D&D 5E My critic on VRGtR

[ECMO3]

It’s a tricky line to walk, right? On the one hand, options are always good, and options for significantly de-powered PCs would be highly appropriate for a horror toolbox book. On the other hand, how far can you take it before it feels like “why are we playing D&D instead of CoC in a fantasy setting?” I think the Survivor rules strike a nice balance. A great option for one-offs, the idea to use them to play out flashbacks and nightmares is awesome, and if you want super low-power PC options, they fit the bill.

The problem with super low power PCs is you need super low power monsters or a mechanic put in there to allow characters to avoid fights completely. You can't have fights with werewolves and vampires with weak survivor-type characters and expect to actually survive.

 

[Earth2Carnifex]

Frankly, I found this book to be meh! A friend of mine commented that it feels like they went to the Reddit page and wrote down the things people wanted and went from there.

 

[Charlaquin]

The problem with super low power PCs is you need super low power monsters or a mechanic put in there to allow characters to avoid fights completely. You can't have fights with werewolves and vampires with weak survivor-type characters and expect to actually survive.

I mean, it could be argued that not being able to expect to survive is appropriate for horror. But, yes, it’s not going to be the right way to go for everyone. I myself probably won’t be running a survivor PCs game. If I want that kind of horror I’ll use a different system. But, it’s good that the option is there for folks who want it.

 

[Charlaquin]

Frankly, I found this book to be meh! A friend of mine commented that it feels like they went to the Reddit page and wrote down the things people wanted and went from there.

Is... Giving the audience what they want a bad thing...?

 

[Stormonu]

The problem with super low power PCs is you need super low power monsters or a mechanic put in there to allow characters to avoid fights completely. You can't have fights with werewolves and vampires with weak survivor-type characters and expect to actually survive.

Not necessarily, the players have to be willing to accept a different style of play. The game will likely be about gathering the right materials, luring the enemy to the right spot or otherwise not engaging in a straight-up fight. Allies and/or some of the party might not make it to the end alive, but with the survivors being so mundane anyways, it's easy enough to have a pool of extras the players can pull from if someone bites the dust early on.

It's a case of, instead of the players choosing to play, say, the video game Colonial Marines, they're choosing to play Alien Isolation instead.

Way back in 2E, there was a 1st level adventure called Night of the Vampire. Throughout it, the characters were collecting information about the module's vampire, and at the end if the characters had played smart, they would have the tools and knowledge to defeat the vampire. The range of outcomes was quite varied depending on how well the PCs did - it could range from a TPK if they did poorly, a character dying or sacrificing themselves to bring an end to the vampire with middling effort and as a best case scenario, they find it's lair in the day, defeat its guardians and stake the thing without great risk to themselves with direct confrontation.

And I can assure you, from first-hand experience, this game style does work. It's the exact same gamestyle my group and I used recently playing in the Aliens RPG, where the characters were playing "ordinary" space truckers vs. two "abominations" and a true xenomorph. Out of three players and six or so characters used through the game, only one survivor made it ("The last survivor of Chronos I, signing off...") - and none of the "aliens" ended up being killed...

 

[Helldritch]

FWIW, I don't think they're using the term "lineage" to replace "race" in this book. The dhampir, hexblood, and reborn aren't actually races - they are more like conditions that are super-imposed on existing characters of any race, replacing some, but not all, of their inherent racial traits.

Which, mechanically, amount to a subrace of any race. (or lineage, if you prefer). Whatever the wording you prefer or apply it amount to the same thing. At some point, I care more about the effects and implications of these will have on a character story and how it will affect its social interaction with the NPCs that the character will come across. As I said, Ravenloft is mostly human based/inclined. I doubt that the first two would be welcomed with open arms by the inhabitants instead of pitchforks and torches. Even the reborn might have a hard time...

 

[Burnside]

Which, mechanically, amount to a subrace of any race. (or lineage, if you prefer). Whatever the wording you prefer or apply it amount to the same thing. At some point, I care more about the effects and implications of these will have on a character story and how it will affect its social interaction with the NPCs that the character will come across. As I said, Ravenloft is mostly human based/inclined. I doubt that the first two would be welcomed with open arms by the inhabitants instead of pitchforks and torches. Even the reborn might have a hard time...

I meant that some folks seem to think that WotC's use of "lineage" in this book implies that they will be adopting that term instead of using "race" moving forward. As in "my lineage is elf". I don't think this is the case.

 

[Helldritch]

I meant that some folks seem to think that WotC's use of "lineage" in this book implies that they will be adopting that term instead of using "race" moving forward. As in "my lineage is elf". I don't think this is the case.

Whatever... race or lineage is exactly the same mechanic. It is just a change of word. I prefer "race" but for some the out of game context makes that word offensive. So lineage is as good as any but the mechanic will be same nonetheless.

 

[Earth2Carnifex]

Is... Giving the audience what they want a bad thing...?

No it is not a bad thing to give an audience what they want, it just feels like they gave a very narrow slice of the audience what they wanted. Maybe it is just me, but this book just falls flat and does not add much of anything interesting to the game.

 

[Mind of tempest]

No it is not a bad thing to give an audience what they want, it just feels like they gave a very narrow slice of the audience what they wanted. Maybe it is just me, but this book just falls flat and does not add much of anything interesting to the game.

then what do you want instead? as if it is just what we had before it can grow sales which is anathema for a corporation.