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Interesting Ryan Dancey comment on "lite" RPGs
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<blockquote data-quote="MoogleEmpMog" data-source="post: 2390749" data-attributes="member: 22882"><p>Well, this is mostly a theoretical example. I really don't use dungeon environments when I GM, and exploration isn't a theme I've often used. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" /> The only man-made (or at least sentient-made) pits a PC in my campaigns is likely to encounter are on a battlefield or outside a fortress.</p><p></p><p>Let me give you an example of something I'd actually <em>use</em>, rather than a pure hypothetical: a fortress assault.</p><p></p><p>The thing is, I don't care how the PCs, say, get into a fortress. I make the fortress based on the capabilities of the creatures inside and let the players figure out how to assail it.</p><p></p><p>If the inhabitants are hobgoblins, their fortress is likely to be well-maintained, well-constructed, and placed in a defensible position. The walls will be a wooden palisade (because the hobs don't go in for that manual labor stuff required to get lots of stone), but of sturdy wood treated to be as flame resistant as possible, 20 ft. high. A dry moat surrounds the palisade, 10 ft. wide to prevent easy leaps, and comes within 5 ft. of the walls to keep cavalry from easily crossing. Cunningly, the hobs have put a second, 5 ft. moat outside that one to keep attackers from getting a running start as they cross.</p><p></p><p>Offhand, I don't know the DCs for climbing, jumping, talking, burning or bashing into this fortress, and what's more, I would try not to consider them in making it.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Neither does mine, actually.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Two is more important, because the existence of the map shouldn't be assumed. IMO, this is a benefit of the map even outside of a tactical combat game, and one of the uses I put a battlemat to in RPGs that don't include tactical movement.</p><p></p><p>I can see the pit on the map and know that it's <em>x</em> wide, and that gives me a wealth of information beyond what I would ever get from querying the GM. Visual aids also help most people interact with and remember something, so it's probably better even than the GM just telling the width of the pit.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>You're welcome. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Social rules, how to adjudicate them, how many (if any) there should be, and what their role in a campaign is, are the biggest headache in RPGdom. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /> </p><p></p><p>I have no idea how they should work, even after trying every extreme, from no-rules-pure-dialogue to extensive 'diplomatic combat' houserules with (in 3e terms) their own feats, PrCs and a multitude of modifiers.</p><p></p><p>Neither satisfied me, nor have I found a happy medium. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MoogleEmpMog, post: 2390749, member: 22882"] Well, this is mostly a theoretical example. I really don't use dungeon environments when I GM, and exploration isn't a theme I've often used. :D The only man-made (or at least sentient-made) pits a PC in my campaigns is likely to encounter are on a battlefield or outside a fortress. Let me give you an example of something I'd actually [I]use[/I], rather than a pure hypothetical: a fortress assault. The thing is, I don't care how the PCs, say, get into a fortress. I make the fortress based on the capabilities of the creatures inside and let the players figure out how to assail it. If the inhabitants are hobgoblins, their fortress is likely to be well-maintained, well-constructed, and placed in a defensible position. The walls will be a wooden palisade (because the hobs don't go in for that manual labor stuff required to get lots of stone), but of sturdy wood treated to be as flame resistant as possible, 20 ft. high. A dry moat surrounds the palisade, 10 ft. wide to prevent easy leaps, and comes within 5 ft. of the walls to keep cavalry from easily crossing. Cunningly, the hobs have put a second, 5 ft. moat outside that one to keep attackers from getting a running start as they cross. Offhand, I don't know the DCs for climbing, jumping, talking, burning or bashing into this fortress, and what's more, I would try not to consider them in making it. Neither does mine, actually. Two is more important, because the existence of the map shouldn't be assumed. IMO, this is a benefit of the map even outside of a tactical combat game, and one of the uses I put a battlemat to in RPGs that don't include tactical movement. I can see the pit on the map and know that it's [I]x[/I] wide, and that gives me a wealth of information beyond what I would ever get from querying the GM. Visual aids also help most people interact with and remember something, so it's probably better even than the GM just telling the width of the pit. You're welcome. :) Social rules, how to adjudicate them, how many (if any) there should be, and what their role in a campaign is, are the biggest headache in RPGdom. :p I have no idea how they should work, even after trying every extreme, from no-rules-pure-dialogue to extensive 'diplomatic combat' houserules with (in 3e terms) their own feats, PrCs and a multitude of modifiers. Neither satisfied me, nor have I found a happy medium. :( [/QUOTE]
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