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I hope the new edition bring on the power of belief theme through strong playing advice, procedures and rules. Yes, rules. Don't know what the latest technology D&D is employing but I always found that the concept of Flags would fit like a glove in Planescape, things like Belief/Instinct from...

I agree it's a tool that may be more or less useful depending on playstyle and gaming culture. Overall I feel it's more useful for GM-driven styles, and less so for player-driven styles.

Curiously, it's Dana Knutson Robh Ruppel more abstract visuals that hooked me on the setting, and not Diterlizzi's. So I would love for that kind of imagery to return in some new form:

My 2 cents to the topic: "Strong stories" in the context of TTRPGs is simply what emerges naturally from the players choices during play as a result of investment and agency. That's it. I don't think the kind of long and epic stories seen in other media like books and films should be desirable...

Yes, but "Sid Meier Alpha Centauri" is better. If you disagree, Sister Miriam will have a conversation with you. :p

Personally no, not really. But I do appreciate games with powerful social/mental mechanics. So if I make an intelligent or social PC, he/she will be able to exercise those qualities meaningfully in-game and not just by way of GM fiat. That's why I'm a big fan of PbtA and Cortex these days.

Yeah, I was going to ask the same question as @pemerton . I think the OP/ @JohnSnow may be generalizing things a bit. There are many playstyles and cultures out there for which that frame of "pillars" (combat-social-exploration) feel meaningless. About the portrayal of PC's mental qualities in...

While I agree some knowledge of genre tropes is important, and that some people may lack them, it seems you're taking the matter to extremes. Most players will have an average knowledge about most genres, and when lacking it, the game itself can offer examples or instructions - like Blades in...

Just stumbled with this great little gem from developer Gareth Damian Martin called Citizen Sleeper, that's an hybrid of a life-sim and visual novel and totally rocks (phones recommended to feel the vibe): While I got initially hooked by it's trans-humanist-capitalist sci-fi premise, what...

Another cool solution, this time from Blades in the Dark, is the Mastermind ability that allows the PC to assist teammates through flashbacks: Say, if your crew's infiltrator is caught by a guard while sneaking up on a compound, the Mastermind can choose to trigger his/her ability, narrating a...

Have you played PbtA games? They have an elegant solution for what you ask above, in the form of Moves. One example is "Read a Sitch": When you read a charged situation, roll +Sharp. On a hit, you can ask the MC questions. Whenever you act on one of the answers, take +1 forward. On a 10+, ask...

That's cool. How the game went? Care to resume it and post your impressions? How many players, what did they do? What would you change these days, important advice, etc?

Interesting discussion. I don't have much knowledge in D&D5, but the simplest form of social conflict rules I know that actually drives games and is not some optional on the side, is Conditions-based. From Cortex to Fate to PbtA, imposing a condition on someone else through a roll, which can...

Came across these playbooks from Jenskot from the old Story-games boards. Thought they could be useful for someone. There are 5 ones, each for a background, containing different dice spreads for traits, gear and relationships to reflect that: While we're at it, If someone has more resources...

The reason is triggering NOT TO BE ***** WITH for my Gunlugger in Apocalypse World. Oh man I love it! 😁 But more serious, the Moves raison d'être are twofold: genre-emulation and shared narration. They guarantee the game will always 1) be about what's on the tin, instead of say, selling itself...

I'm terrible at selling things, but I find Sagas of the Icelanders one of the most unique PbtA in the sense that it does (norse settlers) family drama in a way that's nuanced and deliberate, while also having it's share of explosive moments. Its almost like the anti-Monsterhearts in this sense...

No one? No one see anything in common between Pendragon and the kind of playstyle PbtA pushes for these days? No vestiges of narrativism at all? Only I see it? :confused:

Hi! Old time luker but only now decided to post. Genuine question in title. I'm a big fan of PbtA and other stuff that came from the Forge days, and I see that Stafford's Pendragon seemed to present many of those same sensibilities back in the 80s, albeit mixed into a more "conventional" RPG...

Thanks, Quickleaf. I checked Driscoll faction background and it's great. Though it seems not all factions have their renown table completed (or maybe I'm missing something?). And I had this idea for the Godsmen factotum: You develop the spark of divinity. Name one aspect of existence (a...

Hi there. I signed up just to thank Quickleaf for such an amazing work. As a big fan of the setting and of the Torment videogame I've always found the default faction abilities in the core box and Manifesto kinda uninspired and restrictive. This adaptation makes them much more interesting. One...