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hmmm....I think I play it differently than you think. I do not dictate the players actions, however I will tell them what they might believe/perceive about a situation. So, for example, if the Barbarian gets convinced (via Persuasion) that helping the villagers should be their priority...that's...

I meant things like personality traits, and the subtler aspects of character. The group is mostly really old-schoolers, they don't get attached to characters until at least three levels of play. They don't mind the mechanical aspects of Backgrounds (for example the skills and the minor...

I'm not sure what you mean.

I look at the parallel with Deception. I mean, all NPCs are no better or worse at lying than the DM? Obviously, a DM and the mechanics have the ability to modify what a character believes to be true about the world (even without spells). At least to the extent of determining whether a PC...

That's an interesting question. I can tell you that it varies quite a bit. (I mean, back in the day you didn't have much to go on.) Overall, what you're describing here is why is prefer Fate to D&D. Fate mechanizes and makes it clear what you're signing onto when you choose your aspects. Most of...

If he rolls it, that's fine, part of the game. If the player skips the roll by fast talking the DM...not so fine. The assessment you're objecting to comes from the players who would attempt the scenario I described, who often (IME) view an penalty as being something to desperately avoid rolling...

I think when we're saying "pay" we're saying "play the character's faults" or "play the character as written". If you've got a dumb or weak willed character who suddenly sprouts iron-willed resistance to a charming character's arguments....well this seems the same as if the physically weak...

In that timeframe, D&D's main competition (and the only one that ever overtook it within the marketspace, as far as we can tell) was essentially a clone(PF). If the edition wars nearly broke or killed D&D, it was because they broke the network externalities that (usually) keep it on top of the...

I agree. We saw how well it worked out (market-wise, not personal preference-wise) when they went the other direction.* I'm not as sure that one works without the other. That is, if D&D didn't already have those externalities built-in, I'm not sure that the research/development would matter...

The author listed everything from other rpgs (Mashed) to media properties (The Last Airbender) in multiple genres, and some that were both without mentioning the rpg in question. In the Mashed section, they seemed to refer to the Mashed PbtA game as "D&D". So, I suspect the author was really...

I realize this was probably a bit facetious, and I don't think 5e is the worst, but.... One explanation is the power of network externalities. That is, D&D has always been mediocre, but it is the most widespread (being the first in the market) and so is much easier to find a group to play in...

Does your social contract include playing the character as written and developed? Can I say that my 6 Con character auto-saved versus a spell or dodged a sword because I chose to? Can a character with poor fighting skills just choose to stab an enemy in the heart in the name of Player Agency? If...

He chose a role with weak social/mental capabilities...and he doesn't want to pay the price for it. To me, that sounds like someone who doesn't want to play the role with integrity. Do you suspect he would feel the same way if he attacked another PC...i.e. that it just wouldn't work? That...

You're right. If the charisma/persuasion stuff doesn't work vs. another player, then the strength and dex stuff doesn't either. I mean, the barbie player chose to play that guy with his week mental stats...now he wants to go back on it. Its not cheating per se, but it is unsporting. IMO...

Hey guys, I picked up this little rpg (really an engine, by its own admission) called Schema: the Second Iteration. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had experience with it, because I'm a little unclear as to how team actions (like a D&D skirmish/combat) work with the rules. For the curious...

hmm...some good thoughts already. Mine: a) Big ships don't have landing gear and require special docking bays or landing pads. ("Its a 500 credit docking fee with a 1000 credit security deposit if you want to land the big ship.") b) Big ships have a system/part that can get really easily fouled...

I would only suggest that if a map is necessary, use a "subway map" style. Only the connections are needed, really.

I just want to say that this doesn't constitute what I would call "Censorship". The Chechen or Russian government doesn't have the power/jurisdiction to impose censorship on the company (at least outside their own markets), nor do any of the private opposition actors in the West. The company...

Not that its a bad definition, but I would say Fate (especially Accelerated) fits that definition. While this makes sense, Fate seems to buck that trend as well. There's a ton of additional settings and modulations on the rules. (not that its dominating the market, mind you) I think this is...

Just chiming in agreement here. You kinda get a double "bang for your buck" putting aspects on top of those structures.