Search found 122 matches

by Dragonmaster Zoc
Wed Jun 16, 2010 4:21 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Immersion
Replies: 16
Views: 13836

To me, there are two levels of Immersion (or three, if you count non-immersion as a level). Non-immersion is playing it as a board game. Build a character with the biggest bonuses that apply in the most situations so you can win the game by killing all of the bad guys. Immersion is when you approach...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Mon May 31, 2010 12:43 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Untitled d20 Project
Replies: 2
Views: 5820

The whole system could be summarized as a collection of house rules for 3.5, and it actually started out that way before I realized that it was such an overhaul that I basically needed to start from scratch in order to keep things straight. Ideally, you would play it because you enjoy how 3.5 plays ...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Sat May 29, 2010 3:01 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Untitled d20 Project
Replies: 2
Views: 5820

Untitled d20 Project

Hello, everyone. I've been working on a system for about eight months, and I've reached the point where I need feedback. It's a d20-based system, and I'm aiming it toward people who enjoy Pathfinder (basically, people who enjoyed 3.5 but realized that the mechanics needed an update). I'm trying to g...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Wed Apr 07, 2010 2:59 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Design Help: Damage Systems
Replies: 29
Views: 22433

If I'm understanding that correctly, Electron normally uses three dice (his fighting skill) whenever he wants to hurt someone; if he's doing something electricity-related, he has the option of adding up to six more dice (his Power), but those dice would be drained until he can earn them back by maki...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:20 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Design Help: Damage Systems
Replies: 29
Views: 22433

[quote="Count Zero"]It does a get a big tricky there. The heat vision is the tough one, but I could totally see the player saying, "Doomsday kicks Superman in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. That disables his freezing breath since he can't catch a breath." [/quote] Mechanically, I like t...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Apr 02, 2010 5:28 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Design Help: Damage Systems
Replies: 29
Views: 22433

I'm not terribly familiar with the other games you're mentioning, but if I'm understanding it correctly then damage done to your dice pools would make you less capable of fighting back; as you start to lose a fight, your powers become weaker, causing you to take more damage to your dice pools, until...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:19 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Pc<npc
Replies: 15
Views: 12618

Sure, but it makes a lot more sense. Wanting to play a character after you've only had a short time playing it appeals to the sense of new; I'm sure we've all known players who were all too happy to roll up a new character at any opportunity. Short-term characters also have the possibility of being ...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:06 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Pc<npc
Replies: 15
Views: 12618

[quote="Uber_snotling"]Example: Party splits up with group members A and B going to a bar while group member C goes to visit his Wizard master. During the bar scene, group member c is getting fidgety, so the GM scribbles some stats for Ronan the Barbarian on a scrap of paper, gives basic personalit...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Mar 19, 2010 11:13 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Pc<npc
Replies: 15
Views: 12618

Can anyone give an example?

I'm having trouble visualizing this.
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:34 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Pc<npc
Replies: 15
Views: 12618

I don't quite understand the question, because if I was playing the character instead of the Game Master, then it would be a fundamentally different character.
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:23 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Leverage RPG...
Replies: 11
Views: 10040

Sitting down and planning is often the less interesting part of any game. Being able to plan as you go along via a retcon mechanic seems like it would solve that, but wouldn't that involve changing the past based on your present? Like, as you're going along, you notice that something is set up to an...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:56 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Players as audience or storyteller
Replies: 11
Views: 10834

One thing to take into consideration is that players, as identified by the people who have distinct player characters, are often going to be biased toward their own characters. The game-master, who does not have ownership of any single character, is free to be neutral.
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:15 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Players as audience or storyteller
Replies: 11
Views: 10834

I usually just present some plot hook by a small contrived coincidence, and then let them follow it if they want. If they choose to go do something else, then that's fine, but the plot isn't going to wait around for them; if the world ends while they're off on some personal journey, then maybe they'...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Feb 26, 2010 1:20 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: player point economies
Replies: 17
Views: 16550

I don't generally play the kinds of games that use those kinds of rules, but my limited experience covers two instances: In D&D 4E, every player character starts each day with exactly one point and gains another point after every other encounter. It's kind of a major game mechanic, but it just s...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Jan 29, 2010 5:57 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: The End of the Stars Wars Saga (Edition)
Replies: 39
Views: 28968

I never played Star Wars, but I did play D&D 3.5, and I cheered when they cancelled it. I was tired of buying new books, and I'm happy that I can just sit down and play without having to worry about new supplements coming out and introducing new rules all the time. I'm sure that there are other ...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:33 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Wisconsin inmate loses Dungeons and Dragons fight
Replies: 6
Views: 7474

To associate D&D with gang like behavior is... silly. On the other hand, why should criminals get to have as much fun as good law-abiding citizens?
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:39 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: damage rolls
Replies: 9
Views: 9526

