Recent content by zarionofarabel

  1. zarionofarabel

    What Is Your Go-To Pick-Up TTRPG?

    Yeah, I positively love the character sheet. I've seen a few games with character sheets that double as player aids, it's such a fantastic idea.
  2. zarionofarabel

    What Is Your Go-To Pick-Up TTRPG?

    Oh, uh, mine changed recently! For a long time my answer would have been Far Trek cause most gamers know enough about Star Trek to be able to buy in to the premise, and the system is pretty simple. However, as I finally got involved in the horror genre this year, I think my new go-to would be...
  3. zarionofarabel

    Let's Talk About Our Year In TTRPGs

    Most of the year was either not gaming due to health issues, or the normal short form (1-3 shot) games I usually get stuck running. A few false starts for campaigns, all due to scheduling issues rather than system or people issues, so some hope for the coming year. Also got a few cool new games...
  4. zarionofarabel

    The "math" of RPGs

    I'm no good at the math thing, but does a single die even have a "average" result, mathematically. I know that like 3d6 has a bell curve, but a d20 doesn't. Just curious as I'm am whatever the opposite of a math geek is...
  5. zarionofarabel

    What makes setting lore "actually matter" to the players?

    That's probably the easiest way! I know that was one of the primary motivatiors for why Star Wars became the main game I ran in my teens. While a couple members of the group liked the D&D novels, everyone loved Star Wars. That and, as the forever GM, I liked the D6 Star Wars mechanics way...
  6. zarionofarabel

    The "math" of RPGs

    I'm definitely in the camp where combat encounters tend to be an organic thing whose particulars are decided by the narrative. I don't prepare encounters ahead of time or try to balance them in any way. If the PCs wipe the baddies with little or no effort, kudos to them, it just shows how...
  7. zarionofarabel

    Making Modern Communication Work in Horror Games

    Or, you know, just the government itself, no shadowy group needed in most cases...
  8. zarionofarabel

    Tell me about the RPG section of your local game store

    A decent boardgame section with an fair selection of different games. A huge used novel section. A huge Warhammer minis section. A small used Videogame section. A small TTRPG section with pretty much just D&D and Star Wars. A few gaming tables. And a massive counter full of MtG cards run by a...
  9. zarionofarabel

    How do you like to start a campaign

    In my way back when times I ran a few D&D games that didn't have all of the niche roles filled. It is a running joke, or cliche, that one poor sap gets railroaded into playing a healer for a reason though, because it happens often enough that it's become part of the zeitgeist. That's why I said...
  10. zarionofarabel

    How do you like to start a campaign

    Yeah, the whole "people get talked into playing something they don't want to play" thing can't happen at my table because I don't run games like D&D. At times there is a discussion about who has what skills but it never results in players pressuring other players to play characters with specific...
  11. zarionofarabel

    Making Modern Communication Work in Horror Games

    Considering the explosion of science deniers, flat earthers, and proliferation of all kinds of other "internet conspiracies" that have occurred, and are occurring, I can't see how cellphones and the internet makes it HARDER to do horror. Frankly, I think it makes it much much EASIER!
  12. zarionofarabel

    How do you like to start a campaign

    Oh indeed it can be done, and at one time was the norm, but it's not my personal preference anymore. I actually reaffirmed my preference recently when I started watching AP videos on YT. Several times I've watched groups struggle to get good starts to games when the PCs are unknown to each...
  13. zarionofarabel

    How do you like to start a campaign

    I like to have a Session Zero that includes group PC creation wherein the players decide on preexisting relationships between the PCs. I very much dislike having opening scenes where the players are all strangers who have to introduce themselves. I also find it hard on my suspension of disbelief...
  14. zarionofarabel

    What Does "Simulation" Mean To You? [+]

    Well that's neat. I never read the 5e rules myself, but I think it's cool that they actually specifically state, in a roundabout way, that HP aren't indicative of physical injury until at least half are gone. Cool!
  15. zarionofarabel

    Telling Tales: Building Your Legend Through Lies

    You can get Glory in Pendragon dishonestly.
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