Starting out with Paranoia

[ArghMark]

STEALTH TRAIN!

Redefining 'Stealth'!

 

[Crothian]

That was a fun adventure I ran it for players new to paranoia and they had no idea what they were doing there more so then normal paranoia games.

 

[Katana_Geldar]

Talked about it with the players and they are rather interested, particularly how I said it was a one-off which we could fit into the different game systems the group is playing (4E, Star Wars, Serenity, Hunters...). Won't be for a while yet though, probably not until after I do Tomb of Horrors.

 

[amerigoV]

The only game I know where the GM is told straight out that if any player gets into a rules-lawyering argument with you, just kill their character outright. ZAPZAPZAP, smokin' boots, next clone, thank you!

Here is an example

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpgqZ3JoRIc]YouTube - Knights Of The Dinner Table: Episode 7[/ame]

 

[WJMacGuffin]

OK, here's my two cents.

1. Buy Paranoia XP, the Mongoose edition published around 2004. Same flavor as older editions but with a simply d20 roll under mechanic.

2. Run "Mr. Bubbles" found in said book. Great intro adventure.

3. As far as setting, explain the basics that players need to know so they don't lose characters too quickly: Clearance, Troubleshooting, Secret Societies, Mutations, Alpha Complex, The Computer, IntSec, and especially, why it's ok to be a PC killer in this game.

4. As far as rules go, explain the d20 roll under mechanic, using mutations, Perversity Points, six clones, and how the GM is always right.

5. Play! Laugh! Get revenge!

If everybody had a good time and wants to play more Paranoia, I recommend buying the following books as time/funds permit:

- STUFF and/or STUFF 2 (equipment guides)
- Crash Priority and/or WMD (missions)
- Service, Service (missions, NPCs, and setting info)
- Criminal Histories (character creation add-ons)

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

There is really only a couple of rules that players need to know:

Your clones will die. Just roll with it.
Your fellow troubleshooters are your greatest threat as they will surely expose your traitorous behaviors and associations at the first opportunity.

Best play moment I ever experienced was when the party was engaged in a fight with some robots. One troubleshooter pulled out an experimental grenade he was given. The rest of the troubleshooters ran away in fear. When the clone pulled the pin, it exploded immediately, obliterating him. One of the other troubleshooters, risking life and limb, ran out taking fire from the robots so that he could measure the size of the crater and report back to R&D.

 

[Mean Eyed Cat]

Cool! I'm glad somebody started this thread. My group was talking about Paranoia the other day and we want to run a game. I have the XP version of the game and I sent all my players a pdf copy of the Little Red Book.

While looking around online, I noticed that Mongoose recently put out a 25th Anniversary edition of Paranoia. I was thinking about getting the new Troubleshooters book. Can anybody tell me what the differences are between this book and the XP version? Also, I see that they put out a GM screen. What charts does the screen have and is it useful? Thanks!

 

[Katana_Geldar]

Gone to all three of my suppliers and NONE of them seem to have the core rulebook! *grumble grumble grumble*

They do have this and the GM's screen. Will that help?

 

[Crothian]

That I think is the latest version and very much like XP. I think that is the new core book that is most like Paranoia that people know.

 

[meomwt]

When I ran Paranoia back in the day, the players usually ran a book on how many Clones I managed to kill on the way to the Mission Briefing.

Another neat tactic to encourage Paranoia amongst players is to pass notes. The notes don't have to say anything related to the game - in fact, it's sometimes better if they don't - but for those people who don't get notes, the tension becomes unbearable...

Whatever you do, don't let them have Tactical Nuclear Hand Grenades...