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Made in us
Omnipotent Lord of Change





Albany, NY

LordofHats wrote:Has anyone else tried Blades in the Dark or any of the games derived from it?
I started running a campaign with my friends over zoom in Nov 2020 and we wrapped Season 1 this July - the last time I had GM'd was probably when I was 15 or less running games with my brothers Great experience and I love the system, we're all chuffed for Season 2 when most of the players are debuting new, sneakier members of the gang, which is going to shift the bombastic tone of our games quite a bit!

I'm also planning to make a Fantasy Western-style one shot using either Blades or one of its hacks (is there already a Western one? must be!), so I can introduce people to the system in a more contained, less background heavy way. And I'm also also trying to figure out what I want to do with Brinkwood, the vampire-slaying fey-empowered freedom fighter 'hack' delivering from KS shortly, which I was super excited to run before I got so attached to my players' gang and marauding around Duskvol
Albertorius wrote:Also been playing and translating Lancer: the "out of the mech" part of the game is pretty much BitD.
Lancer is real high on my Want To Play list, cracking the code on what 3D sculpts to print for it is mostly the thing standing in my way. That and loving Blades. And also that us Bladers are currently playing in my buddy's Broken Compass game.

Oh right: shout out to Broken Compass! Flexible adventure game with a simple dice matching mechanic. Their second KS wrapped recently, so my buddy has a load of stuff incoming for it.

EDIT: Speaking of GMing over zoom, we had our final session of the season in person and it was so good comparatively. Or at least it had loads more RP and storytelling was far easier for me. Rules reference and just tossing flavor images out is way easier online, but I find online we leaned harder on rules mechanics and the like, as opposed to just jamming things out. Jamming definitely feels more like what Blades was built for - there's a little crunch but not really all that much. I think that was part of the goal with Brinkwood, to return some of the minutiae to the rules side, like breaking currency back down away from the abstract Coin of Blades.

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2021/09/13 18:47:15


KOW BATREPS: BLOODFIRE
INSTAGRAM: @boss_salvage 
   
Made in gb
Witch Hunter in the Shadows





 Boss Salvage wrote:
Lancer is real high on my Want To Play list, cracking the code on what 3D sculpts to print for it is mostly the thing standing in my way.
Lancer, IMO, is one of those games where you want to make sure the players have a decent understanding of the rules.

Setting up combos with other players and having tricks up your sleeves is a whole lot more interesting than just having a basic grasp and playing with the same few basic actions round after round and mono-task mechs that just end up slowly grinding through problems that are outside of their ideal target.
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

Have any of you guys ever used a "generic module" before? A module that is just a story line, adventure hook, encounter path, potential complications, and Possible Big Finish before?

One that does not have stat blocks, specific mechanics, etc. built into the module?

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Made in nz
Blood Angel Terminator with Lightning Claws






New Zealand

 Easy E wrote:
Have any of you guys ever used a "generic module" before? A module that is just a story line, adventure hook, encounter path, potential complications, and Possible Big Finish before?

One that does not have stat blocks, specific mechanics, etc. built into the module?


So, like a system-agnostic module, is that what you mean? No, can't say I have, mostly asking for clarification. '

Also, another general question, what would be your favourite modules you've run? I really love the Illumination scenario in the Dark Heresy core rulebook I've played it and GM'd it and had a great time both times and the 1st scenario of the Haarlock Trilogy Tattered Fates, although admittedly, the stuff I enjoyed the most was the stuff I added to it when I ran it.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/09/22 01:39:52


"The best way to lie is to tell the truth." Attelus Kaltos.
My story! Secret War
After his organisation is hired to hunt down an influential gang leader on the Hive world, Omnartus. Attelus Kaltos is embroiled deeper into the complex world of the Assassin. This is the job which will change him, for better or for worse. Forevermore. Chapter 1.

The Angaran Chronicles: Hamar Noir. After coming back from a dangerous mission which left his friend and partner, the werewolf: Emilia in a coma. Anargrin is sent on another mission: to hunt down a rogue vampire. A rogue vampire with no consistent modus operandi and who is exceedingly good at hiding its tracks. So much so even the veteran Anargrin is forced into desperate speculation. But worst of all: drive him into desperate measures. Measures which drives Anargrin to wonder; does the ends, justify the means?

