Gold Roger
First Post
So, after some proper scheduling back and forth, we finally managed to get in a short playtest. We played about 2.5-3 hours. Characters and players where:
Ingrimsh of Waldwacht (Cleric of Moradin): Knight and chosen of the dwarfen god Korr, divine principle of destruction. Always willing to crack skulls and eager to slay orcs. Sadly there where no orcs to slay, which was compensated by splattering goblins with abbaddon. The player is an experinced roleplayer, but never touched 3E or 4E, sticking to 2E.
Jon (Cleric of Pelor): Former tanner and crimminal. After miraculously escaping from prison, he found he had been blessed by Din, godess of thieves and hedonists. The player substituted the commoner background for priest. The only player I've ever played with before, we go back to my first game, with freshly bought 3.0 books and me as a shaky DM, not certain what the hell he's doing.
Finrier (Elf Wizard): Raised and taught by some mage guild. But of countless jokes. Might be skilled in manicure in adittion to magic. A player who plays lots of different RPGs, including D&D 3rd edition, but not 4th.
Ömph Remplin (Halfling Rogue): Shipwright and guild thief. Apparently constantly hungry, very sneaky and of unknown gender (the player didn't want to decide, we just figured it was impossible to tell). This player has never ever played a RPG before.
Lieutenant Crossbo (Dwarf Fighter): Dwarfen veteran of the last war, who might or might not have fleshbacks, but always on the edge (pun about axes intended). Declared halfway through the action that she was in fact, well, a she. By popular vote, female dwarfes now have beards in my setting (though the player pointed out they where better groomed than male beards). Player tried RPGs only once before and it didn't work for her then.
The only thing changed about PCs where one background and the elfs language, as by setting, there is no elven, but elves speak giant. I've mercilessly changed module to fit my whim and setting. Some of this you'll see.
We started in some tavern of little importance on the keep at the borderlands. Every wanna be hero, sellsword and scumbag has flocked to a royal call to reclaim lost regions. At the keep, the PCs are the riff-raff currently available for jobs. This morning it's saving some merchants, who are suspected to have been abducted by the traditionalist orcs dwelling in The Caves Of Chaos (insert ominous music and DM waving his hands).
The PCs decided that research is for dummies and to cries of "To fortune and riches and justice and that stuff" and "Lets crack orc skulls!" they went their jolly way.
On the road, shortly before they needed to go of the beaten path the group met a robed traveler with wild beard, shield and mace. After being stopped and kept at bay by the ever military Crossbo, the man offered to guide them to the orc caves.
They would have agreed to follow him, but the three gnolls traveling in the brushes next to him did a terrible job hiding, already drooling over the tasty morsels and pushing one another to get a good view (DM rolls horrible for hide).
Even though the suprise was ruined, the gnolls acted first, two shooting arrows, while the third jumped to the soon to reveal himself dark adepts side. Everyone got a chance to shine in this combat (literaly, in Jons case).
Jon burned of one gnolls face, removing him from the combat after one ineffective arrow, as tanner, he also identified the leather armor they wore, where not made from animals.
Ingrimsh focused on the Dark Adept, who made great use of the ability to move without AoO, pursuing him like a hellhound.
Finrier propably did worst, finding his burning hands not enought to slay the remaining archer, he got caught between a angry burning gnoll and a opportunistic gnoll who considered him an easier target than the angry dwarf lady.
Ömph however, who had previously hidden very, very well within the group, saved him with a bullseye slingshot sneakattack caving in the skull of one gnoll.
Crossbo had terrible luck hitting most of the time. This was slightly mitigated for the player by the 3 auto-damage. However, this was far more mitigated with a critical crossbow hit on the last gnoll.
The dark adept might have gotten away, if his comand "flee" had worked on the godblessed dwarf, but in the end not even a cure light wounds could save him from hitting the ground. He wasn't slayn, but tied, awakened and interrogated. After some babbling about a black temple, which Finrier identified as one part of a dark and ancient indigenous cult of elemental evil, and some very convincing intimidation by angry dwarfs, he agreed to take them to the orc caves.
