Anybody like/play The World of Darkness?

[painted_klown]

Hello all,

Last night a friend of mine game me a copy of The (new) World of Darkness core rulebook as a going away present (I am moving). After we finished our main (Pathfinder) game most of the players went home and he ran (the rest of) us through (a small portion of) a pregen adventure that he had.

It was my first time playing it, and we were in a crunch for time, so he gave us some pre-generated characters to run. IMO, the system seemed like it would be a GREAT game for beginning players and DMs alike.

The character sheets were easy enough to read, my non gaming GF even seemed to catch on and stated afterward she liked the modern setting a lot more than the typical fantasy settings of PF and D&D.

When I get moved, I have a friend who is already on board for starting a 5E game (with me as DM), and I am pretty sure we can rope a few more players into the mix, to get a regular game going.

However, after playing WoD, I felt that it just might be easier to get my non-gaming friends excited to play it, due to it's (seemingly) easier rule set. I have been pestering my GF to play 5E, but she just doesn't seem that interested and thinks it seems "too complicated" to learn. I try telling her that once you know how to roll up a character, and how combat works, you're pretty much good to go...as a player (PC) anyway.

Any fans of WoD on here? Any opinions/thoughts on the game in general would be very welcome.

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

I have been a fan of WoD since the mid-90s. Classic WoD is, in my opinion, a more dynamic setting, but the new WoD has, generally, better and more streamlined rules, especially when it comes to crossing the various streams in one campaign (Vampire, Werewolf, etc).

The modern setting is a key selling point for immersion for folks who aren't as in to fantasy as most of us "veteran" gamers. However, the horror aspect can be off-putting and some elements of the games get a little campy at times.

 

[Jhaelen]

I definitely enjoyed reading the old WoD books, but apart from a one-off never actually played any of them. I think much of the supernatural creatures/powers were a bit over the top. The new WoD seems to be more balanced, but the setting(s) are a bit more bland. I actually think running an nWoD campaign with just the core rules might be the most interesting. It very much gives me an 'X-Files' vibe. It would probably also work for something Mythos-inspired or simply a (non-supernatural) game about secret societies.

 

[painted_klown]

I definitely enjoyed reading the old WoD books, but apart from a one-off never actually played any of them. I think much of the supernatural creatures/powers were a bit over the top. The new WoD seems to be more balanced, but the setting(s) are a bit more bland. I actually think running an nWoD campaign with just the core rules might be the most interesting. It very much gives me an 'X-Files' vibe. It would probably also work for something Mythos-inspired or simply a (non-supernatural) game about secret societies.

Very cool thought on the X-Files vibe. That didn't really hit me, but I haven't read the book yet, and the sample session was only about 30-40 mins or so, with us skipping through most of it, just so we can see how a session begins, plays, and ends.

Using the X-Files vibe would be a great selling point to get players interested. It may be a great "gateway" or even a secondary game, if I can get players interested.

 

[Umbran]

I played Mage: the Ascension (crossed with a bit of Werewolf and Vampire) for years. Great fun. It is one of the best games ever written, as well as one of the worst.

I am not a big fan of what was done with Mage in the nWoD. nWerewolf has some potential, and I've heard some really good things about Promethean and nChangeling.

 

[painted_klown]

I played Mage: the Ascension (crossed with a bit of Werewolf and Vampire) for years. Great fun. It is one of the best games ever written, as well as one of the worst.

I am not a big fan of what was done with Mage in the nWoD. nWerewolf has some potential, and I've heard some really good things about Promethean and nChangeling.

The guy I was gaming with last night said their old group favorites were Vampire, Promethean, and Changeling. From the descriptions they were giving me, I though Changeling sounded the most interesting.

I am looking forward to learning the system, and playing the core game more. From my understanding, you're playing "normal human characters" so it will be a nice way to jump into the game without it being to "off the wall" as most any player should be able to relate to being a human.

 

[Umbran]

I am looking forward to learning the system, and playing the core game more. From my understanding, you're playing "normal human characters" so it will be a nice way to jump into the game without it being to "off the wall" as most any player should be able to relate to being a human.

Yep, in the core game, your characters are just people. Nothing special about them.

Beware the morality system. It bites. In my humble opinion, that is.

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Yep, in the core game, your characters are just people. Nothing special about them.

Beware the morality system. It bites. In my humble opinion, that is.

I haven't read it thoroughly but the God Machine Chronicle rules update (and the 2nd Editions that have been coming out) pretty radically alter/update the morality system from what I can tell.

 

[Umbran]

I haven't read it thoroughly but the God Machine Chronicle rules update (and the 2nd Editions that have been coming out) pretty radically alter/update the morality system from what I can tell.

I hope so. Because, technically, the original system in nWoD had absurd results - like, "I shoplift a ChapStick, and the moral quandary of it drives me into insanity." Not good.

 

[painted_klown]

WOW! That's pretty hard core. If that still exists, I am not aware. The adveture we were doing starts with you playing a game of poker, then suddly there is an earthequake like event. The lady hosting (I beleive) gets attacked as we're coming off an elevator. We then began searching for a key while PCs were beong compelled to harm other PCs.

For the sake of time, the storyteller skipped to the end and we were all on a roof with and being attcaked buy a guy who seems to know recognize a pocket watch we have. We then realized we nned to destroy the watch, so we wrapped it around a lightening rod and when the watch was zapped, he died.

Then there was an aftermath section the storyteller read to us.

It was a fun game IMO, and I was curious to know what the general consensus was about it. I appreciate all of your thoughts and input.

I am surprised there aren't more people on this forum that have played it. I am new to RPGs in general, and have only played Pathfinder, DM'd 5E, and had the quick session of nWoD. I liked all 3, to be honest, but that could simply be due to my fascination with PnP RPGs in general.