Gear for PCs - Starting Out

Once you've got your character rounded out as far as stats and back story comes the final step: gear. Looking at the starting gold for many characters your options are limited in what you can afford, but there is a lot in the way of gear in the starting book.

There are the standard choices: bedroll, rations, torches, and rope (with or without grappling hook). More specialized options are holy symbols, specific tools and kits, and alchemical items.

But there are more options than just that. If you think outside the box, you can look at the item list and put together some really interesting load outs. Marbles can be used to detect slopes and trip up people; pitons can be used to climb and jam doors open or closed; bells can be decoration/tools for some classes and useful alarms for everyone else; mirrors can be used to signal over distance and look around corners.

Also, random choices can be amusing and character defining. A dwarven paladin in a game carried 10 lbs of soap. Jaws agape, we asked why and he said he liked to be clean. And that was that. He was a dwarf paladin that wanted to be clean, no matter what the situation.

Mundane items can become important to your character. A signet ring on it's own is just used to seal letters (see sealing wax on the item list), but it can also be your father's ring or the ring of your clan, passed to your for safe keeping. Maybe you wear broken manacles, physical reminders of a past you never will return to.

Look over the list and don't look at each item on the page. Look at each item as if you're holding it in your hand and what does it mean to your character? Does your character believe in luck and if so, is that clay tankard your lucky drinking mug? Is that block and tackle tools of a life you wish you could lead? The items themselves aren't necessarily what you should look at. Have an image of your character in mind and see how the item fits that character. Is it useful? Is it meaningful?

Game in Review

So we actually managed to game this past Saturday and overall it was a great success. Sending out a story advancing e-mail allowed me to skip the last bit of the prologue and move the players into the main part of the campaign.

The players rescued the townsfolk from the previous session and returned home. After a month of time has passed the mayor looks rather ill and a "special ops" character from the capital has come to collect the PCs to escort them to the capital. Turns out they weren't the only people in the world that were suddenly granted powers and levels. The players weren't terribly fond of this character as he was all business and little in the way of social skills.

They set out and were ambushed one night the PCs drove off the attacker, but did not notice the assassin that executed the Spec Ops character. This is where my story took a turn off the rails. I had intended the PCs to get captured by this group and in order to facilitate that, I had them all be of a higher level than them. They were supposed to be ordered to surrender so they could be captured. Instead, one of the characters grapples the assassin and ties her up while her goons advance. The dwarf orders her to surrender, she tells him to shove it, and promptly gets beaten by another character.

Had I allowed actions to go where they were headed, the players would have offed the assassin only to be killed by her goons. So I took my plans, threw them away, and started flying by the seat of my pants. As a result, she turned into a rebel agent, trying to overthrow the government of the land so that all races can rule themselves. She was ordered to "rescue" the PCs and escort them to the capital city, to be delivered to the Rebel Organization instead of the Senate to try and find out what happened.

Of course, I then had to set up an encounter that would kill off most of her goons so I don't have to manage 8 npcs at once. So the goons went through threatening level to Red Shirt incompetence and were promptly murdered by hobgoblins, so I have half as many NPCs to deal with now.

Even though the game went a direction I wasn't expected, the spontaneous creation of the Rebellion will lead to a deeper story than what I had intentionally envisioned. So if the players in your game start running in a direction that you're not sure of, just go with it. 9 out of 10 times anything you say during one session won't be fully resolved until later sessions so you have plenty of time to alter the story to fit what has been said and done.

Mash Ups

Apparently, Fridays are difficult for me to post on now. Not sure what is going on, but here it is:

Mash up games can be a lot of fun, but what exactly is a mash up? Mash up games happen when you take two different themes from different systems and put them into one game. For example, Shadowrun and Werewolf. The players can take on the roles of werewolves and/or runners that exclusively infiltrate and sabotage Pentex companies. Or you can flip it, and make characters that work for Pentex that target Werewolf activities.

In this specific example, it can also highlight specific mechanics from the game, such as Essence and Cybernetics. How would a werewolf feel about cybernetic implants? While the concept is completely anathema to them, would there be instances where a werewolf would be willing to compromise their souls to fight the Wyrm better?

Call of Cthulhu and D&D would be another good one. The players can suddenly encounter horrific monsters and magics that previously didn't exist in the world; that attack their sanity more than their bodies. This would be a fairly easy mash up since a d20 Call of Cthulhu was released years ago and there is already a precedent with abberrations.

