3 Very Different Campaigns

[DeadlyUematsu]

I like them. But then again, I like the character creation guidelines of the RPGA campaigns and find them admirable for what they set out to do.

 

[wildstarsreach]

I would not be interested in playing in any of these games, not a fan of the character generation systems. That said, I dont think they'd be any less fun, just less fun for me. Other people have fun differently, and such.

What character generation system do you favor? What would be fun for you?

 

[wildstarsreach]

Wow, are you playing D&D to have fun, or as an exercise in accounting?

I can Tell you that we are having fun. Overall I get the most flak because I like Psionics and everybody razes me about their perceptions that it is psionics and it's does things better than magic. Not true but I still get the razing.

I'd get so confused and frustrated trying to make a character based on those Byzantine requirements it would sap any kind of enjoyment I might otherwise derive from the game. I want to make characters based on the vision I have of the character, not on some aritrary metagame rules on what supplements I am allowed to use from trading in options for stat generation methods.


Also, Just one of the reasons I'd never play an RPGA game.

Think of it this way, it is another chart on the end chart 3-2 Experience and level dependent benefits on page 22 of the PHB. This has 3 sub parts. Chart +1, nothing in this chart since this is for someone who doesn't want accounting or choices beyond core.

Chart +2, nothing at 1st and 2nd level and then starting a 3rd and continuing gaining at every odd level an additional unlock.

Chart +3, 3 at 1st level and then gaining additional unlocks every odd level after that.

Everyone seems to think that this is negative. Try thinking differently please, think that core is the baseline that the DM awards benefits. Think that this is positive rewards.

Wow.


I would never in a million years touch this game with a ten meter cattle prod. But then again, as I remember it, you run games with character actions dictated by committee as some kind of hyper litigious communal wargame anyway, so I would stay away regardless.

This is an oversimplification. We work as a cooperative game. We have an agreement that we aren't in this as a competition between players. We are trying to be the heroes of our age. Occasionally, twice I think, we have done an overrule a players. This was where the players did something so agregiously stupid that the action would f-over the party.

I have played in many games with almost 30 years in RPGing where there is a constant player interaction to one up each other. Getting something no one else has or can do isn't fun anymore.

Making choices to fulfill a concept is what drives these campaigns. Flavor, not uberness. I have more fun playing what people would consider suboptimal characters because they are a concept role play character than a constant competition. Choosing carefully just what you need to make the concept is what I like.

We played a anything goes campaign from 6/05 to 9/06. It was fun but we as a group see the problems of letting everything go unchecked.

I'm sorry for you that won't touch what I think is a role playing panacea.

 

[wildstarsreach]

I like them. But then again, I like the character creation guidelines of the RPGA campaigns and find them admirable for what they set out to do.

Thank you for some positive kudos to my DM.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Aside from the laborous character creation guidelines:

Games 1 & 2) Too many PCs. I like lots of individual attention for everyone in the group. Five PCs is about the max I want to do again. I don't like the expansion stuff at all.

Game 3) Starting at first level is going to get a "Have fun with that" out of me. A first level PC rolling around in 10th level adventures? No thanks.

Game 1) I find the death penalty thing interesting, befitting a very hack and slash / dungeoneering game where you want to move on quickly without having to go through the whole process of dragging the body back, raising, and returning. Taking out book keeping is a very good thing! This would also allow the DM to make much more difficult encounters, which is also a very good thing!

Here's how it is in my current game:

Character creation: 32 point buy, Core + ask the DM (most thing will be allowed).

Death Penalty: No level loss on raise dead and ressurection, instead XP goes into a "debt" which is paid back instead of the PC gaining any XP. After the debt is paid off, they start gaining xp as normal again (to reduce book keeping).

Replacement: New PCs come in at Level-1 of old PC with DMG wealth.

Loot: Do whatever you want with it.

Switching characters: This has never come up, actually.

 

[Qualidar]

Thank you for some positive kudos to my DM.

I still don't understand the whole vibe. Are you in a college game club, or something? Why are there so many people? Do you (collectively) feel you're all played out the standard way of playing and are looking to spice things up, or is this all you've known?

~Qualidar~

 

[wildstarsreach]

I still don't understand the whole vibe. Are you in a college game club, or something? Why are there so many people? Do you (collectively) feel you're all played out the standard way of playing and are looking to spice things up, or is this all you've known?

~Qualidar~

No, the once a month Savage Tide campaign is more Hack and slash. It's 8 players, 1 DM and 2 characters have paid for the leadership feat.

I have played too many cut throate games over the years and won more than I've lost but inevitably you lose friends over time because of resentments with the cut throate games. I never struck first but always worked on finishing the job.

Our weekly game is 6 people and 1 DM. Slower progression and RPG opportunity.

The 3rd campaign I've played in once and have a hard time since I have 9 grandkids to dote over.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

I suppose that to be fair I should also post my character creation guidelines as well since I critiqued the others:

Race: Any CORE + XPH (Elan, Maenad, Xeph only) + Homebrew (4 races, most with mental bonuses/penalties)

Character Gen: 32 point buy.

Books allowed: CORE + {All Complete but CPsi, Dragon Magic, XPH, Draconomicon, MotP (with 3.5 fixes), PHB II, UA, and BoED} Anything within the {} is 99.9% allowed but must be cleared with the DM before assuming it can be taken.

Death Penalty: As RAW, although I like ThirdWizard's system.

Replacement: Just roll up a new character. Wealth from dead character is lost to the party (assumed to be part of the burial ritual or some other ad hoc explanation).

Switching Characters: Never came up in game.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Also, Just one of the reasons I'd never play an RPGA game.

I've been playing the most popular RPGA campaigin, Living Greyhawk, since early 2002, and these expansion slot thingies are completely alien to me. Never seen them.

That said, there is a remarkable amount of treasure and XP "accounting" that takes place after every adventure... for good reason when trying to keep a campaign with over 12,000 active players around the world from being overrun loophole exploiters.

 

[takasi]

No, the once a month Savage Tide campaign is more Hack and slash. It's 8 players, 1 DM and 2 characters have paid for the leadership feat.

You're getting senile old man. Are you forgetting Zach and Scott, who couldn't make it last session? There are 10 players, 1 DM and 2 characters with the cohort.

Our weekly game is 6 people and 1 DM. Slower progression and RPG opportunity.

???

By my last count there were 7 of us. Are you counting Grant and Charles as one person now?