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Brainstorming Potential Underworld Campaign
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<blockquote data-quote="Aldarc" data-source="post: 7567354" data-attributes="member: 5142"><p>Some follow-up: </p><p></p><p>Most of my initial pitches with my players were done over phone messages. But as of last Friday, I managed to sit down with two of them for more of a brainstorming session about the initial Underworld pitch. They like the Underworld idea, and have expressed an interest in playing it. When I pressed them about system concerns, they basically gave me a blank check to write, giving me the freedom to pick what I best saw fit. As this is not (initially) intended as a full, sprawling story campaign, but as dungeon crawling fun, I decided to have the setting as "system flexible." But there are two primary systems that I now think would work best for my purposes: Cypher System and Black Hack. I am leaning more towards one of these, but I may use both depending on how the group feels. Because it's meant to be a setting that is easy to return to with new stocks of characters for casual play. </p><p></p><p><strong>Cypher System </strong></p><p>The Underworld Campaign is partially built around a motif of dead heroes discovering their prior identities in life. To that end, the Cypher System has a number of neat tricks in its pocket. </p><p></p><p>Character creation entails an assertion of identity through its "I am a ______ (descriptor) _______ (type) who ________s (focus)" phrasing. This forms a rudimentary basis for an identity that is rooted in how they may initially see themselves as "fresh off the boat" inhabitants of Hades. </p><p></p><p>Experience Points are also rewarded not for killing monsters, but for discovery. This naturally works well with the idea that these PCs are trying to uncover who they were in life. XP literally represents an experience, or a glimpse thereof, they have uncovered from their lives. </p><p></p><p>Cyphers provide an opportunity to explore this concept of memory and experience even more by having them represent the players using the last vestiges of memories, experiences, or power from other inhabitants of the Underworld. They may find, for example, the skull of a mage or demon, and then draw upon that power to cast a single-use fireball. Or draw upon the actual memory of a dead legend of the "Off-brand Trojan War" to push their athletic or combat prowess. </p><p></p><p>Earlier in this thread, I mused about the characters discovering their True Names, and with the Cypher System, I would likely treat this as an Asset. An Asset lowers the difficulty of a task. So they could use this to benefit themselves or even against foes, should they discover their True Names. </p><p></p><p><strong>The Black Hack</strong> </p><p>As of now, I am leaning towards Black Hack. The Black Hack is basically an OSR-styled fantasy heartbreaker with modern design elements, with particularly clear influences from the White Hack, 5e D&D, and Beyond the Wall. Character creation is a breeze. The typical six D&D stats, roll in order (switch any two), and pick a class (warrior, thief, wizard, cleric). All skills, saves, attacks, and defenses are an ability check where you roll under your stat to succeed. It also adopts the idea of the Usage Die for keeping track of supplies (e.g., arrows, torches, rations, etc.), which saves on bookkeeping by the players. Monsters are also ranked from level 1 to 10, which sets the difficulty for players. They add or subtract their level difference with the foe to the roll. So I appreciate the relative lightness of the rules. The "PHB" booklet is only 26 pages. And the combined PHB, DMG, and MM is only 124 pages. (Compared to the 293 pages of the 5e PHB alone.) </p><p></p><p>Much like with the Cypher System, the Experience system is congruent with the design principles of Underworld. To reach Level 2, you need 1 XP; to reach Level 3, you need 2 XP; to reach Level 4, you need 3 XP, and so on. But you only get XP for doing noteworthy things, such as defeating a named villain, recovering an artifact, completing a quest for an NPC, etc. But you also can't level up until you "carouse" others with tales of your exploits that establish you earned that XP. This makes it fairly easy to adjust to Underworld where I may require players to carouse other inhabitants (or some record keeper) about what they did for the XP and what they learned of their lost identity. </p><p></p><p>The other great thing about Black Hack here that wins it favors: a lot of random tables for encounters, environments, magical effects, traps, etc. This adds a lot of the randomness to the "play to discover the story" play that I am looking for in this game.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Aldarc, post: 7567354, member: 5142"] Some follow-up: Most of my initial pitches with my players were done over phone messages. But as of last Friday, I managed to sit down with two of them for more of a brainstorming session about the initial Underworld pitch. They like the Underworld idea, and have expressed an interest in playing it. When I pressed them about system concerns, they basically gave me a blank check to write, giving me the freedom to pick what I best saw fit. As this is not (initially) intended as a full, sprawling story campaign, but as dungeon crawling fun, I decided to have the setting as "system flexible." But there are two primary systems that I now think would work best for my purposes: Cypher System and Black Hack. I am leaning more towards one of these, but I may use both depending on how the group feels. Because it's meant to be a setting that is easy to return to with new stocks of characters for casual play. [B]Cypher System [/B] The Underworld Campaign is partially built around a motif of dead heroes discovering their prior identities in life. To that end, the Cypher System has a number of neat tricks in its pocket. Character creation entails an assertion of identity through its "I am a ______ (descriptor) _______ (type) who ________s (focus)" phrasing. This forms a rudimentary basis for an identity that is rooted in how they may initially see themselves as "fresh off the boat" inhabitants of Hades. Experience Points are also rewarded not for killing monsters, but for discovery. This naturally works well with the idea that these PCs are trying to uncover who they were in life. XP literally represents an experience, or a glimpse thereof, they have uncovered from their lives. Cyphers provide an opportunity to explore this concept of memory and experience even more by having them represent the players using the last vestiges of memories, experiences, or power from other inhabitants of the Underworld. They may find, for example, the skull of a mage or demon, and then draw upon that power to cast a single-use fireball. Or draw upon the actual memory of a dead legend of the "Off-brand Trojan War" to push their athletic or combat prowess. Earlier in this thread, I mused about the characters discovering their True Names, and with the Cypher System, I would likely treat this as an Asset. An Asset lowers the difficulty of a task. So they could use this to benefit themselves or even against foes, should they discover their True Names. [B]The Black Hack[/B] As of now, I am leaning towards Black Hack. The Black Hack is basically an OSR-styled fantasy heartbreaker with modern design elements, with particularly clear influences from the White Hack, 5e D&D, and Beyond the Wall. Character creation is a breeze. The typical six D&D stats, roll in order (switch any two), and pick a class (warrior, thief, wizard, cleric). All skills, saves, attacks, and defenses are an ability check where you roll under your stat to succeed. It also adopts the idea of the Usage Die for keeping track of supplies (e.g., arrows, torches, rations, etc.), which saves on bookkeeping by the players. Monsters are also ranked from level 1 to 10, which sets the difficulty for players. They add or subtract their level difference with the foe to the roll. So I appreciate the relative lightness of the rules. The "PHB" booklet is only 26 pages. And the combined PHB, DMG, and MM is only 124 pages. (Compared to the 293 pages of the 5e PHB alone.) Much like with the Cypher System, the Experience system is congruent with the design principles of Underworld. To reach Level 2, you need 1 XP; to reach Level 3, you need 2 XP; to reach Level 4, you need 3 XP, and so on. But you only get XP for doing noteworthy things, such as defeating a named villain, recovering an artifact, completing a quest for an NPC, etc. But you also can't level up until you "carouse" others with tales of your exploits that establish you earned that XP. This makes it fairly easy to adjust to Underworld where I may require players to carouse other inhabitants (or some record keeper) about what they did for the XP and what they learned of their lost identity. The other great thing about Black Hack here that wins it favors: a lot of random tables for encounters, environments, magical effects, traps, etc. This adds a lot of the randomness to the "play to discover the story" play that I am looking for in this game. [/QUOTE]
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