Torchbearer 2nd ed: first impressions

[AbdulAlhazred]

Yes, these tough decisions are clearly part of the game design's intent. It "should" have been such an easy call to snoop around the ruined shrine, but with a character Afraid and unable to help, and another without the skill needed, you just didn't have the dice to be confident in pulling it off. (A shame too, I did want to interact in some way with that shrine. Maybe we should have left an offering anyhow! From our copious treasure hoard....)

It rather goes against Ruby's 'sneaky hoarding thief filled with suspicion' gig, but on the pure objective "what is likely to work" level of playing 1000 games of D&D, yeah, we should leave a bit of something for the goddess on our way out.

Yes, our party is decently built for fights (which don't give the option of passing, like the shrine did). A warm hat is a heck of a reward for the risk, though, isn't it?

ROFL! Yeah, I should probably acquire a helmet, and maybe a missile weapon. I'm still trying to figure out a good shtick for employing criminal 4 though! hehe. Also I only have 3 health, so not the toughest of all PCs either.

From other session recaps I've read, we did all right. Apart from getting checks when we could have; that's gonna bite us hard unless we manage to get a few before we camp, or get some better loot before returning to town.

Yeah, maybe that's what we employ our "make obeisance to the goddess" thing for. hehe. I'm sure someone can figure out a trait to play against that. If we can combine it with Nature, well that seems to be the golden formula right there. I mean, I got 8 dice for an Ob3 and that was after I knocked one off for being Quick Witted to earn a check. So, I think basically the key to TB2 success is to develop a couple of these patterns your character can repeat often. I'm assuming, I'll have to reread a bit, that this eventually runs into the danger of jacking your Nature up to 7, and that's presumably the point of THAT rule, mechanically. In an RP sense I guess you become such a cliche that you just sort of implode, lol.

 

[niklinna]

It rather goes against Ruby's 'sneaky hoarding thief filled with suspicion' gig, but on the pure objective "what is likely to work" level of playing 1000 games of D&D, yeah, we should leave a bit of something for the goddess on our way out.

It's too bad going against that gig doesn't earn you anything, like using a trait against yourself.

ROFL! Yeah, I should probably acquire a helmet, and maybe a missile weapon. I'm still trying to figure out a good shtick for employing criminal 4 though! hehe. Also I only have 3 health, so not the toughest of all PCs either.

Those would be good, yeah. I'm a bit surprised you picked a 3/5 skew for health & will, now that you mention it.

Per the Criminal description, it's good for picking locks, escaping bonds, and, well crime (presuably in town). Don't know how else you would be using it.

Yeah, maybe that's what we employ our "make obeisance to the goddess" thing for. hehe. I'm sure someone can figure out a trait to play against that. If we can combine it with Nature, well that seems to be the golden formula right there. I mean, I got 8 dice for an Ob3 and that was after I knocked one off for being Quick Witted to earn a check. So, I think basically the key to TB2 success is to develop a couple of these patterns your character can repeat often. I'm assuming, I'll have to reread a bit, that this eventually runs into the danger of jacking your Nature up to 7, and that's presumably the point of THAT rule, mechanically. In an RP sense I guess you become such a cliche that you just sort of implode, lol.

We could toss your new hat into the ruined shrine!

And oh yeah, you want to be careful about ratcheting Nature up. Which kinda means, occasionally knocking it down, which introduces its own problems....

 

[Fenris-77]

Per the Criminal description, it's good for picking locks, escaping bonds, and, well crime (presuably in town). Don't know how else you would be using it.

Wait, I swear I had three rations left in my pack. Hey, hold on a minute, why do you have crumbs all down your shirt?

 

[pemerton]

I'm a bit surprised you picked a 3/5 skew for health & will, now that you mention it.

I think that's dictated for a burglar. An outcast is 5/3, and a ranger 4/4.

 

[niklinna]

I think that's dictated for a burglar. An outcast is 5/3, and a ranger 4/4.

Egad, you're right! Only humans get to pick their skew. Master of the rules, I am not.

 

[kenada]

Yes, these tough decisions are clearly part of the game design's intent. It "should" have been such an easy call to snoop around the ruined shrine, but with a character Afraid and unable to help, and another without the skill needed, you just didn't have the dice to be confident in pulling it off. (A shame too, I did want to interact in some way with that shrine. Maybe we should have left an offering anyhow! From our copious treasure hoard....)

In retrospect, I wonder if I should have been going along with things anyway in spite of being Afraid due to being Foolhardy (and needing to earn some checks). I assume I would have had to take the lead while people tried to help, possibly risking rolling Nature. That could go badly, but I think that’s the point.

 

[kenada]

I’m also pretty sure I should have used a fate point to reroll the sixes I got when I failed the test that ultimately lead to being Afraid. I didn’t really appreciate how bad success at a cost could be.

 

[Manbearcat]

As I said to you guys personally; "you did rather well for your first game."

As time goes on you'll get a better feel for the cost benefit analysis of interacting with the environment for possible mechanical/thematic return/gamestate change (vs rationing turns exclusively for clear Obstacles) and you'll get better at threading the needle of your thematic portfolio of resources and the tactical/strategic demands of play (and there are a lot of them!).

We'll see how things go Monday with the end of Adventure 1. I'll be curious how you guys feel about your individual and collective play once that resolves.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

In retrospect, I wonder if I should have been going along with things anyway in spite of being Afraid due to being Foolhardy (and needing to earn some checks). I assume I would have had to take the lead while people tried to help, possibly risking rolling Nature. That could go badly, but I think that’s the point.

Ruby was also Afraid, so I kept figuring it was better to just lead into it, so at least Nik's character could help, though the same logic would have applied for your character. I was really trying to find something that seemed like I could be successful AND leverage my skills, but it wasn't that easy. Maybe I could have gone with 'Hoarding' and triggered nature again. Sounds like 'Hidden Depths' to resist the effects of the cold water might have also been feasible, for another die if needed.

Ah well, clearly we are all still fumbling around with the game's levers, lol.

 

[pemerton]

How come you guys had Fate and Persona in your first session?