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what's your social contract?
Have you experienced a game where expectations varied wildly? Did you have sessions where things went awry because the GM failed to mention some important information about the game?
I've found that a pre-game talk is necessary to establish the ground rules for the game as well as provide a guide for player activities. Here is a list of topics to discuss with the rpg group before the dice fall.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Badass RPG
This is a shameless plug. Overall great guy Jay Steven Anyong has published an rpg, specifically a Badass RPG.
Badass takes you into the world of cinematic action where the improbable happens all to frequently and is usually accompanied by a heaping of special effects. This is a game of crazy car chases, martial artists dueling on bamboo stalks and, yeah, doing the Matrix bullet dodge. Logic and reason takes a back seat to providing fantastic action sequences. In fact, asserting logic strips you of your abilities and turns you into Joe Average. Yep there are mechanics that force you to shut up and fight.
Needless to say this is a tongue in cheek pick-up game, the kind you'd bring out when the grey matter wants a break. I'd say it's also the game you need if you listen to the news all day. It'll put a smile on your face. Or maybe a wry grin if you want to be a Badass.
... and do I have to mention that its currently FREE on Drivethrough RPG?
Badass takes you into the world of cinematic action where the improbable happens all to frequently and is usually accompanied by a heaping of special effects. This is a game of crazy car chases, martial artists dueling on bamboo stalks and, yeah, doing the Matrix bullet dodge. Logic and reason takes a back seat to providing fantastic action sequences. In fact, asserting logic strips you of your abilities and turns you into Joe Average. Yep there are mechanics that force you to shut up and fight.
Needless to say this is a tongue in cheek pick-up game, the kind you'd bring out when the grey matter wants a break. I'd say it's also the game you need if you listen to the news all day. It'll put a smile on your face. Or maybe a wry grin if you want to be a Badass.
... and do I have to mention that its currently FREE on Drivethrough RPG?
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Dragon Adversaries
Mix up your dragons
In the early days the draconic nemesis was nothing more than a massively powerful brute lying on top of a pile of gold. Adventurers with enough muscle (ie. levels) regularly prayed on them. Players realized that they wanted more fearsome dragons especially when the adventurers reached higher levels. All sorts of ideas came about, opening many eyes. Dragons became tactical geniuses able to use terrain to the best possible advantage. Some transformed into campaign arch villains or party benefactors. Still others became rather colorful NPCs such as the Greyhawk City dragons.
In the early days the draconic nemesis was nothing more than a massively powerful brute lying on top of a pile of gold. Adventurers with enough muscle (ie. levels) regularly prayed on them. Players realized that they wanted more fearsome dragons especially when the adventurers reached higher levels. All sorts of ideas came about, opening many eyes. Dragons became tactical geniuses able to use terrain to the best possible advantage. Some transformed into campaign arch villains or party benefactors. Still others became rather colorful NPCs such as the Greyhawk City dragons.
In all the editions I've played, the dragon has fulfilled one or the other of these niches. In many cases we've had to use GM fiat to modify the dragon to suit its role (ie. homebrew stats). I appreciate 3.5's ideas for codifying these adjustments. That allowed greater interoperability, in a sense giving gamers a more consistent language for describing unusual creatures.
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