Lower Reaches. In a series of wartime missions, the characters accomplish specific missions while war rages around them.
Missions might also be built so the characters attempt to accomplish tasks before the bad guys, or the characters face a rival group attempting to complete the same or parallel quests. This competition results in an ever-changing situation as both groups follow their chains of quests.
Some example missions include:
- Collecting three keys (out of 5) to open the vault of Ibraxus.
- Destroying the four sub-lieutenants of King Lucan the vampire lord.
- Disabling the four obelisks to prevent the opening of the doorway of the Black Cathedral.
- Conducting four missions to thwart the hobgoblin armies of Lord Krash.
- Recovering four powerful artifacts required to defeat Orcus, Lord of Undeath.
Preparing Mission-based Adventures
GMs may prepare for mission-based adventures by
- determining the overall goal of the mission or quest chain.
- building an outline or tree for the quests in the chain.
- filling out the adventure details of the next quest or mission in the chain with the eight steps such as locations, NPCs, monsters, and treasure.
- outlining which quests might follow the next one.
- determine the path and progress of rival groups following these same quests if any.
Running Missions
When running mission-based adventures or campaigns, the GM should
- clarify the goals of the overall quest chain.
- clarify the paths the characters can take and choices they can make when conducting their missions.
- run the current mission or quest as its own typical RPG scene or adventure.
- offer the choices for the next possible quests in the chain.
Mission or Quest Chain Pitfalls
When running mission-based or quest-chain adventures, GMs might encounter the following pitfalls:
- The choices aren't clear. Players don't know which mission to follow next.
- Players forget why they're following these quests.
- The mission paths don't offer meaningful choices. Characters just follow the steps in a predetermined order.
- Large chains of missions can be thwarted when only one mission is accomplished (see all or nothing collection quests).
Avoiding Pitfalls
GMs can avoid these pitfalls by
- regularly clarifying the goal of the mission or quest chain.
- clarifying the options the characters can take and ensuring each option is meaningful.
- not running too many missions.
- ensuring each leg of the quest chain shows clear progress towards the goal.
- ensuring the success of a single mission doesn't thwart the large plans of the villains or characters by using the three of five keys quest model.
A Common Adventure Style
Mission-based adventures are one of the most common styles of adventures. Hopefully these guidelines help you keep your mission-based adventures on track with meaningful choices, clear options, and dynamic situations.
More Sly Flourish Stuff
Last week I posted a couple of YouTube videos on Roll Twice and the Elven Orb – Shadowdark Gloaming Session 24 Lazy GM Prep.
Last Week's Lazy RPG Talk Show Topics
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast) in which I talk about all things in tabletop RPGs. Here are last week's topics with time stamped links to the YouTube video:
- Dungeon Crawl Classics Humble Bundle
- Worlds Without Number SRD in CC0
- WOTC's "Do You Like Me" Survey
- Hasbro's Chris Cocks on D&D and AI
- WOTC Partners with StartPlaying.Games
- Daggerheart Open Beta Available
- Lazy DM's Companion On Sale!
- Dungeon Chambers
- Challenging High-Level Characters
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer questions from Sly Flourish Patrons. Here are last week's questions and answers:
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as RPG tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Show players the results in the world of the choices they made.
- Show players how powerful their characters have become.
- Throw in lots of low CR monsters to fireball or turn or otherwise blow away.
- Always lean towards putting meaningful choices in front of the players.
- Clarify goals selected by the characters often -- at least once per session.
- Bring old NPCs back and show how they’ve changed.
- Mix your adventure types. Dungeon crawls, heists, and intrigue all work together into a unique mashup of an adventure.
Related Articles
- Running Dungeon Crawls
- Running Overland Exploration and Travel Adventures
- Running Infiltration and Heist Adventures
Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: March 25, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoRunning Overland Exploration and Travel Adventures
This article is one in a series where we look at particular adventure types and examine
- how we prepare them.
- how we run them.
- what pitfalls we might run into.
- how we avoid those pitfalls.
This series of articles includes:
- Dungeon Crawls
- Infiltrations and Heists
- Investigations and Mysteries
- Travel
- Missions
- Defense
- Intrigue
Each article describes one angle on these adventure types. Your own approach may differ and that's totally fine. There are many right ways to enjoy this game.
Robin Laws's book Adventure Crucible – Building Stronger Scenarios for any RPG inspired my thoughts on this topic.
A quick note – the Lazy DM's Companion, my book of RPG tools, guidelines, and adventure generators, is on sale for 50% off the PDF and 20% off the softcover and PDF package!
The sale ends 21 March so pick it up today at:
https://shop.slyflourish.com/products/the-lazy-dms-companion
Understanding Travel Adventures
For the sake of this article, overland exploration and travel adventures follow the characters as they travel from one place to another, usually over significant distances across the surface of the world.
Sometimes the characters know clearly where they're headed. Other times they might only be following vague rumors. The paths they follow might be well known or something they discover as they go.
Travel adventures might be run as hex crawls, pointcrawls, or linear paths of connected locations. They could be a quick journey during a single game or run over several sessions.
Resources for Travel
Your chosen RPG might include material for running travel scenes. Two books offer excellent guidance and systems for running travel adventures for 5e games: Uncharted Journeys by Cubicle 7 and Trials and Treasure for Level Up Advanced 5e by EN World publishing. Uncharted Journeys offers a solid system for travel and a huge range of potential encounters. Trials and Treasure includes excellent random encounter tables, character roles, weather options for various climates, and more. If you choose only one book, start with Trials and Treasure.
Preparing Travel Adventures
Preparing for an overland exploration or travel adventure might include
- defining the starting point, the destination, the distance, and the path.
- understanding how you plan on running the journey – point crawls, hex crawls, a linear series of encounters, or a single encounter during the journey.
- defining potential paths.
- preparing a list of roles and activities the characters engage in during travel.
- preparing a random weather table.
- writing down potential encounter locations along the journey for each node in the pointcrawl or within one or more of the hexes along the journey.
- preparing a list of encounters – random, fixed, or a mix of both.
- writing down secrets and clues, NPCs, or treasure the characters might discover along the journey.
Running Travel Adventures
Like dungeon crawls, travel adventures can follow a particular model of gameplay. This procedure includes
- clarifying the starting point and destination for the journey.
- asking each player to select a role for the journey – scout, pathfinder, quartermaster, etc. Characters might instead choose to aid someone else.
- roll on a weather table each day to determine what weather the characters deal with that day.
- expend daily resources such as food and water.
- have the characters roll ability checks based on their role. A scout may notice creatures before the creatures notice the characters. A pathfinder may stay on course or get lost. A quartermaster may give the characters temporary hit points or lose resources.
