Acquisitions Inc. switching to Daggerheart

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yeah, Sided Initiative is a pretty common go-to for many PBP games. It's not DH specific at all.

Like, a game of D&D that uses normal initiative might go something like: Player 1, Player 5, Enemy 3, Enemy 1, Player 2, Enemy 2, etc.
Then you wait half a day for Player 1 to go, another half a day for Player 5 to go. You get Enemy 3 and 1 done pretty quick. Player 2 takes another half day to reply, you're busy that day so you don't get Enemy 2 finished until the end of Day 2, and that's just half the round.

Where Sided Initiative for D&D is just, "I wrote their turn. Everyone try to get their turn in before I check back in tomorrow." Then you resolve their turns in the order they posted them, unless one of your players specifically says "Oh, I want to cast Bless before Bob and Jane go!"

I've been running a play by post campaign since the George W. Bush years, and I've gone back and forth on initiative. No matter what, it's kind of a pain in PBP, for the reasons stated. There's always someone -- sometimes me, as the DM -- who takes a horrendously long time to post, it seems, as life interferes.

 

[Seramus]

There's always someone -- sometimes me, as the DM -- who takes a horrendously long time to post, it seems, as life interferes.

Yeah, Sided actually works pretty well with DH, when life interferes and someone can't post for a while. In a game with true initiative like D&D, either the game stalls as you wait for that player, or the game moves on and the player feels like they missed turns.

In DH, you can keep the game moving even if a player has a major life crisis, since the combat balance remains the same because you only get as many GM moves as player rolls dictate (barring Golden Opportunities and the like). A player might still feel like they missed the opportunity to contribute, but DH remains smoothly balanced even if that happens.

 

[Parmandur]

I think DH can be played in a very Bkuebeards Bride style and also supports not doing it that way. Sorta at the same time too depending upon the GM and table.

I think it’s one of its strengths, like the amorphous qualities of 2014 D&D. Many people could play it very differently and it still mostly holds up.

That is one of the more interesting things about Daggerheart to me, it is oke of the first significant systems that seems to be occupying the same range of complexity and flexibility that 2014 D&D does: most other systems seem to ne going for being more rules crunchy, or less rules crunchy, or more tactical, or more narrative...Daggerheart seems to be more or less in the same general space.

 

[Seramus]

I think DH can be played in a very Bkuebeards Bride style and also supports not doing it that way. Sorta at the same time too depending upon the GM and table.

I think it’s one of its strengths, like the amorphous qualities of 2014 D&D. Many people could play it very differently and it still mostly holds up.

Absolutely. I would throw MONEY at someone if they came out with a Sci-Fi version of Daggerheart. Just the exact same game with the races and powers reskinned as something Sci-Fi.

Something like this I found deep in the bowels of the Daggerheart Reddit (I can't even find the direct link anymore):

Spoiler

 

[SlyFlourish]

That’s a no for me.

Love ya Mike!

I'm on the fence myself! But they're closer than we might think...

 

[Reynard]

I think DH can be played in a very Bkuebeards Bride style and also supports not doing it that way. Sorta at the same time too depending upon the GM and table.

I think it’s one of its strengths, like the amorphous qualities of 2014 D&D. Many people could play it very differently and it still mostly holds up.

I am unfamiliar with Bluebeard's Bride. Can you explain what you mean?

 

[darjr]

I am unfamiliar with Bluebeard's Bride. Can you explain what you mean?

The whole “fiction first” thing in PBTA or other games.

It has a great explanation imho and “fiction first” I think comes off as jargon to often.

 

[Reynard]

The whole “fiction first” thing in PBTA or other games.

It has a great explanation imho and “fiction first” I think comes off as jargon to often.

I agree that DH hits a very nice balance of supporting the narrative elements to whatever degree the group prefers.

 

[Alphastream]

There's no such thing as 'bad engagement'. Even if you're yelling at them for how dumb and wrong they are, you're playing their game.

(I don't imagine for a second that @Alphastream's video falls even vaguely into that category though. There are some good YouTubers out there!)

Thanks! Shawn and I are always glad to get Mastering Dungeons to more people because we believe in what we do. Our Patreon helps us greatly as creatives and our tiny YT income buys a convention game ticket every now and then, but as you know... we believe in a good healthy RPG hobby and that's by far our motivation. Come for the Acq Inc news (we love Acq Inc!), stay to learn about what Mike Balles is doing with Spanish language RPG efforts!

 

[overgeeked]

Mike Balles is doing with Spanish language RPG efforts!

Ooh! I'm behind. What episode is that?