So how do you mash two games together into one? This requires knowing the rules of both games very well so you can convert one game into the other. The game you choose to convert will also affect how the game plays. If I chose to convert Chaosium's BRP into d20 the game would focus more on combat and adventure, with the characters able to take and deal damage. However, if you choose to go the other way, d20 to BRP, then the game takes on a completely different tenor. The characters suddenly aren't able to receive damage and healing becomes more complicated and the game takes on a more life or death feel.

You have to be willing to put the work in to convert the rules, and that can take a good deal of work, especially if they games are very dissimilar. You have to know what rules need to be added to the new system and what rules can be handled by it without change. Additionally, you can fold both systems into a generic system such as GURPS, HERO, or Savage Worlds.

Problem Players

Every group will go through an "experience" where someone's personality will conflict with another person's. There are multiple avenues of recourse to this besides "Kicking them out of the group."

These types of situations can arise over a variety of means. Perhaps one person has made comments, observations, or jokes that you find incredibly objectionable. Maybe they have a different play style that is interfering with the fun of the whole group. It might even be something as simple as simple as a conflict of personalities.

There are a few ways to avoid coming to this point though. The first, and simplest rule, is to be an adult and deal with a conflict of interest or personality as an adult. No matter what the situation or environment you are int, conflicts will arise and you need to be able to handle them as ana adult or else your life will end up being rather difficult.

Be somewhat selective in who you game with as well. Just like any other social group, there are rules and expectations of behavior. If someone is behaving in a way that makes you uncomfortable (drug use, inappropriate comments, etc) don't game with them. If you are uncomfortable to start with, things will most likely only get worse, not magically better.

Even if someone behaves acceptably, it doesn't mean that they'll get along with you. In the event personalities or perspectives change, see the first rule.

Have a one on one talk with the person. There isn't a need to drag the entire group into an argument that doesn't involve them. Chances are that the individual may not be aware of what they're doing, be it inappropriate comments or behavior. Most people will attempt to modify their behavior once they realize that they're behaving inappropriately.

If they don't, then the next step is to involve the group and see if they're having similar experiences. If they are, you can come together as a group and speak with the person to try and address the issue. If they aren't, you may need to evaluate how well you fit into the group, or perhaps not take things so personally. Sometimes the issue is with you.

Only after you've spoken with the person individually and as a group, should you look at the option of removing them from the group. If you do have to take this course of action, be upfront about it. Don't cancel the game and then start again and "forget" to invite the person back. Chances are that the people you game with are your friends and are deserving of at least a modicum of respect. Even if they're not, they still deserve some level of respect and should be treated like adults.

Suggestions

So, as some people may have noticed, I missed my posting on Friday. Part of this was due to exhaustion, part of this was due to not having a good idea for what to blog about. I've got some half formed ideas in my head, but nothing solid enough yet to write a full post about. To help curtail this, I've created a suggestions page, link at the top of the page. If you have ideas for something you want to see posted, either singly or as a series, go ahead and comment on that page and I'll get an e-mail as soon as you do.

I've done fairly well so far, but I'm getting to a point where I think I need some help with the ideas, so post away up there and keep this project going!

Introducing Players into a Group

Adding players to a group is a great way to mix things up. New players bring new viewpoints and ideas on how things should be done, perhaps injecting new life into your group. I'm not going to go over how you meet people to game with, that's a topic all on its own; I'm going to be discussing how to introduce them into your game without disrupting the flow.

The first step, before you even consider how to bring them into your game, is to consider the others players. You can't just insert someone into a group without notice or consent; you need to let the group know that someone is interested in joining and make sure everyone is ok with it. If they're not, you won't be able to do the following.

So once everyone is ok with the idea of adding a new person, check where you are in the story of the game. If you're a few sessions away from ending, it would probably be better to wait until the next campaign starts; otherwise the story may become disjointed at the climax.

If you're at a point in the story where adding someone is worth it, you need to look at what the party has done so far. If they've already had a few adventures they most likely have some ties with NPCs they've encountered in your world. One option is to have the new player play one of the NPCs; that way they already have a tie and relationship to the party. The downside to this is the new player may not get to play something they're interested in. Alternatively, they could have a tie to that NPC somehow and be introduced into the party that way. 

Having the current and new players cross paths with similar goals is another good plan. If the PCs are investigating a murder, the new player could have a tie to the victim or someone unrelated but interested in bringing down the villain.

Depending on the setting, you can present the players with a problem that they aren't equipped to handle, and present the new player as someone that the party can hire or work with to solve their problem.