- roll for monuments or other notable features as they travel or use one of your predetermined locations.
- roll for random encounters. Even if they don't encounter something, you might roll to see what came by recently or what might be coming. You might roll twice and mix two encounters together.
- move on to the next day.
Pitfalls for Travel Adventures
Here are some common pitfalls for travel adventures:
- Too much time is spent on travel when the real story is happening at the destination.
- Too many downward beats or hard encounters – it feels like a slog.
- Travel feels like a needless chore or time-wasting filler.
- Travel doesn't offer meaningful choices or actions.
Avoiding Travel Pitfalls
Here are some ways to keep travel on track.
- Drop in relevant secrets and clues the characters discover during their journey to tell them about the world, its inhabitants, and elements of the larger story.
- Include interesting monuments to solidify specific locations and encounters and act as catalysts for secrets and clues.
- Include roleplay and exploration scenes, not just combat encounters.
- Run some easy encounters the characters can resolve many different ways.
- Let characters get the drop on monsters and give them the choice to fight them or not.
- If travel isn't interesting or challenging, shorten it or skip it completely and get to the more important scenes the players care about.
A Bridge Between Other Adventures
Travel adventures are often a bridge between one part of the story and the next part. With careful planning and execution, travel can offer stories just as interesting as other types of adventures.
More Sly Flourish Stuff
Last week I posted YouTube videos with Thoughts on Obsidian for TTRPG Prep and the Lazy DM's Companion Sale.
Last Week's Lazy RPG Talk Show Topics
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast) in which I talk about all things in tabletop RPGs. Here are last week's topics with time stamped links to the YouTube video:
- Last Week's Sly Flourish RPG Newsletter
- Planestrider
- Surviving Strangehollow
- Lazy DM's Companion On Sale
- NASA Releases a 5e Adventure
- Chaosium RPG Design Contest
- Taking Notes During and After the Game
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer questions from Sly Flourish Patrons. Here are last week's questions and answers:
- Running City of Arches as an Open Table Game
- Villainous Plans and the Three of Five Keys Model
- Introducing New Players to RPGs
- Secrets and Lore as Character Knowledge
- Secrets and Clues in Dark Sun
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as RPG tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Challenge high-level characters by attacking several vectors: AC, various saves, area attacks, advantageous terrain, flippable environmental effects, and so on.
- Benchmark encounters with the Lazy Encounter Benchmark: A battle may be deadly if the sum total of monster CRs is 1/4 the total of character levels; or half of character levels if they're 5th level or above.
- Tweak the Lazy Encounter Benchmark based on what you know of the characters. Really powerful? Pretend there is one additional character of the party's level.
- Warn players when they're going to enter a long fight. Change the fight midway and keep up the story to make long battles interesting.
- Include switchable terrain that works against the characters at first and for them later on. For example, an unholy effigy gives evil creatures advantage but gives characters advantage when turned into a holy effigy.
- Level characters after significant accomplishments in the story.
- Damage is the biggest threat a monster offers that doesn't take agency away from the characters. Want a bigger threat? Do more damage.
Related Articles
Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: March 18, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoRunning Investigations and Mysteries
This article is one in a series where we look at particular adventure types – how to prepare them, how to run them, what pitfalls we might run into, and how we can overcome these pitfalls.
This series of articles includes:
- Dungeon Crawls
- Infiltrations and Heists
- Investigations and Mysteries
- Missions
- Travel
- Defense
- Intrigue
These articles describe one approach for these adventure types and your own style may differ. That's totally fine. There are many right ways to enjoy this game.
Robin Laws's book Adventure Crucible – Building Stronger Scenarios for any RPG inspired my thoughts on this topic.
Understanding Investigations and Mysteries
In investigation and mysteries, one or more previous events have occurred which have led to the current situation. The characters spend their time in the adventure learning what happened and potentially changing the course of future events based on what they find. During investigations, the characters talk to people, explore locations, uncover clues, and face those foes who seek to thwart them.
Mysteries are difficult to run because, unlike narrative fiction, we don't know where the characters are going to go, what they're going to investigate, or what clues they might pick up. They could identify the key villain in the first scene or pursue tangents away from the clues you expect them to follow. Both of these situations need to be accounted for in your prep and play.
Preparing Investigations and Mysteries
These steps can help you prepare to run an investigation or mystery:
- Develop the starting situation. What happened? Who did what? What is the timeline of previous events?
- Develop your strong start. How and when do the characters get involved in the situation? What hooks them into the mystery?
- Develop a list of NPCs the characters can talk to. Who are they? What was their involvement in the situation? What do they want? What are their goals? Avoid introducing the main villain too early if you're trying to keep them a secret.
- Develop locations the characters can investigate. Where can they go? How can they uncover the clues they eventually need? What happened at these locations?
- Develop a list of secrets and clues. Keep them abstract from their place of discovery so you can drop in these clues when it makes sense based on the investigation undertaken by the characters. In investigations and mysteries, you may need more than ten.
- Write down monsters and treasure for the more traditional adventure elements.
Running an Investigation or Mystery
The following list provides a structure around running investigations and mysteries:
- Use your strong start and sink in the hook so the characters, and their players, want to dig in and figure out what's going on.
- Introduce NPCs helpful to the characters who can give them a push in the right direction.
- As the characters investigate, drop in clues that lead the characters to other locations, meeting other NPCs, and discovering more clues and so on.
- Throughout the adventure, expose clues until the players can piece together the whole scenario.
- Add henchmen or other hostiles to add some combat as desired.
- When the time is right, drop in your villain and have a big confrontation.
Common Pitfalls for Investigations and Mysteries
Investigation and mysteries may sometimes include the following pitfalls. During prep and play, keep these pitfalls in mind so you can avoid them and run a fun evolving game.
- There's only one way to find the right clues and the characters don't follow it.
- The characters discover the villain or source of the mystery too early.
- The characters never discover the villain or figure out the mystery.
- The GM leads the players on too much – making it clear the players didn't figure it out but had the results spoon-fed to them.
- The pacing gets tiresome. Players who want to crack some skulls end up bored.
- The mystery is too complex. Players can't figure out all the important details.
Avoiding Pitfalls
Consider the following ways to avoid the pitfalls listed above.
- Keep the clues needed to uncover the mystery abstract from their location of discovery. Drop in clues along the path the characters take during the investigation.
- Don't introduce the villain too early. Keep them a blank spot in the story until it's time for their revelation.
- Provide the right amount of information for the players to be able to piece together the puzzle themselves. Don't spell it out for them.
- Clarify that the characters are the ones discovering information and piecing it together – not you the GM.
- Have multiple ways to uncover the truth. Don't let discovery of the mystery hinge on a single element the characters might miss.