I must admit that I'm not familiar with any systems that completely lack hit points. Even Shadowrun has ten hit points with an opposed defense roll to determine damage. What really bothers me isn't the hit point mechanic per se , but only when it's treated as a completely abstract mechanic to measur...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:17 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: damage rolls
Replies: 9
Views: 9526

My familiarity with Savage Worlds is passing at best, but from what I recall it tends toward a more dramatic (or even cinematic) flavor. In this case, damage rolls help achieve that flavor by letting your attacks possibly succeed when they should not. I've been thinking about this sort of thing a lo...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Wed Dec 16, 2009 1:30 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Guess that RPG!
Replies: 103
Views: 67381


[quote="cczernia"]Correct, and for the record it is 2020 :mrgreen:[/quote]

I thought it might have been Cyberpunk, based on the similarities to Shadowrun, but I figured both were far too mainstream to be posted in this thread.



I wish I had a scanner.

by Dragonmaster Zoc
Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:09 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: D&D4 : alternate healing surge uses
Replies: 12
Views: 11684

You could just let everyone use them as a minor action, without restricting it to once per combat (maybe once per round). It basically turns them into extra hit points, but it should be easy to implement.
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:42 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

He could have intended the moons to be the tiny little distant rocks rather than anything like our moon, but I think he just made them do that because it would be cooler (by whatever measure he was using at the time). Likewise, I think warforged exist just because it made the setting more interestin...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Mon Dec 07, 2009 3:24 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

The key word is "likely"; even your standard prince or wizard is unlikely to be a hero. The odds are like four to one against. A peasant is a whole different degree of unlikely. We're talking a million to one chance. Now which one strains disbelief? Which one, to contrast, is more believab...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:02 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

[quote="Uber_snotling"]Warhammer does a much better job than most fantasy systems in promoting the character as person goal you have listed here. It is a lot more believable for the typical medieval peasant to be employed as a rat catcher, camp follower, or town watchman than to be a fighter, range...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:31 pm
Forum: Debate
Topic: devlin1 thinks jimmy corrigan is a hell of a guy
Replies: 10
Views: 12343

I cannot vote, because there is not a "No, not in the slightest" option.
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Tue Nov 24, 2009 6:21 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

I never meant to imply that I want a rule system that actively promotes roleplaying with game mechanics. I just meant that some systems have rules that actively discourage you from doing so. D&D is a big offender here, with things like the Gather Information skill (in 3E) that is explicitly supp...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Mon Nov 23, 2009 6:40 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

I expect players to treat their characters as people, rather than as game pieces. I expect everyone to promote the suspension of disbelief by not exploiting poorly written rules. Some systems are not written with the intention of facilitating one or both of these expectations, and I like to avoid th...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Mon Nov 23, 2009 2:36 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

What's True20?
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Sat Nov 21, 2009 3:11 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

Regardless of tone, which is infamously difficult to determine online, I think it's safe to say that the moral of the story is, "It's important to ask what everyone expects from a game, because tastes vary between people and over time."
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:37 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

[quote="Uber_snotling"]Have you ever tried Warhammer? Magic retains its wonder (and can kill/mutate its users), PCs are definitely not special (e.g., the iconic ratcatcher career), and death/corruption/insanity are constant threats. [/quote] I honestly cannot say that I've ever even seen a book for...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Nov 20, 2009 2:19 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

[quote="jimmy corrigan"]although noble, doesn't your sentiment preclude any objective honesty if you're prepared to accept that your gm is lying to you? put in another way, if you expect your gm to lie to avoid a tpk, aren't you by your very acceptance of that fact make you partially culpable in th...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Nov 20, 2009 4:02 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

[quote="BlanchPrez"]Have you looked at Savage Worlds? I think that game could give you want you're looking for. :mr: Chris[/quote] I've looked it over two or three times, and I always get stuck at the same part. One of the major reasons I prefer D&D 3E to other editions is the internal consiste...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:16 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

[quote="Count Zero"]D&D 4th Ed is much more the child of World of Warcraft than it is the child of Tolkien like previous editions are. That is throwing veteran players. Honestly, we aren't the target market for D&D, 16 year olds who have been raiding Onyxia's Lair are the target market.[/qu...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:07 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

[quote="Count Zero"]You are absolutely correct on all these points. D&D4E was designed to do exactly what you describe. That is the heart of D&D essentially. Good games are designed to do specific kinds of things. The reason it is a good game design is because the rules themselves bring out...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:00 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

[quote="Count Zero"] Basically, the designers of 4th edition did a great job in boiling D&D down into its base. It isn't a game designed to for doing games about noble intrigue or mass battles. Its sole purpose is to do epic heroes fighting horrifying monsters in cinematic, brutal combat. I thi...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:05 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