There, not meeting any patrols, they decided to send him ahead like a dog on a with light enchanted 50ft leash. This was a neat tactic for the orc cave, but sadly this wasn't the orc cave. Knowing his ploy was near success, not even the massive Crossbo could hold him (the cultist won a strength contest, even though the fighter had advantage). Pulling the rope from the dwarfs hands wit the power of adrenaline, he ran, glowing and shouting bre-yark, into the goblin caves. His voice found many answers.
After a short moment of the group bracing themselves, six goblins, tumours in humanoid shape, came into view and where met by hammer, axe, stone and spell. Shortly another six came into view. The goblins where no true challenge. Weapons and magic missiles easily burst their boneless bodies to spill out the semi-liquid content, rays of divine light melted their horrid forms.
What was a challenge, was killing all goblins before the ogre Finrier had noticed arrived at the cave and rolled them up from behind. The giant was in a jolly mood, shouting "Gonna smash, gonna smash, makin lots of gold" in his tongue (which Finrier knew). Neither rays of frost, nor a bad bluff about gold behind it managed to slow the brute. But the ogre was intrigued by the small pretty man speaking words he knew and picked up the elf instead of attacking straight away (Str vs dex contest).
Then it wondered why instead of the goblins who payed it, there was only jelly in the hallways. Another bluff from the elf even to convinced the creature to put him down and not attack. To bad the elf promised it lots and lots of gold...
We ended it there, as we where just in time for the germany-netherlands match and weren't willing to miss one second of it.
The feedback was generally positive. Jons player liked his at will laser. The new player very easily picked up the rules and while they obviously can't compare the game to others systems, I find it a good indicator that they where able to enjoy and contribute equally to the game as the experienced players. The player of ingrimsh had the caveat that the system seems very simple right now, but said he needs to see more. Finrier loved being enabled to pull weird stunts, though he seemed to ascribe that quality more to my DMing than the system.
Personal notes:
-I wish we had more time for the game, but honestly I'm happy we managed to get in a session at all. A lot of time was swallowed by the usual joking and out of game stuff
-Combats where fast and easy to run.
-We almost missed the defender feat, but once in use, it was very effective.
-Jon missed the dark adept with his searing light, which felt a bit anticlimatic. The player defiantly pointed out how much damage the dirt he hit takes, which might very well be why that spell does nothing on a hit. That's a lot of damage at first level.
-The characters where exactly right in ability and damage dealt to the monsters, but I feel they had to many hp for first level. They just kept taking those hits.
-I love the halflings ability to hide behind other creatures. I played it loose and fast with hiding and at one point allowed the rogue to hide from the ogre, behind the ogre. Not how everyone would play it, but I thought it's appropiate.
-I still don't like slayer. I literally stumbled over it each time I described Crossbos hits. I don't think the player would have been broken up if it was replaced with something else.
-Long rest didn't come up, thankfully
-Hit die healing worked well.
Ingrimsh of Waldwacht (Cleric of Moradin): Knight and chosen of the dwarfen god Korr, divine principle of destruction. Always willing to crack skulls and eager to slay orcs. Sadly there where no orcs to slay, which was compensated by splattering goblins with abbaddon. The player is an experinced roleplayer, but never touched 3E or 4E, sticking to 2E.
Jon (Cleric of Pelor): Former tanner and crimminal. After miraculously escaping from prison, he found he had been blessed by Din, godess of thieves and hedonists. The player substituted the commoner background for priest. The only player I've ever played with before, we go back to my first game, with freshly bought 3.0 books and me as a shaky DM, not certain what the hell he's doing.
Finrier (Elf Wizard): Raised and taught by some mage guild. But of countless jokes. Might be skilled in manicure in adittion to magic. A player who plays lots of different RPGs, including D&D 3rd edition, but not 4th.