- Include combat and skirmishes to keep combat-focused players interested.
- Keep in mind that players only grasp about half of what you reveal. Keep mysteries simple enough that players can actually piece them together.
Build Situations, Not Mystery Novels
A key to running a good investigation and mystery is not to assume you know how the players will discover the truth. Build and set up the situation during prep and let the characters follow their own path to their ultimate discovery.
More Sly Flourish Stuff
The Lazy DM's Companion is currently on sale for 50% off the PDF and 20% off the PDF and softcover version! If you don't have this book, now is a fantastic time to pick it up! The Lazy DM's Companion includes tools, tables, and tips for running awesome fantasy D20 games. Grab it today!
Last Week's Lazy RPG Newsletter
I had a cold last week and didn't record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast). Instead, I wrote a text-version of the talk show in the Lazy RPG Newsletter for 3 March 2024 with news, tips, and Patreon questions and answers.
I did post a YouTube video on Using Paper Character Sheets.
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as RPG tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Name villains and sentient opponents. Make each one unique.
- Have players identify monsters with interesting physical characteristics.
- Add an interesting usable environmental object or effect into significant combat encounters.
- Tie clues, treasure, and MacGuffins to the backgrounds, knowledge, and history of the characters.
- Reveal the world through the eyes of the characters.
- Ask each character what they think about from their past and their current larger goals during short or long rests.
- Show the characters the results of their actions in the world.
Related Articles
- Managing Mysteries and Plot Twists
- Running Dungeon Crawls
- Running Overland Exploration and Travel Adventures
Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: March 11, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoRunning Infiltration and Heist Adventures
This article is one in a series where we look at particular adventure types and identify how to prepare them, how to run them, what pitfalls we might run into, and how we can overcome these pitfalls.
This whole series of articles will include:
- Dungeon Crawls
- Infiltrations and Heists
- Investigations
- Missions
- Travel
- Defense
- Intrigue
This article is only one way to run infiltration-style adventures and even the categorization may go against your own views. That's totally fine. There are many right ways to enjoy this game.
Robin Laws's book Adventure Crucible — Building Stronger Scenarios for any RPG heavily inspired my thoughts on this topic.
Understanding Infiltration Adventures
In infiltration adventures, the characters often have significant information about their goal, the location in which they must accomplish the goal, and knowledge of the inhabitants of the location. Heists are a common form of infiltration adventure but many infiltrations involve doing something other than stealing something.
Infiltration adventures differ from dungeon crawls because the characters often know more about the location they're infiltrating and spend more time planning their approach. Goals for infiltration adventures can vary, even if how we prepare and run them remains mostly the same. These goals include:
- Stealing something
- Kidnapping someone
- Rescuing someone
- Hunting down a bad guy
- Performing a magic ritual
- Disrupting a magic ritual
- Uncovering war plans
- Recovering blackmail evidence
- Uncovering evidence of a plot
- Planting evidence
Preparing Infiltration Adventures
Preparing infiltration adventures focuses on the following activities:
- Clarifying the goal and ensuring it's something important enough that the characters are willing to risk their lives for it.
- Choosing a map. Unlike dungeon crawls, there's a good chance we'll give a copy of this map to the players.
- Filling in the location with details. I like printing out a Dyson map and writing a couple of words per room or area right on the page.
- Listing out inhabitants and understanding their behaviors. What are they doing when the characters aren't there? Unlike dungeon crawls, inhabitants of a location in an infiltration adventure are often more mobile.
- Listing potential complications. What unknown events might shake things up? Make a list of a handful to either choose from or roll on during the infiltration.
- Ensuring there are multiple paths to achieve the goal. Do they sneak in an upper window? Pretend to be servants? Delve in through the sewers below?
With that material in hand, we're ready to run our infiltration adventure.
Running Infiltration Adventures
Infiltration adventures often break down into the following phases:
- Planning. Unlike other adventures, players spend a lot of time planning their infiltration.
- Choosing roles. What jobs are each of the characters taking on the infiltration? Is someone acting as the "face" character? Is someone the muscle? Is someone sneaking around and spying on things from a higher floor?
- Execution. This is where the real adventure begins. The characters start doing the things they planned.
- Flashbacks. A concept taken from Blades in the Dark gives players an opportunity to flash back earlier in the story to set something up or acquire something they need. Inspiration or luck may be a good mechanic to allow for adjustments or additions to the party's plan.
- Complications. Things never go according to plan. What changes? What complications do you throw in from your list of potential complications? Or do you roll it? Complications don't always have to go against the characters.
- The climax. What happens when the characters achieve their goal? What happens if they fail or partially succeed?
- The escape. How do the characters get out afterwards?
Infiltration Adventure Pitfalls
Infiltration adventures might go wrong for the following reasons:
- Players spend too long planning.
- The plans go out the window too early.
- The characters aggro the entire location, making the job impossible to complete.
- A single bad check affects too much of the outcome.
- Too many complications disrupt the whole plan.
- The changing situation makes it too hard to adjudicate.
Pitfall Mitigation
What can we do to help ensure these pitfalls don't crud up our fun session?
- Arbitrate conversations and get the players to a consensus so the game can move forward. Ensure the players you're not pushing them down one path or leading them to utter destruction.
- Keep a balance on consistency and chaos. Some things should go to plan, some things should go haywire. Don't disrupt or destroy the whole plan too early.
- Use Blades-style "clocks" to escalate tension based on failed checks rather than everything going bad all at once.
- Give leeway in choosing when adversaries become aware of the characters. It should take multiple failed attempts before the characters are discovered and it shouldn't chain out to every adversary in the whole location.
A Framework for Countless Adventures
The infiltration style adventure is a popular and flexible model we can use for many different adventures. Change the goal, the location, and the situation and you have something fresh every time yet still have a consistent framework around which to build your adventure.
More Sly Flourish Stuff
Last week I posted a couple of YouTube videos on High Value Prep and The Marrow Fiend – Shadowdark Gloaming Session 23 Lazy GM Prep.
Last Week's Lazy RPG Talk Show Topics
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast) in which I talk about all things in tabletop RPGs. Here are last week's topics with time stamped links to the YouTube video:
- Rascal.News for TTRPG News
- Ginny Di on D&D with ADHD
- Shadow of the Weird Wizard Released
- The Benefits of Character Factions
- The Many Right Answers of TTRPGs
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer questions from Sly Flourish Patrons. Here are last week's questions and answers:
- WOTC and Table-Usable Maps
- Selling Magic Items -- Info and Inventories
- Tying Backgrounds to Curse of Strahd
- How do I Feel about AI in TTRPGs?
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as RPG tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Write your own map key on a printed map.