If you work in the player as an aspect of the story, everything will flow together much better. The characters will have a reason to interact with each other in a meaningful fashion and they'll have reasons to bond beyond that adventure.

The key thing to consider is to try and make the introduction in game as organic as possible. Otherwise the players will suffer a disconnect from the story and you will lose some momentum. For an excellent example of how not to introduce a new character or player, see The Gamers.

Game in Review

So this should be a post about a game review, since we gamed on Saturday. Sadly, we ran into insurmountable technical difficulties. Construction workers cut the cable line going into my neighborhood so there was nothing to do about that.

No matter how much I like technology, sometimes there is something to be said for face to face gaming; you don't need to worry about random events like that getting in the way. We work through what we can, when we can, sometimes there is nothing to do.

So if you're considering doing a game via video/teleconference, be mindful that sometimes no amount of creativity with technology can make it work if the connection just isn't there.

However, I decided that in the interest of moving the story forward (since we game twice a month) I was going to dictate what I had planned, with input from the players on their character's actions. This way I can maintain the pace of the game, even when things go sour.

Don't be afraid to wrest narrative control from your players when you have to. You can use it to speed up downtime within the game, expedite travel, and even keep the game moving when it start to stagnate.

Advanced Monsters

Following up on the last post, I wanted to talk about using low level creatures at high level. Low level creatures can be used at high level effectively; once players are past level 3 you can still throw orcs at them, it just takes a bit of thought.

In specific with orcs, I used them in my last game at the midgame point (9-12) and the players seemed to enjoy them a great deal. The simplest way to improve monsters is to give them class levels, but if that is all you do; the impact to the players will be minimal. Presenting a story or mystique to these "new" monsters can greatly improve the splash they make.

In my game I needed a repeatable monster for where they were in the world and decided to populate the area with a superior, previously unknown, breed of orcs. To make the different from standard orcs, I gave their skin a reddish hue and mechanically gave them a dex bonus. Aside from that they were the exact same as any other orc.

To make them more interesting, I decided they would have three main classes: archers, shapeshifters, and barbarians. I assigned them each different classes and number of levels to make the difficulty ramping up. Finally I gave the different classes names that implied what they did without being 100% clear. The archers were the Far Killers, shapeshifters were Skin Walkers, and the barbarians were Blood Drinkers.

I introduced them over time, with each class of orc mentioning or introducing the subsequent class, culminating in the Blood Drinkers. Before they even encountered the Far Killers, I introduced them from the perspective of a besieged tower that was being assaulted every night by a mysterious force that could kill at exceptional ranges and they could do little to stop them. By the time they actually encountered the orcs they had been built up and their first combat was all the more memorable because the PCs approached it cautiously instead of the typical reckless charge.

With a little creativity and thought put into basic monsters, you can use them at nearly every level to great affect. Beyond increasing bonuses and assigning levels, it is crucial to build up an air of mystery about them rather than just have them be a random encounter that is soon forgotten.

Monsters in Transition - Orcs

This time around we're going to step up on the monster ladder, but not too far, and take a look at Orcs. The slightly less common, slightly larger goblin of the D&D world.

Orcs are the next step up in the goblinoid ladder. Bigger and stronger than goblins, they typically lead goblins in battle. They also abuse the hell out of them. Usually the first few encounters in a standard D&D game start off with goblins and the go to orcs soon after.

Orcs tend to be stronger and more brutish than the other humanoid races. Early on they are a significant threat to the players, since there standard damage is 2d4+4 which is enough to severely wound or kill many 1st level characters. They are the stock fodder of D&D adventures.

Between Pathfinder and D&D little has changed. Their stats are still the same, their saves are slightly better in Pathfinder (with a -1 to Will instead of a -2). Their main weakness is a lack of intelligence and Light Sensitivity. In daylight and bright light they are dazzled. This sets up an interesting problem for PCs. These already dangerous foes are more likely to ambush at night when the party is asleep and unarmored, and they can make use of their darkvision, making them that much more lethal.

A significant and odd change happened in Pathfinder though, that bears mentioning. Orcs have a trait called Ferocity that lets them take action when they are in the negatives for hit-points. They can only take one action a round and they still lose 1 hitpoint a round, but in Pathfinder you die when you reach negative con score, not negative 10. Bundled with the larger hit die this gives them nearly triple the hitpoints of a D&D orc. They lose those last hitpoints quickly, but it gives them at least a round or two to drop PCs.