 
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

 Adrassil wrote:
 Easy E wrote:
Have any of you guys ever used a "generic module" before? A module that is just a story line, adventure hook, encounter path, potential complications, and Possible Big Finish before?

One that does not have stat blocks, specific mechanics, etc. built into the module?


So, like a system-agnostic module, is that what you mean? No, can't say I have, mostly asking for clarification. '


Yes, exactly!

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Made in nz
Blood Angel Terminator with Lightning Claws






New Zealand

I had my 1st session of Pulp Cthulhu using the horde rules I made using the advice of LordofHats as a jumping-off point and they worked very well (I made a couple of changes in mid-game, such as if a horde with a diverse array of weaponry is attacking a PC and hit, they roll a luck roll to see what kind of weapon hit them, fail it could be that close-range shotgun, pass it could be from that dude with a revolver) Had a ton of fun!

"The best way to lie is to tell the truth." Attelus Kaltos.
My story! Secret War
After his organisation is hired to hunt down an influential gang leader on the Hive world, Omnartus. Attelus Kaltos is embroiled deeper into the complex world of the Assassin. This is the job which will change him, for better or for worse. Forevermore. Chapter 1.

The Angaran Chronicles: Hamar Noir. After coming back from a dangerous mission which left his friend and partner, the werewolf: Emilia in a coma. Anargrin is sent on another mission: to hunt down a rogue vampire. A rogue vampire with no consistent modus operandi and who is exceedingly good at hiding its tracks. So much so even the veteran Anargrin is forced into desperate speculation. But worst of all: drive him into desperate measures. Measures which drives Anargrin to wonder; does the ends, justify the means?

 
   
Made in us
Secret Force Behind the Rise of the Tau




USA

Use Hordes GMs.

Hordes simplify your life

   
Made in gb
Assassin with Black Lotus Poison





Bristol

 LordofHats wrote:
Use Hordes GMs.

Hordes simplify your life


Well, I was only going to have the one ancient red dragon but you have convinced me.

The Laws of Thermodynamics:
1) You cannot win. 2) You cannot break even. 3) You cannot stop playing the game.

Colonel Flagg wrote:You think you're real smart. But you're not smart; you're dumb. Very dumb. But you've met your match in me.
 
   
Made in us
Secret Force Behind the Rise of the Tau




USA

I can already imagine it.

GM: You see a red dragon.
Players: Alright, it'll be tough but we can handle it.
GM: He has friends.
Players: wait wha-
GM: It's a horde.

   
Made in gb
Assassin with Black Lotus Poison





Bristol

A horde of wild C'thulhu appeared.

The Laws of Thermodynamics:
1) You cannot win. 2) You cannot break even. 3) You cannot stop playing the game.

Colonel Flagg wrote:You think you're real smart. But you're not smart; you're dumb. Very dumb. But you've met your match in me.
 
   
Made in us
Pyre Troll






 A Town Called Malus wrote:
A horde of wild C'thulhu appeared.


now see, that just make me think Damn son, pokemon cut lose since the last time i played
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

I picked up the Dune RPG over the weekend. It is a hefty, hardcover tome. More to come once I start to read it......

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Assassin with Black Lotus Poison





Bristol

 Easy E wrote:
I picked up the Dune RPG over the weekend. It is a hefty, hardcover tome. More to come once I start to read it......


I hope the first three hours of character creation are generating your bloodline, including major ancestors.

There should then be an incredibly complicated formula, involving referencing dozens of charts, to determine if your character is the Kwisatz Haderach.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/09/27 17:16:28


The Laws of Thermodynamics:
1) You cannot win. 2) You cannot break even. 3) You cannot stop playing the game.

Colonel Flagg wrote:You think you're real smart. But you're not smart; you're dumb. Very dumb. But you've met your match in me.
 
   
Made in us
Omnipotent Lord of Change





Albany, NY

 Easy E wrote:
I picked up the Dune RPG over the weekend. It is a hefty, hardcover tome. More to come once I start to read it......
And very pretty, with pretty dice as well. I'm curious to hear what the guts are like.

KOW BATREPS: BLOODFIRE
INSTAGRAM: @boss_salvage 
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)




I picked this up from the LGS. I saw it before, but passed. The game was shrink wrapped so I could not look at the rules. Later, I read up on the rules and decided that it looked interesting. Next time I was in the area I decided to pick it up.