- For dungeons, focus on one or two word descriptions for each chamber. Save longer descriptions for complicated set-piece chambers.
- Build your own binder with your favorite reference pages in it.
- Stuck for an idea? Write down ten and pick the best one.
- Need inspiration? Take a walk and let your mind wander.
- Find a suite of tools for your prep that you love and you'll be drawn to use it.
- Put dialog-friendly NPCs in the deepest dungeons – talking statues, paintings, magic items, or ghosts. Everyone wants a friend!
Related Articles
Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: March 4, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoLazy RPG Newsletter – 3 March 2024
A nasty cold knocked me on my ass so instead of a YouTube and Podcast recording of the Lazy RPG Talk Show, I'm going to deliver the same info to you in beloved HTML!
New Maps Features on D&D Beyond
Wizards of the Coast released a video of new D&D Beyond Maps features. They've updated a lot since the last time I played around with it – token naming and re-naming, a spectator view, a drawing tool, and a pointer. I spent some time on Twitch mucking around with the new features and I like it a lot. WOTC is definitely taking a lighter-weight Owlbear Rodeo approach which I appreciate. I'd love to see them let people upload custom tokens and add text-based notes to the map. It's far more functional now than it was a couple of months ago.
For those running WOTC adventures with WOTC character options, it's a great tool.
It's interesting that WOTC / Hasbro chose to hedge their bets by investing in both a lightweight 2d map-based VTT and a heavy-weight expensive 3d VTT. I'll bet the former is more popular than the latter.
Marilith Preview for the Tales of the Valiant Monster Vault
Kobold Press released a preview of the Tales of the Valiant Monster Vault Marilith and I think it looks awesome. It hits hard, has a simple stat block, and still has interesting crunchy features befitting this high-power demon. I'm eager to see the Tales of the Valiant Monster Vault. It's going to be wild to have four different core monster books by this time next year: the 2014 D&D Monster Manual, the 2024 D&D Monster Manual, the Tales of the Valiant Monster Vault, and the Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie. We have lots of core monsters to choose from and no limitation on which monsters we decide to use at our tables.
Bob World Builder on GM Regrets
Bob World Builder has an awesome YouTube Video on GM Regrets. I don't think it's useful to fixate on our regrets but we can learn a lot by listening to the regrets of others. I don't have many GM regrets. I'm happy with how things turned out in my TTRPG life. I do regret not playing OD&D in the early 80s with my oldest friend Scott – a friend I've had for almost half a century. I talked to him yesterday about it and we both had a laugh. We both barely remember the time anyways.
Dread Laironomicon
Raging Swan released the Dread Laironomicon, a tome standing side-by-side with the Dread Thingonomicon to fill in the details of one hundred lairs from the Cultists' Hidden Fane to a Roper's Cave. Each lair includes seven lists of ten details to fill in such lairs. This book is an excellent source of inspiration for filling in the details of a location during prep – making such places come alive. If you're a fan of the excellent works of Raging Swan Press, you will not be disappointed. My only complaint is a lack of higher-focus lists of chambers in such lairs but the major and minor features lists largely fill in that need. I received a review copy of the Dread Laironomicon for this spotlight.
Dune on Humble Bundle
Humble Bundle currently offers a 17 book digital package for Modiphius's Dune RPG for $18. Such bundles are a great way to dive into an RPG for a low cost. I don't intend to run it but after awaiting Dune part 2 and re-reading the original Dune books, it's great fun to delve into the artwork and read the lore behind the RPG. If you love Dune and want a taste of the RPG, this is a great deal.
Being Good Stewards of the Hobby
Based on an excellent conversation with Graham Ward on Mastering Dungeons, I was inspired to consider what we can do to be good stewards of the TTRPG hobby. I asked folks across several platforms and got many excellent responses which I'll put together into a longer article. For a quick preview, here are some things I think we can all do to be great stewards of the TTRPG hobby:
- Embrace the diversity of our hobby, both in the games we play and the people playing them.
- Learn from everyone, whether they are new to the hobby or a grizzled veteran.
- Welcome new players. Teach them how to play and learn from their experiences.
- Focus on the fun we can have at the table with our friends.
- Support peoples' love for their chosen systems, even if those systems aren't for you.
- Avoid gatekeeping with jargon, how one came to the hobby, the games one chooses to play, or how long one has played games.
- Share our love of the hobby openly.
Simple Online Combat Tracking with a Text Editor
I've been playing a mix of online and in-person games recently and return to the simple text editor as a great way to track combat when playing online. Using Notepad or whatever text editor you prefer you can track initiative, positioning in theater of the mind combat, damage done to creatures, and more.
Here's a quick example of the text I had for a battle I ran last night:
23 Chartreuse 12 Crimson Lotus 71 > Chartreuse 12 Blackguard Wight 10 > Voxi 12 Blackguard Wight 49 > Helm 7 Voxi 7 Zaffre In the Back 6 Helm 5 Radon 3 Eldrox
The above has the characters and creatures in initiative order. The left-hand numbers are their initiative roll. The right-hand numbers are the damage done to the creature. The angle brackets indicate that a monster is adjacent to a particular character. You can type status effects, multiple adjacent characters, or any other notes next to a creature's name to keep track.
Using text editors for combat tracking is fast, easy, cheap, and independent of RPG system or digital tools. I love it.
Page 12 of the Lazy DM's Companion has more tricks for tracking theater of the mind combat in a text editor that differs from the above but both can give you ideas how to easily track combat in a text editor.
Patreon Questions
Every month, Patrons of Sly Flourish can ask any question in a special monthly Q&A. I answer every RPG-related question each Friday morning. Here are some highlights for this week. Please note these questions have been edited for length.
Announcing a Villain's Plans and Progress
From Jason. I was curious how you balance multiple story arcs throughout a campaign. The villain in our campaign, who is progressing his own plans, is coming to a point where some of those plans will come to fruition. I'm struggling with "announcing" those plans when the PC's are in the middle of another story arc. I'm worried that may seem railroad-like if I throw a hook out there that they will feel inclined to investigate and move off of what they are currently on. My goal with the villain's plans was to keep him going in the background, and thus in the PC's consciousness, instead of having everything happen at the very end.
Sometimes we get stuck between revealing interesting information and such information ending up as an adventure hook. It's important to clarify to the players that not all information is actionable. Such information isn't something they can or should feel pressure to do something about right now.
Secrets and clues can help characters learn about the escalation of villainous quests without immediately changing their current direction to chase them down. If characters choose to chase down such a situation, and have the opportunity to do so, perhaps that's the way the story should go. Otherwise, make it clear to players when they receive information about an escalating villainous quest that they can't necessarily do anything about it right now. Tell, don't show.
