Forum

[Goonalan]

The Lost Boys are all newbies, the Goodman Gang- this lot have more than a 100 years experience of RPG's collectively, they play the percentage game.

Also, while I put a few words in the mouths of The Lost Boys they tend to behave... well as portrayed. We've had singing, and bad singing at that; falling's out; rants; a sorcerer that constantly shouts the odds and wants to mix it with anyone and anything; a Priest and A Paladin who try to outdo each other; and luckily, a Rogue that, although the youngest member of the gang, happens on the answer, time and time again etc.

At times I'm not sure whether to continue with this story hour, there are some good bits coming up, the players get a little more into character, and develop a few edges but it's nowhere near as comic as The Lost Boys, then again, I guess that's not what it's about.

It's also the case that DMing the two groups is a completely different experience, The Lost Boys gaming experience is pure chaos at times, particularly as none of the players seem to have a volume control- shouting and screaming is commonplace. In contrast The Goodman Gang often stop for a 'nice cup of coffee and a cake'.

So an encounter with a Beholder would go a little like this for the The Lost Boys-

"I poke it in it's big fat eye."
"Shoot it- see if it bursts."
"Is it a balloon?"
"How's it floating? Does it have wings?"
"Is it a balloon?"

Followed by a minute of the Paladin and Cleric shoving each others miniature off the board because they both want to charge at it- head on.

Obviously then they start rolling '20's

Whereas The Goodman Gang is more-

Shouting towards the fridge. "It's a Beholder... What? A Beholder... Doesn't matter, fetch me a bottle of water."
"Right then we need to head for the sides or the rear, or better still one of us should try to get on it or under it- remember to stay out of it's Anti-Magic cone..."
Followed by a verbatim reading from the MM, or more often this goes unsaid- they all just know everything there is to know about Beholders.
The guy at the fridge returns "What is it?"
All "A Beholder."
"Oh... Does anyone want anything to eat?"
"I bet you can't name all of the eye rays?"
"Are you mad- easy."

And on it goes, obviously I've applied the magnifying glass to the above situations but you get the gist.

I like that they know all this stuff, it saves me time, but some of the magic is gone. The good thing about them is that, like me, they're enamoured with low level adventures, love starting again- none of them are power gamers.

Anyway, thanks for the comment- much appreciated.

Cheers