This is a nice, hefty tome. It is hardcovered with 300+ pages of content. The background of the Dune universe is about 83 pages of the book. The artwork inside is also very nice!

So, after looking at reading a couple of pages, here are a few things that I noticed right away!

1. The game used dice pools of d20s looking for a TN and a number of successes.

2. Target Numbers are generated by combining your actual ability score + your motivations and values. It is interesting that the characters values/personality that drives TNs. Therefore, how your character perceives the world can influence you ability to get things done. Nice touch.

3. The game encourages using "support characters" so if your actual character is someplace else you can then use your "support characters". Therefore, you can always participate in a scene.

4. The game does use a "Meta-currency". Players build a "Momentum" pool with success. These can later be used to add dice to your skill checks. You can also add dice by giving the GM a Threat point. The Threat Point can be used to boost enemy rolls.

I am not a fan of Meta-Currency as it seems to be designed by folks who can not handle GM Fiat to control the action. I am not one of those people, but can see the appeal of it. I know Lance feels differently, so I would appreciate their perspective on it as well.

5. Scenes are a bit abstract, so each roll is not a swing of a sword or a specific action. Instead, it dictates the direction of the scene. For example, if you make a combat roll it allows you to narrate the action going forward. The same system is used for a single character using a knife, versus you running a squad of operatives, or directing an army in the field. Rules for intrigue, espionage, and other less direct confrontations also exist and use the same basic system.

First Thoughts:
The game seems to be walking the line between crunchier D&D/Shadowrun style and more narrative style like Powered by the Apocalypse/FATE style. I think it looks pretty fun for what I have found so far.

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Made in us
Norn Queen






I just looked up an article on the momentum/threat. Basically Dune runs on the same system as the more recent Conan game. the 2D20 system. I like it! There is a asymmetrical back and forth but always as a choice on behalf of the players or as a consequence of their own dice rolls. The players NEED successes. To get more successes they need dice. And while they have ways to get dice without giving the GM threat those resources are limited and the threat version is always readily available. Further if they ever roll a extreme it creates threat.

If I am reading into it correctly I do have one criticism of it. It's too flat in it's usage.

This isn't all that uncommon with meta currency systems unfortunately. The GM gets to spend their threat basically to counter player abilities. Does x give you a bonus die? Well Y amount of threat reduces a die from your pool. It's the most boring usage of something like that. The game talks about how certain circumstances can add "complications". Something that changes the difficulty of a situation. A pipe vents steam obscuring vision and making your shot more difficult as an example. It's far more interesting for everyone involved when threat can be spent for/and is spent for, things like that. Narrative elements that tip the balance one way or the other. Laser shield doors seperate Obi Won from Kwi Gon when fighting Darth Maul. Get in a cave to take shelter.... but something lives in that cave...

All those kinds of things. Using threat to move things forward or create interesting/complicated situations is far more satisfying for everyone at the table.


These are my opinions. This is how I feel. Others may feel differently. This needs to be stated for some reason.
 
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

Thanks Lance!

Looks like we are planning on playing Osprey's Those Dark Places RPG for Halloween this year.

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Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

Managed to play a One Shot of Those Dark Places from Osprey Role-Playing.



This is a rules light system where you roll a d6 + attribute + crew position bonus looking for 7+ for a success. In addition, certain "shocking" moments will trigger pressure roles. Fail too many pressure rolls and you start to have "episodes" that lead to unwanted side effects like insanity, the shakes, rage, and other bad outcomes that can add to the terror.

I was the GM for the first time in a while. The players did a great job role-playing as blue collar, space truckers in a corporate future faced with the supernatural! My favorite moment was when a staunchly, rationalist, veteran spacer was faced with a ghostly vision, and broke into a rage assuming that their colleagues were somehow pumping them full of hallucinogens. The ensuing stand-off was intense and very well-played.

The resolution of the plot was also well RPed, and resolved with talking and deal making. Good times.

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Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

 Lance845 wrote:

This isn't all that uncommon with meta currency systems unfortunately. The GM gets to spend their threat basically to counter player abilities. Does x give you a bonus die? Well Y amount of threat reduces a die from your pool. It's the most boring usage of something like that. The game talks about how certain circumstances can add "complications". Something that changes the difficulty of a situation. A pipe vents steam obscuring vision and making your shot more difficult as an example. It's far more interesting for everyone involved when threat can be spent for/and is spent for, things like that. Narrative elements that tip the balance one way or the other. Laser shield doors seperate Obi Won from Kwi Gon when fighting Darth Maul. Get in a cave to take shelter.... but something lives in that cave.


