We end the content drought with a freewheeling discussion of weird romance novels, how to be a better game master, and perennial themes in human storytelling.
Contact:
Jack: @jackkaronet, jack.karonet@protonmail.com
Mongoose: mongoose.kikimora@protonmail.com
John: insomnolant@protonmail.com
I am extremely disappointed that we don’t have a new episode this week.
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That’s on our editor. He’s working on a homebrew right now.
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Yeah sorry. We recorded it a week ago and it’s been in the pipeline. I’ve been making the character generator for my reboot of my fantasy WW1 game, but that’s at the point of ready-for-testing, so editing the podcast is my current priority.
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Have you guys looked I to the Infinity wargame, lore is kinda average but it has one of the best mechanical systems out there imo
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not yet.
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I second this. If your LGS has a group that plays Infinity ask for a demo as soon as possible.
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“I’ve fixed d20,” he said with the palpable arrogance of a 20 year tenure oldfag. But in all honesty after having now run my modification of the Pozzfinder system of all things for 3 seperate groups of varying experience I can say that I have fixed d20’s major problems by mixing it with superior aspects of various GURPS systems, the d20 Conan from Mongoose Publishing, and the FF 40k systems.
Only d6 and d20 used. Armor is DR instead of AC. Damage for all weapons recalibrated and with an AP added. Elite characters start at Level 5 and the bestiary rebuilt to make character progression actually make sense. Mandatory but balanced sexism on character creation. Humans only. Just rip off history for a pseudo victorian setting. A consolidated skill system so that the players actually have things to do outside of combat which also plays into ritual magic. Nearly no persistent magic items to remove stat creep. An interrative parry/dodge system to make force the players to pay attention during the entire round and make fighting multiple opponents far deadlier. A hit location system that allows for crippling and destroying body parts as well as inflicting ability damage, and two progressively more devastating massive damage rules complete with Dark Heresy style mortal wound descriptions.
I’m certain John would absolutely despise it, I almost want to post a pdf just to needle him.
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I have no idea what you mean, I love the sound of that. You didn’t mention fixing HP bloat beyond “stat creep” and I’m not sure “ability damage” is a good way to handle wound penalties, but I have to say it sounds like you’ve fixed a lot of the reasons I hate D&D. Key phrase being “sounds like” though, haha!
I would really love to see the pdf though, if you can share it. I have been craving a “fixed” D&D for a long while now.
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Fuck it the game you guys need to check out is L5R 4th edition. It’s probably the best RPG locked behind a mountain of lore you need to understand in order to plat properly. That being said it also has one of the best conflict resolution mechanics.
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I know about L5R 5th edition, the FFG version. I really love the core resolution mechanic from that one, but dear lord the surrounding mechanical knick-knacks are insane. I still posit that Legends of the Wulin has one of the best methods of presenting its lore to players that I’ve ever seen.
Sadly I have very little interest in medieval fantasy Japan. It just never interested me as a setting. Too alien from Europeans, I think. I will look into it for its resolution mechanic however, thank you for the tip on that one!
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I have not played nu L5R RPG but I can say that the old versions were explicit in trying to convey how foreign society is in Rokugon compared to the modern liberalism we find ourselves in today. Every character is part of a social class that is both privileged but also has strong obligations. The blood of gods and/or their heroic mortal companions flows through your veins making you quite literally better people than the average peasant. That being said your life and even your name is not your own and a samurai must live as if they are always three feet away from death.
There is even an etiquette to giving gifts, giving a practical gift is gravely insulting. If I were to give another samurai a sword as a gift the cultural implication would be that his lord cannot provide for him the things he needs so he must rely on the charity of strangers.
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As far as combat goes it is extremely lethal and should only be engaged in you have a strong advantage or you really mean it. There is no inherent survivability progression, if you do not put points in your earth ring, which is not cheap, you will not have more health and you can realistically be knocked unconscious/die by a random Ronin with a sword. Taking damage is also a big deal because you take penalties based on how much damage you have taken and the death spiral sets in quick.
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As far as getting people to do the whole backstory thing the best tool I have ever encountered was the 20 questions in L5R, adapted to your campaign ofc. It will result in a character and not an archetype showing up at your table.
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The cretin known as John should be banished to the editing room for his hatred of the classics.
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Every time I try to put the edit goblin in the edit cave he bites me and screeches about neologisms and made up words.
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Luckily I don’t know any John.
Which classic does this fellow with a vestigial ‘h’ in his name hate?
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the very best deal of Prime day
thank
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Excellent turnover in the editing guys. Hope to hear you again in two weeks.
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It’s so much easier now that Mongoose has a good mic!
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