lookrobot.co.uk/2013/06/20/11-ways-to-be...
(Note: This is not my own blog and so I'm not self-promoting. I should note it has some colorful language in it. Cross-posting this from the What's a DM to Do? forum for a wider audience and additional perspectives.)
I came across this the other day. It's postworthy. Read it and, if you agree, share it with your fellow players. I think it's excellent advice and addresses many of the problems we commonly see at your average game.
lookrobot.co.uk/2013/06/20/11-ways-to-be...
(Note: This is not my own blog and so I'm not self-promoting. I should note it has some colorful language in it. Cross-posting this from the What's a DM to Do? forum for a wider audience and additional perspectives.)
Good article... I wish some of the players in my current group would get rule number 1 (Do Stuff) tattooed on their face. When I DM for them, they pretty much force me to railroad them into action sometimes. Otherwise in a typical 8 hour session here would be the sum total of their accomplishments:
1) Sleep to memorize spells
2) Memorize spells
3) Buy Alchemical Fire
Here's another reason NOT to railroad: It's just as boring for the DM as it is for the players. I know, I know... the player's aren't there to entertain the DM, and supposedly vice-versa... but dang sonnn.. do stuff. I keep hearing how bad-to-the-ass-donkey these characters are as they lock themselves into magically entrapped room, sleeping in their armor as they hide under their bed, guarded by sleep-deprived familiars and animal companions.
But that little bit in Rule 2 was the best. Don't run off and hide in a tree... HILARIOUS!
As for your players being bumps on logs, I have found this is a symptom of a distinct lack of ninjas in the campaign. If you need some additional ninjas, let me know and I can get you a rate. I know a guy.
Railroading is indeed boring, unless everyone's bought into it and the DM's a good storyteller (who also enjoys his own stories).
And just about nothing is worse than the player of the aloof character who has 10 pages of backstory and zero personality or desire to demonstrate their nuance outside of telling you what they won't do. You know, "because of my backstory!"
Totally. I'm sure everyone's seen more than a few of the things the writer's talking about. And probably with a lot less hilarious context.
As for your players being bumps on logs, I have found this is a symptom of a distinct lack of ninjas in the campaign. If you need some additional ninjas, let me know and I can get you a rate. I know a guy.
Railroading is indeed boring, unless everyone's bought into it and the DM's a good storyteller (who also enjoys his own stories).
And just about nothing is worse than the player of the aloof character who has 10 pages of backstory and zero personality or desire to demonstrate their nuance outside of telling you what they won't do. You know, "because of my backstory!"
The lone wolf orphan unrelated to any important NPCs of the realm, from the smallest possible village (so as to avoid having established any history with anyone they might care about, etc.).
I think I'll create a monster called the Orphan Hunter. Whole job is to eat loners... feeding off their misery, apathy and angst. Is that blocking?
The lone wolf orphan unrelated to any important NPCs of the realm, from the smallest possible village (so as to avoid having established any history with anyone they might care about, etc.).
I think I'll create a monster called the Orphan Hunter. Whole job is to eat loners... feeding off their misery, apathy and angst. Is that blocking?
I've been having a great laugh about this, thank you!
And, it might not be blocking, assuming the player wants a little attention, even if it comes from a monster that likes special-snowflake-flavored snacks.
For extra DM blocking cruelty, you might make an Orphan Hunter, that mercilessly pursues loners, uses ressurrection to bring their loving parents back from the grave, and produces a normal, healthy, happy backstory complete with childhood friends, neighbors, mentors and teachers and role-models, favorite aunts, and so on for the PC.
Loner: "NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo!"
The lone wolf orphan unrelated to any important NPCs of the realm, from the smallest possible village (so as to avoid having established any history with anyone they might care about, etc.).
I think I'll create a monster called the Orphan Hunter. Whole job is to eat loners... feeding off their misery, apathy and angst. Is that blocking?
I've been having a great laugh about this, thank you!
And, it might not be blocking, assuming the player wants a little attention, even if it comes from a monster that likes special-snowflake-flavored snacks.