As I read the DUNE RPG more, it has an abstract part called "Traits" that can effect characters, settings, objects, etc. These can be added and canceled by the use of Momentum to add or remove benefits for the characters. In the example of the steam pipe obscuring vision, the PC could spend Momentum to have access to trait that removes that penalty. The GM could then counter-with threat to place a new or similar trait back in place.

For example, a Noblewoman character goes to a social party to find information about her rival. She is a Noble which allows her to access the party and allows her to work with the lesser folks for information. However, as play progresses, her rival shows up and the GM spends threat to make the room "hostile" to the Noble woman. She loses her advantage of Noble as everyone is wise to why she is there. As play continues, she can generate opportunities with momentum to add a trait back, and decides that people are starting to get tipsy and loose lipped. This allows her to try and gain information again.

This plays a bit like a back and forth on an abstract and narrative level.


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Made in us
Norn Queen






Yeah thats a bit better.

It's just not the best feeling if it's all done at the table going back and forth. You never want the player to spend a point just for the GM to immediately cancel it with a point of their own. It can be a feel bad mechanic.

Asymmetrical mechanics work better imo. It's not momentum can be spent for x and threat can be spent for -x. It should be x and y where y is different and interesting. A threat that doesn't take away x but layers in complications to it.

Definitely more difficult to design and build but better in the long run.


These are my opinions. This is how I feel. Others may feel differently. This needs to be stated for some reason.
 
   
Made in nz
Blood Angel Terminator with Lightning Claws






New Zealand

Last week I had an epilogue session for my Pulp Cthulhu campaign and boy was it fun. The PCs were detectives in the Louisianna State Police but it ended in them becoming wanted fugitives and making an enemy of an influential cult. But now I think about it I had one of my favourite scenes I've ever RP'd Nyarlathotep himself (in human form with a black suit, moustache and goatee and fedora) came to them asking for a favour in return for his aid. Didn't ham it up too much. But RPing at the Crawling Chaos Himself was so much fun.

They of course said no but Nyarlathotep knew this he knows either way they'll be causing chaos with their new knowledge and everything. Mwahaha!

"The best way to lie is to tell the truth." Attelus Kaltos.
My story! Secret War
After his organisation is hired to hunt down an influential gang leader on the Hive world, Omnartus. Attelus Kaltos is embroiled deeper into the complex world of the Assassin. This is the job which will change him, for better or for worse. Forevermore. Chapter 1.

The Angaran Chronicles: Hamar Noir. After coming back from a dangerous mission which left his friend and partner, the werewolf: Emilia in a coma. Anargrin is sent on another mission: to hunt down a rogue vampire. A rogue vampire with no consistent modus operandi and who is exceedingly good at hiding its tracks. So much so even the veteran Anargrin is forced into desperate speculation. But worst of all: drive him into desperate measures. Measures which drives Anargrin to wonder; does the ends, justify the means?

 
   
Made in us
Shadowy Grot Kommittee Memba






 Easy E wrote:
Managed to play a One Shot of Those Dark Places from Osprey Role-Playing.



This is a rules light system where you roll a d6 + attribute + crew position bonus looking for 7+ for a success. In addition, certain "shocking" moments will trigger pressure roles. Fail too many pressure rolls and you start to have "episodes" that lead to unwanted side effects like insanity, the shakes, rage, and other bad outcomes that can add to the terror.

I was the GM for the first time in a while. The players did a great job role-playing as blue collar, space truckers in a corporate future faced with the supernatural! My favorite moment was when a staunchly, rationalist, veteran spacer was faced with a ghostly vision, and broke into a rage assuming that their colleagues were somehow pumping them full of hallucinogens. The ensuing stand-off was intense and very well-played.

The resolution of the plot was also well RPed, and resolved with talking and deal making. Good times.



awww yeah, alien style horror is my favorite.

The last time I played one of those I jokingly told everyone my core character trait was that I was a militant fundamentalist agnostic - fanatically dedicated to the concept of the unknown and the unknowable vastness of the cosmos. It was a fun ride!

"Got you, Yugi! Your Rubric Marines can't fall back because I have declared the tertiary kaptaris ka'tah stance two, after the secondary dacatarai ka'tah last turn!"

