RPGaDAY 2022

 

1. Who would you like to introduce to RPGs?

My youngest daughter and son, when they are ready (oldest two already play, and my oldest daughter especially is constantly making maps and monsters).

2. What is a great introductory RPG?

Either of the Dungeons & Delvers games (though I think the d20 one is better). 

3. When were you first introduced to RPGs?

A long time ago. Don't remember the year, but it was the Easy to Master "black box" D&D game.

4. Where would you host a first game?

My house, or over something like Discord if playing online.

5. Why will they like this game?

Because I'm good at designing and running games.

6. How would you get more people playing RPGs?

Have them give it a shot, see if they like it.

7. System Sunday: Describe a cool part of a system that you love.

Here's a non-exhaustive list from the d20 version of Dungeons & Delvers:

• Hit points are split into two pools. One is smaller and recovers quickly, the other recovers slowly. Better models minor injury and fatigue, as well as more severe injury.
• Dangerous, unpredictable magic for wizards. They mostly roll for random spell point costs, which end up harming them if they don't have enough Willpower points to pay the cost.
• Armor with a bit of damage reduction, though in 2nd Edition we found a way to make armor entirely damage reduction without breaking anything.
• Exceeding a target's Armor Class/Defense adds more damage, reflecting a more accurate strike.
• Kobolds are germanic spirits with inherent magical powers (like mine kobolds being able to move through walls).
• In 2nd Edition, we've created random gear tables to greatly speed up the character creation process.
• You can harvest monster parts to make items and equipment.
• Wizard implements, monk focuses, and cleric symbols can be made of special materials, and grant various bonuses and benefits, and can even give access to abilities. Think how fighters could get masterwork weapons and armor: well a wizard can craft a staff that gives him access to the Fireball spell.
• There are a bunch of non-magical potions and other alchemical items that are actually useful.

8. Who introduced you to RPGs?

No one. I got the game and figured it out for myself. When I started gaming with other people, I discovered that none of them knew how to play any of the games they owned.

It was odd, playing 2nd Edition and being told to make an opposed Strength check when someone attacked my character. Rifts was similarly confusing, though I forget how they screwed it up.

9. What is the 2nd RPG you bought?

Can't say for sure, but it was probably Rifts.

10. When did/will you start Gamemastering?

When I started playing. I ran most games then (partially because, as mentioned above, I was the only guy that actually knew the rules), and I run them almost exclusively now.

11. If you could live in a game setting, where would it be?

I don't know that I'd want to if I could, as most of the ones that I like are purely from the perspective of someone playing a game. As in, I'm not really there, dealing with the dangers and difficulties of that setting, and much of the mundane aspects are ignored.

If I had to choose one, it would be one of my own settings. Probably A Sundered World, though I think the default settings for Dungeons & Delvers 2nd Edition or Apocalyptic Dungeons & Delvers are more survivable.

12. Why did you start RPGing?

I played stuff like Final Fantasy, and the idea of being able to make my own stuff and not be bound by 8-bit programming (or having to learn it, assuming I possessed a computer, which I didn't) was appealing.

13. How would you change the way you started RPGing?

I don't think I would, but would start designing my own stuff sooner. Always had issues with various parts of D&D.

14. Suggestion Sunday

Rather than roll and tag people, I'd just encourage everyone to check out Dungeons & Delvers if you like d20 dungeon crawlers. Doubly so if you're disenchanted with 5th Edition.

15. Who would you like to Gamemaster for you?

My younger kids, when they are able to.

16. What would be your perfect game?

The 2nd Edition of Dungeons & Delvers. Well, maybe not perfect, but closer than anything else I've written, read, and/or played.

17. Past, Present, or Future? When is you favorite game set?

Neither, really. It's a kind of pseudo-European setting with magic and monsters. I guess Past is the best choice, but it's not fully reflective of the past.

18. Where is your favorite place to play?

At home.

19. Why has your favorite game stayed with you?

Because I designed it to do everything I wanted it to do. Granted it's only been around six years, and I'm fine tuning it, but still.

20. How long do your games last?

Depends on who's running it. With the kids it's generally short-lived. A few sessions or so. I'd say they don't last too long due to all manner of real-life issues cropping up.

21. Setting Sunday: Share an intriguing detail from a game setting you enjoy.

In the implied setting for 2nd Edition of Dungeons & Delvers, the stars are angels (and the planets their kingdoms). They maintain a kind of barrier which keep the chaotic nature of the Astral and eldritch abominations at bay.

22. Who is your current character?

A level 3 human fighter named Griffith (randomly generated name).

23. What situation is your character currently in?

We're exploring an African-esque continent inhabited by semi-intelligent apes, and are clearing out a mountain fortress filled with hostile apes and gnolls.

24. When did you start playing this character?

A few weeks ago.

25. Where has that character been?

Somewhere from another continent. It is presumed that he got on a ship with other people to explore this new world, help establish a kind of fortified port town. Not sure. Wasn't important. In an old monkey castle killing evil monkies.

26. Why does your character do what they do?

Money and loot.

27. How has the character changed?

He killed an ape and took its spear, so now he has two. Oh, I suppose he also got some experience points as well. No real treasure yet. It's a playtest run so I'll probably tell Melissa to give the apes random jewelry bits.

28.  Style Sunday

Ignoring mine, this one due to pure nostalgia:

29. Who would you like to see take part in #RPGaDAY?

No one in particular.

30. What should #RPGaDAY do for its 10th Anniversary next year?

Besides a series of 31 or so questions? Who cares.

31. When did you first take part in #RPGaDAY?

Awhile back. Forget when. Probably in the blog archives though.

Anecdote Alternative

A nice anecdote would be the time we were doing a Dungeons & Delvers playtest, and it was the Age of Worms adventure with a mind flayer and doppelgangers. There's some pretty bad gaming advice on how to handle doppelgangers, namely if/when one manages to infiltrate a party.

An opportunity came up, so I just said nothing. Melissa's character stuck around with some guy, and I just assumed she'd get beat up and captured. Didn't tell her. Didn't do any combat. No rolls, nothing, nada.

When she met up with the party, she said her character was going to go upstairs to take a bath, and while the other two guys were talking said that her character came back downstairs and started stabbing someone.

Didn't explain why, just that it happened. They got arrested, knocked out, and transferred to another prison. They found her character gain, all beat up, and eventually after a doppelganger tried to assassinate one of them realized what had transpired.

Well, kinda.

They found a device that lets you transfer consciousness into a psychic crystal. It was supposed to help the mind flayer and doppelgangers get personality traits and other information from people they abducted and were impersonating.

They found a number of crystals, one of which was an NPC from way back in the first adventure, and there was a kind of running joke where they weren't sure whether Melissa's character was really herself, or a doppelganger with an implanted personality.

Really though I enjoyed that session because of how it all went down. There was genuine confusion and paranoia, because no one knew what the hell was going on, not even Melissa. I didn't tell her to have her character do anything, or what happened until after they found her in prison.