Published Adventures Don't Require Less Work
From William J. What do you think of the amount of work published adventures expect the DM to do? I'm normally a homebrew campaign kind of guy, but recently picked up a Wotc published adventure (shattered obelisk). The idea being that I was paying a professional writer to do most of the "prep" for me so with very little notice, I could almost just pick the book up and play. However I have been left rather disappointed. Am I being unrealistic with my "pay to prep less" expectation?
It's a misconception that published adventures require less work. That's certainly not the case and, sometimes, they take more work than a homebrewed adventure because you have to internalize a published adventure in a way a homebrew adventure is already internalized. Almost always, they require different kind of work – more of a focus on reading, absorption, and modification instead of thinking things up from scratch.
We shouldn't buy published adventures expecting them to be easier to run. Instead, we should buy them for the depth and quality of material we can't create ourselves. Stories, backgrounds, artwork, maps – these are components of good adventures we simply can't create at the same quality of a published adventure.
I think it actually works better to build homebrew adventures in published settings for the best of both worlds. A published setting gives you a great depth of lore and quality of materials along with the flexibility of building the adventure you want in that world.
Letting Non-Magic Users Use Relics
From Robert. Any house rules for letting non magic users use magic items/relics? If one of my non spell casting PCs picks up a relic, I’d like them to have a solid chance of it actually working (at least the same chance a magic user would have) and the existing rules for say, scrolls, don’t really cut it.
I don't expect a single-use magical relic to be limited to magic users. Relics should be identifiable and usable by anyone who picks them up. That's what makes them fun. Let players know what a relic does and let any character use them.
Adding CR to Published Adventures
From Ryan. I find for me one of the minor speed bumps that prevent me from improvising a monster is if I’m adapting a published module. If it says “4 skeletons”, I have to look up the skeleton stat block to see what the CR is to figure out what I’d replace it with or what the FoF baseline is that I’d swap in for an easier time stat line to run with just some flavour or a single monster power. I think for me the missing piece would be if an adventure said “4 skeletons (CR 1/4)”. Thoughts? Maybe when I first read an adventure I should just mark up all the CRs.
That's a great idea and something I'll consider for future adventures of my own. You can use the "monster stats by CR table" in Forge of Foes to benchmark any monster in any adventure against the "example 5e monsters". The intention of that column is to help you identify a monster's CR by comparing it to those examples. Is it less or more powerful than an elemental? What about a frost giant? Understanding what sorts of monsters have which CRs is a great way to use that table to build monsters you need as you use them.
Introducing Cursed Magic Items Without Removing Player Agency
From Garry. One of the players has just picked up a magic item which while useful, is cursed. If he attunes to it, it will slowly turn him evil and lure him towards the BBEG and his cult of monstrous followers. While this is good, the original text explicitly explains that the previous user (high level cleric) went mad and killed all his followers with everyone turning to wraiths. That player tends to dominate the direction play by force of personality from time to time, but he is usually very fair minded. I'm reluctant to have the whole curse thing in case he runs wild with it to the detriment of the game. Should I just change the properties of the item? Any advice?
Yeah, change the properties. My absolute favorite "cursed" magic items are intelligent items that continually make offers to the characters in exchange for information or power. The best cursed items are those the players know are cursed and still use them anyway.
You're right to be concerned about taking agency away from the player. Don't do it. Instead, let them know the sword is cursed and have it steer them with continual offers, dancing that dangerous line. It's great fun. A smart magic weapon knows how to manipulate its user and the whole thing is much more fun when everyone is in on it. Of course, "pause for a minute" to make sure everyone's still having a good time.
Introducing Rivals Who Aren't Instantly Killed
From R. Scott W. I want to introduce a rival team into the mix since my PCs are so competitive. How do I keep the party from killing off the rivals so that they can have a long term impact on the game?
Let the characters, and the players, know about these rivals without having them get within sword-swinging distance. If you put the rivals and the characters in the same room together, swords and spells may fly. Instead, what if the characters hear about and see the results of these rivals without getting close to them. Maybe they meet them in a bar sometime if you think it isn't going to end up in bloodshed. Eventually things might come to blows but even more fun is when those rivals end up becoming allies instead.
Another Great Week for TTRPGs!
Thank you for digging into this week's tabletop RPG news! Sorry I couldn't do it on a video but hopefully this newsletter gave you the taste you desire. See you next week and keep on rolling those 20s!
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Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: March 3, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoRunning Dungeon Crawls
This article is one in a series where we look at particular adventure types – how to prepare them, how to run them, what pitfalls we might run into, and how we might overcome these pitfalls.
The adventure types in this series include:
- Dungeon crawls
- Infiltration
- Investigation
- Missions
- Travel
- Defense
- Intrigue
This article focuses on one approach for running dungeon crawls and your own preferences may differ. That's totally fine. There are many right ways to prepare, run, and enjoy our games.
Robin Laws's book Adventure Crucible — Building Stronger Scenarios for any RPG heavily inspired this article.
Understanding Dungeon Crawls
In dungeon crawls, characters travel room-by-room through a relatively unknown maze-like location to accomplish one or more goals. Such dungeons can include crypts, caves, caverns, castle ruins, derelict ships, ruined towers, planar nodes, old temples, and other room-and-hall-based locations.
Preparing Dungeon Crawls
Consider the following steps when preparing a dungeon crawl:
- Choose a map (I love dysonlogos maps.)
- Fill in location details – just a word or two per room. You can handwrite these notes right on a printed copy of the map.
- Write down potential traps and hazards.
- If using a published adventure, read over the rooms in the dungeon from the adventure.
- Write a clear goal to reinforce with your players. The goal should be important enough to offset the danger of going into the dungeon.
- Write out ten secrets and clues the characters might find in the dungeon. You don't have to set these clues in specific locations. Drop them in when it makes sense for the characters to learn them.
- List out potential monsters. Some monsters may be location specific but many might be wandering around.
- List out potential NPCs. They might reside in one room or wander around.
- List out treasure the characters might find. Feel free to place this treasure wherever it makes sense.
Running Dungeon Crawls
At the beginning, perhaps as part of a strong start, make sure to state or reinforce the goal. Why are the characters going into the dungeon? Why is it worth risking their lives?
When the characters are in the dungeon, set up how the dungeon crawl works by asking the following questions:
- Who's up front and who's in the back?
- What sort of lighting do the characters have?
- Who's keeping an eye out for monsters?
- Who's checking for traps, hazards, and secret doors? How are they checking?
- What paths do the characters want to take when they come to forks in the dungeon?
As the characters explore, dungeon inhabitants might move and react to the characters activities or the GM might roll for random encounters to shake things up.
Dungeon Crawl Pitfalls
The following common pitfalls can suck the fun out of a dungeon crawl. Be aware of them and account for them in your prep and play.