[quote="Count Zero"]D&D has actually always been that. It has just never been so explicitly stated as it is now. Honestly though, most stories in D&D were simply justification to start a new combat. The problem was that players and GM's tried to fit a square peg into a round hole. [/quote] ...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:39 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: RPG Expectations
Replies: 62
Views: 47168

Alignment of expectations is probably the single most important factor in whether a game goes well or not. How can a player and GM ever both have fun if their ideas of fun are in opposite directions? The same goes between two players, and I've noticed most games tend to have one player who is only i...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:51 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: What is your opinion of Little Fears?
Replies: 2
Views: 5090

I think it is enough of a niche setting that you could probably get some people to play it once every now and then, maybe for a Con or similar, but not as an ongoing type of thing.

I have no personal experience with the system.
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Oct 16, 2009 3:24 am
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Tips for Noobs
Replies: 11
Views: 9897

[quote="cczernia"] Third tip: Always try and flank your opponent, you get a +2 to hit [/quote] "Always" is a bit harsh. I would say, "flank when doing so does not hinder you." Everyone has had a character die from that unexpected critical hit when you provoke an attack of opportunity while trying t...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:50 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: D&d4 Dmg2
Replies: 10
Views: 8730

[quote="BlanchPrez"]Why would that be? Not everyone who plays RPG's has the internet, or if they do, they don't all get on fourms like this one.[/quote] Even if they don't have the internet, they still have friends who share their interests and can hold an intelligent conversation (I hope). Maybe I...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:37 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: D&d4 Dmg2
Replies: 10
Views: 8730

I thought that's what these forums were for.
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Thu Sep 24, 2009 6:10 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: D&d4 Dmg2
Replies: 10
Views: 8730

It's nice that they suggest these options, but is it really enough to carry an entire book? It is practical advice, but is it content? It seems to me that this might be good for a new DM who maybe has never been exposed to these ideas, but are those the kind of people who are willing to invest into ...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Mon Sep 21, 2009 3:27 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3E
Replies: 21
Views: 16835

Can we use regular dice to substitute for the specialty dice? Unless they are a completely unique shape with odd numbers of faces, you should be able to just map it over and people will learn how to translate the dice pretty quickly. I'm really not a huge fan of meta- anything, and it sounds like I ...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:12 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3E
Replies: 21
Views: 16835

This is the first I've heard about it, so obviously I'd need to learn more before I can have an opinion. I am always cautious about new dice mechanics, since it's difficult to tell whether it's actually better or just "different"; has anyone seen a preview of how they work?
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Mon Aug 24, 2009 5:16 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Players who are taken out
Replies: 6
Views: 6020

Death is an inherent risk in adventuring, almost by definition. If there is no significant risk, then there's no sense of drama. If a character dies, then it's usually because the player was doing something dumb; suck it up, learn from the experience, and try to not be so reckless in the future. Yes...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:52 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Trying to settle on a system for superheroes...help?
Replies: 19
Views: 11847

Have you considered writing your own system? I don't know if you have a lot of free time to think, but I've had some fairly mindless jobs in the past, and creating a system from scratch is a good way to not get bored. The hardest part is writing it all down.
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:33 am
Forum: Debate
Topic: Being PC
Replies: 10
Views: 11829

Political correctness is about asking for some base level of respect by first offering some small amount in exchange. Why should I bother to listen to someone who can't even be bothered to try to not offend me? It's not even about being up-to-date with your terminology; this is an area where intent ...
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:40 pm
Forum: Gamers Wanted
Topic: Game Wanted - Storyteller/WoD
Replies: 6
Views: 7729

Someone's also starting a nWoD game in Lemon grove, at a different meetup group: http://www.meetup.com/sd-dnd/messages/b ... ad/7159782
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:48 pm
Forum: RPG Discussion
Topic: Favorite games by theme or category
Replies: 30
Views: 15523

High Fantasy: D&D 3E, GURPS
Low Fantasy: AD&D 2E, GURPS
Sci Fi: GURPS
Sci Fi Fantasy: Shadowrun, GURPS
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:27 pm
Forum: Gamers Wanted
Topic: Game Wanted - Storyteller/WoD
Replies: 6
Views: 7729

Here's a link to the meetup page: http://www.meetup.com/The-San-Diego-Sha ... tup-Group/

There's only been one meetup so far, and there's a group trying to form out of Escondido if you check the Message Board. It's a pretty small meetup over all, though.
by Dragonmaster Zoc
Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:22 pm
Forum: Gamers Wanted
Topic: Game Wanted - Storyteller/WoD
Replies: 6
Views: 7729

There's a Shadowrun meetup group operating out of Escondido, and that game (system, setting) has a lot in common with (especially the new) World of Darkness. Just thought I'd throw that out there.