For extra DM blocking cruelty, you might make an Orphan Hunter, that mercilessly pursues loners, uses ressurrection to bring their loving parents back from the grave, and produces a normal, healthy, happy backstory complete with childhood friends, neighbors, mentors and teachers and role-models, favorite aunts, and so on for the PC.
Loner: "NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo!"
Excellent. I must use this. It could be like the original version of Traveller RPG, where you could make a character for HOURS (literally; character creation was TIME CONSUMING) and then roll a result during your creation that resulted in your character dying. Seriously. Before you ever even got to PLAY it.
edit: Like... "Oh, cool. I joined the Military. I'm rolling out my Military Timeline results. Ooh, I got promoted. Ooh, I got a ship for mustering out pay. Ooh, I got a medal that increases my mustering out pay. Oh. Crap. I was killed in a boarding action of a pirate frigate."
That's awesome - I've never played Traveller, but I've heard vague hints before about the character creation system being "interesting". Now, I have a better idea of what they were referring to!
Yes, though having the character merely wounded or drummed out of the service quickly became an optional rule. In one of the latest editions, that's the standard rule (even if you are wounded unto death, you can choose to go into "medical debt") and lethal consequences are an optional rule.
I could almost imagine the old default rules being something that would go over quite well with the right spirit, the right group, and a little alcohol
The only problem with that scenario is that when I said "character creation was time consuming" I wasn't kidding. It was an ordeal getting through all the tables and rolls required - we only played a few times, so our system mastery was low, but HOURS is a literal time table. Too much of the last ingredient, and you are smashed before you are even TO the part where you might die!
I could almost imagine the old default rules being something that would go over quite well with the right spirit, the right group, and a little alcohol
The only problem with that scenario is that when I said "character creation was time consuming" I wasn't kidding. It was an ordeal getting through all the tables and rolls required - we only played a few times, so our system mastery was low, but HOURS is a literal time table. Too much of the last ingredient, and you are smashed before you are even TO the part where you might die!
In the latest version, there are lots of choices to be made, but the actual rolling is fast. I would think that the time factor would be due to people trying to squeeze every last efficiency of their rolls so they can roll as few times as possible.
Indeed. #3 and 4 and both known as "Yes, and...!"
Great link. Makes me want to force each and every one of my players to read it. I currently have a group INCAPABLE of independent thought or action without prompts handed to them.
I additionaly enjoy thins comment. Far too often, I hear this mantra repeated to DMs (by you and other posters). It believe it's equally important for this advice to be administered to players.
Great link. Makes me want to force each and every one of my players to read it. I currently have a group INCAPABLE of independent thought or action without prompts handed to them.
I've found it doesn't take much forcing. It's a light read and pretty funny. The follow-up post on acting styles and how it relates to RPGs is also very good (a link is at the end of the blog post). There are a ton of ways to get players like you've got to engage more, especially if you can drill down to the "why" of the situation. Happy to workshop it in What's a DM to Do? if you're interested. (I just can't do it in the thread in which you initially discussed it.)
I additionaly enjoy thins comment. Far too often, I hear this mantra repeated to DMs (by you and other posters). It believe it's equally important for this advice to be administered to players.
Yes, and in fact it doesn't work at all unless every single person in the group buys in to its application.
I could almost imagine the old default rules being something that would go over quite well with the right spirit, the right group, and a little alcohol
Ahh... to begin in the right spirit, with kindred spirits, sharing the right spirits to get you in the spirit to play within the spirit of the rules?
The lone wolf orphan unrelated to any important NPCs of the realm, from the smallest possible village (so as to avoid having established any history with anyone they might care about, etc.).
I think I'll create a monster called the Orphan Hunter. Whole job is to eat loners... feeding off their misery, apathy and angst. Is that blocking?
I've been having a great laugh about this, thank you!
And, it might not be blocking, assuming the player wants a little attention, even if it comes from a monster that likes special-snowflake-flavored snacks.
For extra DM blocking cruelty, you might make an Orphan Hunter, that mercilessly pursues loners, uses ressurrection to bring their loving parents back from the grave, and produces a normal, healthy, happy backstory complete with childhood friends, neighbors, mentors and teachers and role-models, favorite aunts, and so on for the PC.
Loner: "NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo!"
BRAAAAVOOO!!!!!!!