- Too many downward beats.
- A boring or overly complicated dungeon design.
- Too many hard battles.
- No clear goal or reason to go into the dungeon.
- No place to rest after expending all the characters' resources.
- Few opportunities to roleplay.
- No real choice or useful information when picking a path.
- The monsters always surprise the characters.
Offsetting Dungeon Crawl Pitfalls
Try the following ideas to offset potential pitfalls.
- Fill out exploration of a dungeon with secrets and clues.
- Include upward beats like finding secret passages or getting the drop on unsuspecting foes.
- Include safe places for a short or long rest.
- Select maps with engaging dungeon designs including loopbacks, secret passages, multiple paths, and asymmetric designs.
- Ensure there's useful information to inform the characters' choices.
- Include non-hostile NPCs with whom the characters can roleplay.
- Mix easy and challenging battles that make sense for the situation, not just those tuned for the characters' level.
The Most Common Adventure Type
Dungeon crawls are one of the most common adventure types, going back to the origins of D&D 50 years ago. With the tools above, we can use a common structure for preparation, gameplay, and avoiding pitfalls to run an awesome game for our friends.
More Sly Flourish Stuff
Last week I posted a couple of YouTube videos on Awarding Treasure in 5e and Roots of the Marrow Tree – Shadowdark Gloaming Session 22 Lazy GM Prep.
Last Week's Lazy RPG Talk Show Topics
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast) in which I talk about all things in tabletop RPGs. Here are last week's topics with time stamped links to the YouTube video:
- D&D 2024 Core Book Release Dates
- Call the New Books "D&D 2024"
- D&D 2024 on Roll20
- Humblewood on D&D Beyond
- How D&D Began Video
- Best of Sly Flourish 2013-2023
- Different Steps for Different Circumstances
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer questions from Sly Flourish Patrons. Here are last week's questions and answers:
- Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands Campaign
- A Player's Version of Forge of Foes. Forge of Heroes?
- Favorite Three RPG Mechanics
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as RPG tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Give each monster type one cool unique defining ability.
- Draw quick maps to orient players during a dungeon crawl.
- Ask one player to act as the cartographer.
- Ask one player to manage initiative.
- Ask one or more players to be the official note taker. Ask them to share their notes with the group.
- Include a friendly NPC the characters can talk to.
- Run a mix of easy and challenging encounters.
Related Articles
Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: February 26, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoUsing Advantage and Disadvantage in 5e
"Advantage" and "disadvantage" are fantastic improvisational tools for 5e GMs. They give you incentives and discouragements to steer things towards the fun. Always remember that you have the ability to assign advantage and disadvantage in your toolbox to make the game more fun.
Many situations in the game already apply advantage or disadvantage. Being invisible or being unable to see applies such effects. Attacking someone within 5 feet who is prone gives you advantage while shooting at them from range gives you disadvantage.
Setting DCs and Offering Advantage or Disadvantage
It's important to understand when to raise or lower a DC and when to use advantage and disadvantage. Here's my lazy rule of thumb: You set a DC for a given situation regardless of the character performing the action. Breaking down a door might be a DC 18 but it's a DC 18 for anyone. The DC doesn't change based on who's doing it.
Advantage and disadvantage can change depending on who's performing the action. A circus performer might have a better chance at calming down an owlbear who used to work at the circus. Not only do they use their Wisdom bonus and add their proficiency with Animal Handling but their own special background makes them particularly good at this one specific thing. You might decide that their past experiences grants them advantage.
DCs are fixed based on the situation – advantage and disadvantage are circumstantial to the characters performing the action.
Advantageous Situations
There are many other places we can offer advantage. Here are a few:
Terrain features. High ground might give characters advantage against targets down below. Fighting in a big mud pit might provide disadvantage.
Cinematic Action. Performing a fantastic acrobatic feat might provide advantage if you make the right check (see "Cinematic Advantage" for details).
Superior knowledge. A character's background, upbringing, species, or some other part of their history might grant them advantage on particular ability checks alongside their skill proficiency.
Incentives for Dangerous Choices. We can use advantage to incentivize players to draw characters into danger. Often we'd do this through inspiration, giving them inspiration for being willing to accept a risk they might not otherwise take but we might also offer direct advantage in the situation. Hugging the door isn't enough to get a great view of the arcane pillar but if they get right on top of it, they'd have advantage on the check.
For superior roleplaying. Often we hear about the situation in which a player does an amazing job roleplaying a situation but rolls a 2 on their Charisma (Persuasion) check. We can offer a player advantage if they do a particularly great job attempting to convince the viceroy of their need to speak to the queen. If a player does an amazing job roleplaying, maybe they automatically succeed.
Encouraging Teamwork. Lean in on characters helping one another by providing the character with the best overall bonus advantage as one or more other characters use the "help" action (see chapter 9 of the Player's Handbook) to help them succeed. Don't look for ways to stop two characters working on a problem – leap at the chance.
Steering Away with Disadvantage
We probably want to invoke disadvantage less often than we offer advantage. For every ten times we offer advantage, we may invoke disadvantage once. We can use disadvantage to steer characters away from things that clearly wouldn't work and we can declare it ahead of time. If a character is attempting something clearly too difficult, we might give it a high DC and disadvantage.
Often we invoke disadvantage with the expectation that the character simply changes their mind. That's totally fine.
Your GM's Helper
Advantage and disadvantage are powerful and easy tools to shift the direction of the game. Give them freely and use them to steer the game towards the most fun.
More Sly Flourish Stuff
Last week I posted a couple of YouTube videos on Last Minute RPG Prep and Journey to the Marrow Tree – Shadowdark Gloaming Session 21 Lazy GM Prep.
Last Week's Lazy RPG Talk Show Topics
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast) in which I talk about all things in tabletop RPGs. Here are last week's topics with time stamped links to the YouTube video:
- Ginny Di on One-on-One D&D
- Crown and Skull by Runehammer
- City of Arches Updates
- 1d100 Monuments
- Build Custom Faction Lists
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer questions from Sly Flourish Patrons. Here are last week's questions and answers:
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as RPG tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Watch out for the long monologue. Get to character decisions quickly.
- Let players customize improvised home bases.
- Make it clear when social chatter has stopped and the game has begun.
- Clarify the need for player consensus on in-world conflicts.
- Use table tools and notebooks you love to connect you to the joy of the game.
- Have an easy way to take notes during the game.
- A weird trans-dimensional home base is a great way to bring in irregular characters.
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- Improvising Combat Situations with Advantage, Disadvantage, and Inspiration
- Replace Flanking with Cinematic Advantage
- Our Ability Check Toolbox
Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: February 19, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoTell, Don't Show
"Most readers are in trouble about half the time."