"So you think, Kaiba! I declared my Thousand Sons the cult of Duplicity, which means all my psykers have access to the Sorcerous Facade power! Furthermore I will spend 8 Cabal Points to invoke Cabbalistic Focus, causing the rubrics to appear behind your custodes! The Vengeance for the Wronged and Sorcerous Fullisade stratagems along with the Malefic Maelstrom infernal pact evoked earlier in the command phase allows me to double their firepower, letting me wound on 2s and 3s!"

"you think it is you who has gotten me, yugi, but it is I who have gotten you! I declare the ever-vigilant stratagem to attack your rubrics with my custodes' ranged weapons, which with the new codex are now DAMAGE 2!!"

"...which leads you straight into my trap, Kaiba, you see I now declare the stratagem Implacable Automata, reducing all damage from your attacks by 1 and triggering my All is Dust special rule!"  
   
Made in us
Winged Kroot Vulture






My group seems to have fun with the supers RPG, ICONS.

Sort of a homage to Marvel's FASERIP system.

We play it relatively loose and end up going with little dice rolls.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/11/19 16:08:07


I'm back! 
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

Hey all,

Next week, I am going to run a CoC inspired game, loosely based on some of those old Gothic, Hammer horror style movies.

I am not using the CoC game, but am using something with Those Dark Places style mechanics for ease. This is only a 1-shot.

Any tips of tricks on how to run a good gothic horror game?

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Made in se
Fresh-Faced New User




Busy getting a group together for Coriolis while simultaneously getting another one together for Alien (only interested in science fiction RPGs at the moment, severely burned out on fantasy). Here's hoping for fun times ahead!
   
Made in gb
Thermo-Optical Hac Tao





Gosport, UK

Does/has anyone here played Legend of the five rings? I’m considering trying that or Soulbound when it comes back round to being my turn to run a game in my group. I really like the look of L5R (I’d rather play it than run it really but I’m not sure any of the others would fancy running it).
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

I have played 3rd edition/4th edition. I enjoy it a lot, as the focus on Bushido, Clan, and Family really grounds the characters and forces the players to think and role-play much differently than other RPGs. Plus, combat can be pretty deadly for characters too.

What edition are you thinking? The new FFG edition or an earlier edition.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2022/04/25 19:28:44


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Secret Force Behind the Rise of the Tau




USA

I've played the 5th edition but not the earlier, so I can give answers on that.

   
Made in gb
Thermo-Optical Hac Tao





Gosport, UK

It would be 5th edition/the Fantasy Flight one yeah (or Edge now!). How do you find it, is it a system you’d recommend? It looks a fair bit more complicated than games I’ve run in the past (Free League stuff like Coriolis). Which books would you recommend past the rulebook?
   
Made in us
Secret Force Behind the Rise of the Tau




USA

It's a system with amazing flavor, a great setting, and the basics of the rules are not that complicated. I'd advise not treating the game like it's a dungeon crawl or action banaza (porting the setting to DnD 5e would serve you better for that kind of game). The core book is fine. A lot of the supplemental books are mostly for specific kinds of campaigns, specific locations in the game world, and additional classes and mechanics. The starter set has a decently put together adventure if you want one. Mostly the main rulebook and a vague knowledge of Samurai movies or anime will probably serve you in actually playing the game.

Where L5R really and truly excels is when the players and the GM really commit to the roleplay of the setting. Build strong characters (the game has a good system to help you do this) and play them out. Let social situations happen as the game gives you a lot more social tools than most RPGs. Don't sweat the paper keeping too hard. Most player skills and abilities can be treated as reactive in a lot of situations even if the rulebook doesn't say that. Roll when you need to roll, work out the dice, and then describe what that rolls means.

Be advised this means rolling will sometimes take a bit of time to resolve. I'd suggest only rolling when you really need to and otherwise letting roleplay play out.

The only real warning I'd issue on playing 5th is that the rules in some aspects can be a bit wonky. The GM will have to make some calls with limited help from the rulebook but I think the general rule of 'do whatever is fun and makes sense' will smooth over the occasional weakness of the rulebook.

EDIT: Actually, the starter set is pretty great in general if you just want to test the system and see how it can play. You could start with that and then get the full rules after the experience. Depends on how you and whoever you're playing with wants to try things.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2022/04/25 22:31:33


   
 
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