Humorous campaigns: How have they gone?

[Krug]

How have your humorous campaigns gone? D&D or otherwise?

 

[Capellan]

Pretty well. It's important to remember that not every second of every session has to be funny. Comedy is about pacing. And matching the PCs to the game.

I would characterise both my Q-Ship and X-Path games as 'humorous' campaigns (though in somewhat different ways). Links are below, if you're curious to read the results.

 

[Wombat]

I did one for about a year and now it is requested (even required) every April Fool's Day.

Basically I just took a number of D&D conventions at face value (we started the campaign with, "So, you meet in this tavern", and then handed them forms so they could become the Official Adventuring Party attached to the tavern). There were no restrictions to race, class, or items -- if you found it in a D20 supplement that I already had, you could use it. The funny thing was, for me, that people didn't necessarily go for the most powerful material or most unbalanced PrCs, but the ones that sounded like they would be the most fun.

Yeah, Chelemby rocked

 

[Capellan]

Wombat's post reminds me of an important element in making humour games work: most of the laughs should come from the PCs. Don't overwrite as the GM. Present them with the wacky situation, have a few story points and spot scenes to work in when there is a chance, and just let the players run riot thereafter. This works a lot better than trying to run a traditional narrative.

Oh, and keep the sessions shortish, or have lots of breaks. People need to relax and wind down, or the humour gets forced and stops being funny.

 

[scourger]

They tend not to last. The people I game with (past & present) prefer a more serious game. Varying degrees, but a base line of seriousness about the hobby.

 

[pogre]

Short. Rarely funny. My fault I'm certain.

 

[Bigwilly]

I've never run a humorous campaign, but there have been occasional funny moments IMC.

One of the dwarves has fallen into the sewers, not once but several times now as a result of unsuccessful jump checks. He now loathes having to go into the sewers. He was also the unlucky one who got level drained by a succubus and had to spend 6 months in the cavalry - in return for a restoration - much to the shame of his fellow dwarves.

Also, in the very first combat of the campaign the dwarves charged some goblins at the gate to a village. First dwarf rolls a 1, trips and falls in front of the goblin. Second dwarf also rolls a 1, trips over first dwarf. Gnome thief runs over the pair of them and skewers the gobbo.

I have also played the occasional lighter scenario or had a funny NPC in a scenario.

Bigwilly