- E.B. White
In 1990, Elizabeth Newman at Stanford University earned her PhD with an experiment. She had one participant tap out the rhythm of a popular song with their fingers while the other participant tried to guess what it was.
The tappers expected that 50% of the time respondents would be able to guess the song. It was actually 2.5%.
We GMs build rich worlds in our heads. We think through complex situations. We imagine NPCs living their lives, villains moving through their plots, vast dungeons buried beneath ancient mountains, and monsters lurking in the depths.
We do our best to describe these worlds and situations and adjudicate the results of the actions of the characters to our players. We love to imagine that the world we've built in our heads is the same one living in the heads of our players.
It's not.
Players understand about half of what we describe to them.
For a video on this topic, watch my Tell, Don't Show YouTube video.
A lot of the time, players don't really grab what's going on and we see this manifest in lots of ways.
- Players don't realize the danger of their situation.
- Players miss a potential quest hook they'd be interested in.
- Players misinterpret an NPC's motivation or mannerisms.
- Players grab onto a piece of lore thinking it's a main quest when it's not.
- Players go after a minor villain and ignore the major one.
- Players make a poor choice on where to defend or where to rest.
- Players miss an obvious safe path and follow a more dangerous one.
- Players fully expect a trap when it's perfectly safe.
- Players think a location is perfectly safe when it's obviously trapped.
Don't Hold Your Cards Too Close
Many DMs hold back information, thinking it's too much to tell players what's going on. They think it should be a surprise or the players need to say the right words to get the information they need. They think telling too much is leading the players or taking agency away from them.
But, when we realize players aren't always grasping the situation, we should put those cards on the table. Explain the situation. Reiterate things we think we've already said. Repeat ourselves. Emphasize what's important to understand.
The Players Are Not Their Characters
The characters in our games are full-time adventurers. They have eyes and ears and fingers most of the time. They're there in the situation. Our players are not. Players aren’t adventurers. Their lives aren't on the line. They're busy people with lives and jobs and families sitting at our table for an evening of fun. They're not really seeing what's going on the same way their characters are. Don't assume players understand what's going on.
Help players see what their characters see. If a player makes a bonehead decision, don't punish them for it. Reinforce what their character sees and what their character knows. Assume their character acts appropriately for their experience and their place in the world.
Assume players aren't grabbing what you're describing and help them out.
Tell, Don't Show
Sometimes, instead of waxing colorful metaphors, just tell players what's going on. Here are some situations where it might make sense.
- A monster is clearly out of the characters' league.
- A monster is legendary and has legendary resistances.
- What happened the turn before in combat impacts the situation surrounding the character now.
- The characters exhausted all of the information they're going to get from an NPC.
- The characters thoroughly checked a room for traps, secrets, and treasure.
- A character will provoke an opportunity attack if they move.
- The three paths that stand in front of the characters.
- The characters' current goal in the area they're exploring.
- The characters don't have the item they need to progress further.
- The characters learned everything they can about a new magic item.
- When the characters act on a misunderstanding or follow a red herring too far.
Many of these things may seem obvious. You've given them the signs. You've seeded the secrets. And yet they're not grabbing on.
Just tell them.
Tell Them Colorfully
We don't have to fully break character when we tell them what's going on. We can keep our flowery narrative. Here are some in-world ways to make it clear to the players what's going on:
- Looking at Xartherex the Balor, you are confident that this foe is beyond any of you.
- Behold! You face Hellmaw, the legendary ancient red dragon.
- After a thorough search, you are confident you've learned everything you can in this room.
- After careful study, you are confident you've learned everything you can about this magic sword.
- Study as you might, you can't get your head around these runes. You think only another primer or a more learned sage can help you.
- After a thorough examination, you don't believe spell, lock pick, or the mightiest hammer swing will break this massive door.
Feel free to keep your language colorful and stay in the world but state clearly what the characters know, or should know, about the situation. Give players the information they need to have fun.
Tell players what's going on.
More Sly Flourish Stuff
Last week I posted a couple of YouTube videos on Fantasy RPG Adventure Structures and Stuck Between a Gelatinous Cube and Two Air Elementals– Shadowdark Gloaming Session 20 Lazy GM Prep.
Last Week's Lazy RPG Talk Show Topics
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast) in which I talk about all things in tabletop RPGs. Here are last week's topics with time stamped links to the YouTube video:
- D&D on Foundry
- D&D Beyond Isn't Destroying the 5e Hobby
- Shadowdark Print Books For Sale
- When To Use Simple or Complicated Stat Blocks
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer questions from Sly Flourish Patrons. Here are last week's questions and answers:
- XP Loss on Death in Shadowdark
- Why No Shapechange for Flee Mortals Vampires?
- Looking Back on Old Secrets
- Teaching New Players 5e through D&D
- Quest Continuity in Shadowdark
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as RPG tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Pool damage in one tally for large groups of monsters. Each time it has enough damage to kill a monster, remove the last monster hit.
- Roll once for several attacks or saves for large numbers of monsters. Choose a number of rolls and divide total damage by the number of rolls.
- For quick skirmishes, go around the table or alphabetically instead of rolling for initiative.
- Ask players to describe new features to the group when they level up.
- Let characters build their own safe haven for resting even in the darkest dungeons.
- Feeling overwhelmed? Boil your next session down to its most necessary elements: a strong start, a map, some monsters, and some discoveries.
- Improvise monsters with core stats and an interesting feature or two.
Related Articles
- Ask Players to Describe New Character Abilities
- Focus Extra Prep Time on the Characters
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Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: February 12, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoTune Monsters with Extra Attacks
Not all monsters are created equal for their challenge rating. Some monsters don’t hit very hard at higher challenge ratings. Others hit well above their weight class.
I’ve talked about the four dials of monster difficulty before:
- The number of monsters in a battle
- A monster's maximum hit points
- The number of attacks the monster has
- The amount of damage those attacks inflict
We can tweak monsters, either before or during a fight, using these four dials. Has a battle overstayed its welcome and gotten boring? Drop those monster hit points. Is an otherwise fun and challenging battle becoming boring because it's too easy? Jack up that damage.
If this topic is of high interest to you, please check out our book Forge of Foes with tons of great advice and tools to help you run monsters in your 5e games.
Adding or reducing the number of attacks a monster has is an easy and powerful way to change the difficulty of a monster. We don't have to do any complicated math or calculations in our head for this modification. We don't have to roll more damage dice. Instead, we just have a monster attack again or have it make one less attack.
This "number of attacks" dial has a big impact. If a monster only has one attack and you give it two – you're doubling its potential damage output. If a monster attacks three times but you only have it attack twice, you're removing 50% of its damaging threat. It's a big dial but it's an easy one to turn and create a big effect.