That is the significant change. The odd change is that their challenge rating went down to 1/3 instead of 1/2. While characters are slightly more powerful in Pathfinder than D&D, that power doesn't become evident right away, so the increase in killing power and duration paired with a lower CR makes for a dangerous balancing act on the GM's part.

Splitting the Party - A Day Late

I want to sincerely apologize for missing yesterday. Apparently the 3 day weekend screwed with my internal get stuff done calendar and the post fell through the cracks. Here it is a day late, but hopefully with exact change.

A lot of things can be learned from our childhood heroes. Some good (Goonies never say die!) some less so. One of the worst examples comes from Scooby Doo, where they split the party at every opportunity, to cover more ground, to search for clues, to do whatever is possible to keep the party from being in the same room at the same time.

Why is this a bad idea? There are two main reasons why, the metagame and the mechanics of a system.

For the metagame, splitting the party means that some people will be sitting around bored. I've been in games where one person and I went off to investigate someone in a town and it took nearly two hours to resolve; so everyone else had to sit around doing nothing. I lost track of time otherwise I would have made a comment that we should perhaps take a break. However, we got involved and lost track of time and not many people had fun that day. I commend the DM for allowing us to follow through on things like that, but it is an excellent example of what can go wrong with it.

Another metagame reason is that it puts a lot of strain on the DM to maintain two separate plots while the party is split. If the split persists for more than part of a session then the DM will need to do twice as much prep work than before.

The other reason I mentioned has to do with systems. In the mechanics of D&D are designed with a minimum party size in mind. If the party splits they may not be able to handle encounters that would be appropriate to their level.

However, if you are in a game with multiple DMs then splitting the party is entirely acceptable and expected. There are multiple DMs to handle the strain and also handle the split. The only concern at that point is to make sure that you are still capable of handling combat encounters (if they are a mechanic or concern in your game)

Breaking Camp

In honor of the miniature camping trip I have planned, I'm going to do a post on the useful shortcuts people take while gaming that speed up play; in specific camping.

Actual camping is an incredibly time consuming process. If you actual bother to set camp correctly, setting up the tents and sleep bags, collecting firewood, preparing food, it can take a long time. Breaking camp can take just as long. If you're going for realism, then making your players roll survival check after survival check to set things up and then checks to prep the food makes sense. I'm not sure how much fun that would be; but it would be realistic.

But does it add anything to the game besides 5 or 10 rolls? Presumably any adventurer knows how to set a camp well enough to not die. It may not be a comfortable camp, but they won't die. Does it cost anything to assume they do an ok job setting and breaking camp? Not really.

Prepping spells is another shortcut that I've always been comfortable cutting. I don't need any descriptions for what they're doing. I assume that the characters do what they need to do which takes an hour. In that time; the rest of the party can break camp like any competent adventurer can do.

Even in other systems, some shortcuts are useful. Routine, mundane tasks don't necessarily need to be roleplayed out. A rolled check and a description of the outcome should suffice. Unless it serves a specific purpose in the game (building tension or setting a particular scene) making players go through the entire motions of roleplaying and then rolling is a waste of time.

Tech at the Table

Technology has (and will continue to advance) at exponential rates. This has brought us phones and devices that are always connected to the internet and allow us access to every distraction known to man.

So how do you handle tech at the table? These devices can simplify our lives greatly as far as gaming goes, but they can also provide endless and frustrating distraction.

Back when I gamed in college, we had a simple rule: you paid attention to what was going on. Gaming books were to supposed to be kept closed unless you were looking something up. You were respectful of what the GM was doing so you paid attention to it.

However, things are more complicated now. The aforementioned tech allows us access to books on PDFs, dice rollers, or digital character sheets. Laptops also do the same. They also provide access to Facebook, e-mail, and other digital distractions. Also, family and jobs are more of a responsibility than they were in college. Players may be on call during the game or family members may need to check in with them.

So how do you deal with it? Personally, we use a lot of tech when we game. Dice rollers make life easier when you need to roll many d10s for a White Wolf game, or the number of d6s needed for my homebrew system TROPE. Laptops allow us to use spreadsheets to automatically update characters as they take damage or level up.

Tech needs to be used responsibly though. It can't be excised completely because emergencies come up and need to be responded to appropriately. However, whether you are player or GM; you need to pay respect to the people who are playing with you. You've all decided to spend time together enjoying a hobby, so do that. Pay attention so you can act when it is your turn without slowing the game down. Use tech responsibly to speed up the process even more; but use it to play the game not to be distracted from it.