Normalizing the Action Economy
We might turn the "number of attacks" dial to account for a big delta in the action economy. Four characters versus a single monster has a big sway in the action economy – the number of actions (attacks) the characters have versus the number of attacks the monster has.
In a case like this example, giving the monster more attacks helps even out that delta. We probably don't want to have the monster make all of its attacks against a single target, though, instead spreading them out to other members of the group.
Reducing the Threat
Likewise, if a particular monster proves too deadly for a group, it can attack less. Just because Agdon Longscarf can make two branding iron attacks doesn't mean he has to every round. Maybe he does so if he's surrounded. Maybe he does a jaunty dance instead of that second attack. Monsters don't always behave optimally.
Fixing Sub-Par Monsters
Often higher CR monsters hit below their challenge rating. I think this is due to overweighting the extra abilities these monsters have. I argue these monsters need those extra abilities to challenge higher level characters. The result of these overweighted abilities is a reduction in damage. It's not uncommon to find lower challenge monsters hitting at 10 damage per challenge rating (the thug hits at 20 per CR!) but higher challenge monsters hit for 5 or 6 damage per CR. Their extra abilities don't make up for that drop in damage.
If a monster isn't holding up its end of the fight, give it another attack.
Think About Why You're Doing It
It's important to know why you're adding or subtracting attacks. Are you really adding to the fun of the game or just making yourself feel better? I like to imagine the dials have resistance to them. They like to spring to the average. They need force to move. We don't just move them willy nilly. We need a good reason. What are some good reasons?
- A monster is significantly outclassed in the action economy.
- A monster hits below the challenge it represents in the fiction of the game.
- A big boss is really only threatening one character instead of almost all of them.
- The amount of damage the monster inflicts is boring.
- A lower challenge monster faces higher level characters and would otherwise be completely useless without more attacks.
- We want to increase the threat without making battles longer.
Why shouldn't we give a monster more attacks?
- We're mad at the players.
- We want to punish the characters.
- We're sad our monster rolled so many failed attacks.
An Easy Tool for the Toolbox
Of all of the dials of monster difficulty, adding or removing an attack to a monster's arsenal might be the easiest to implement and have a significant impact on the situation. Keep this tool handy and use it to tune your game for the most fun at the table.
More Sly Flourish Stuff
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast) in which I talk about all things in tabletop RPGs. Here are last week's topics with time stamped links to the YouTube video:
- Vault 5e Crafting and Alchemy by Cubicle 7
- Making Your Lore Optional by PHD20
- Bob World Builder on 15 Different RPGs
- Kelsey Dionne and Baron de Ropp on RPG Design
- Tegan J Gaming on a Defense of Dungeons & Dragons
- Dwarven Forge VTT Backdrops
- TTRPG Tips from Baldur's Gate 3
I also posted a YouTube video on the Tomb of Kytheros – Shadowdark Gloaming Session 19 Lazy GM Prep.
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer questions from Sly Flourish Patrons. Here are last week's questions and answers:
- Are Casters Better than Martial Characters in 5e?
- Running Single-Session One-Shot Games On Time
- Running Too Many NPCs
- Writing Adventures as Good as Published Ones
- Wolfgang Baur on Worldbuilding
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as RPG tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Keep the situation dynamic in big battles. Change up the tactics and environment.
- Roleplay villains in combat. What do they say? How do they react to the characters?
- More monsters are a bigger threat than big monsters.
- Boss monsters almost always have allies.
- Intelligent magic items are tag-along NPCs who don’t take up the spotlight.
- Did a character die? Give their player an NPC to control.
- Set up hard set piece battles with lots of monsters and then lean in on cool character ideas.
Related Articles
Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: February 5, 2024 - 6:00 am - VideoLazy Monster Damage – Subtract 3, Add 1d6
This tip is a trick I first heard attributed to Chris Perkins. I've used it a lot and love it. First, I'm a huge proponent of using static monster damage. It's fast, easy, and moves the game forward at a good clip. It's super lazy.
Some don't like how static damage is so, well, static. So here's a trick to add variance without a lot of work.
Subtract 3 from the static damage of a monster and add 1d6.
It adds just enough variance to make the damage feel different but needs only a single d6 and the math is easy.
What About Critical Hits?
For critical hits, double the static damage, subtract 3, and add 1d6. Sure, crits hit harder than usual but monsters can use the love.
Ignore for Lower Dice Damage
You really only need this trick if rolling monster damage uses two or more dice. If it's a single die and a modifier then subtracting 3 and adding 1d6 isn't making things easier. When a monster inflicts two or more dice worth of damage – often on a multi-attack – rolling all those dice slows things down.
That said, if you want to use a d6 for everything, you can still subtract 3 and add 1d6 to every static damage value you come across.
Give it a try!
More Sly Flourish Stuff
Last week I posted a couple of YouTube videos on Building Fantastic Monuments in D&D and 5e Combat and a Forge of Foes Deep Dive.
Last Week's Lazy RPG Talk Show Topics
Each week I record an episode of the Lazy RPG Talk Show (also available as a podcast) in which I talk about all things in tabletop RPGs. Here are last week's topics with time stamped links to the YouTube video:
- Tales of the Valiant Gamemaster's Guide
- Gate Pass Gazette 2023 for Level Up Advanced 5e
- What Is 5e?
- Using the Eight Steps At the Table
Patreon Questions and Answers
Also on the Talk Show, I answer questions from Sly Flourish Patrons. Here are last week's questions and answers:
- How Many Battles in a Dungeon?
- Should We Demand Players Read the Books?
- Player Rolls or Player Skill for Puzzles?
RPG Tips
Each week I think about what I learned in my last RPG session and write them up as D&D tips. Here are this week's tips:
- Expect single monsters to be taken out with a single ability above 7th level.
- What did this location used to be?
- The enemy of their enemy may be their friend.
- Be very careful taking agency away from a character.
- Go around the table for quick initiative during small battles.
- Use a d6 as an oracle die to determine things like guard patrols or other random events.
- Ask players to discuss new abilities when they level up. Write them down.
Related Articles
- The Case for Static Monster Damage
- Use Static Initiative for Monsters
- How Do You Feel Rolling a Crit?
Get More from Sly Flourish
Buy Sly Flourish's Books
- Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
- Lazy DM's Companion
- Lazy DM's Workbook
- Forge of Foes
- Fantastic Lairs
- Ruins of the Grendleroot
- Fantastic Adventures
- Fantastic Locations
Have a question or want to contact me? Check out Sly Flourish's Frequently Asked Questions.
Read more »Source: Sly Flourish | Published: January 29, 2024 - 6:00 am