Ömph Remplin (Halfling Rogue): Shipwright and guild thief. Apparently constantly hungry, very sneaky and of unknown gender (the player didn't want to decide, we just figured it was impossible to tell). This player has never ever played a RPG before.
Lieutenant Crossbo (Dwarf Fighter): Dwarfen veteran of the last war, who might or might not have fleshbacks, but always on the edge (pun about axes intended). Declared halfway through the action that she was in fact, well, a she. By popular vote, female dwarfes now have beards in my setting (though the player pointed out they where better groomed than male beards). Player tried RPGs only once before and it didn't work for her then.
The only thing changed about PCs where one background and the elfs language, as by setting, there is no elven, but elves speak giant. I've mercilessly changed module to fit my whim and setting. Some of this you'll see.
We started in some tavern of little importance on the keep at the borderlands. Every wanna be hero, sellsword and scumbag has flocked to a royal call to reclaim lost regions. At the keep, the PCs are the riff-raff currently available for jobs. This morning it's saving some merchants, who are suspected to have been abducted by the traditionalist orcs dwelling in The Caves Of Chaos (insert ominous music and DM waving his hands).
The PCs decided that research is for dummies and to cries of "To fortune and riches and justice and that stuff" and "Lets crack orc skulls!" they went their jolly way.
On the road, shortly before they needed to go of the beaten path the group met a robed traveler with wild beard, shield and mace. After being stopped and kept at bay by the ever military Crossbo, the man offered to guide them to the orc caves.
They would have agreed to follow him, but the three gnolls traveling in the brushes next to him did a terrible job hiding, already drooling over the tasty morsels and pushing one another to get a good view (DM rolls horrible for hide).
Even though the suprise was ruined, the gnolls acted first, two shooting arrows, while the third jumped to the soon to reveal himself dark adepts side. Everyone got a chance to shine in this combat (literaly, in Jons case).
Jon burned of one gnolls face, removing him from the combat after one ineffective arrow, as tanner, he also identified the leather armor they wore, where not made from animals.
Ingrimsh focused on the Dark Adept, who made great use of the ability to move without AoO, pursuing him like a hellhound.
Finrier propably did worst, finding his burning hands not enought to slay the remaining archer, he got caught between a angry burning gnoll and a opportunistic gnoll who considered him an easier target than the angry dwarf lady.
Ömph however, who had previously hidden very, very well within the group, saved him with a bullseye slingshot sneakattack caving in the skull of one gnoll.
Crossbo had terrible luck hitting most of the time. This was slightly mitigated for the player by the 3 auto-damage. However, this was far more mitigated with a critical crossbow hit on the last gnoll.
The dark adept might have gotten away, if his comand "flee" had worked on the godblessed dwarf, but in the end not even a cure light wounds could save him from hitting the ground. He wasn't slayn, but tied, awakened and interrogated. After some babbling about a black temple, which Finrier identified as one part of a dark and ancient indigenous cult of elemental evil, and some very convincing intimidation by angry dwarfs, he agreed to take them to the orc caves.
There, not meeting any patrols, they decided to send him ahead like a dog on a with light enchanted 50ft leash. This was a neat tactic for the orc cave, but sadly this wasn't the orc cave. Knowing his ploy was near success, not even the massive Crossbo could hold him (the cultist won a strength contest, even though the fighter had advantage). Pulling the rope from the dwarfs hands wit the power of adrenaline, he ran, glowing and shouting bre-yark, into the goblin caves. His voice found many answers.
After a short moment of the group bracing themselves, six goblins, tumours in humanoid shape, came into view and where met by hammer, axe, stone and spell. Shortly another six came into view. The goblins where no true challenge. Weapons and magic missiles easily burst their boneless bodies to spill out the semi-liquid content, rays of divine light melted their horrid forms.
What was a challenge, was killing all goblins before the ogre Finrier had noticed arrived at the cave and rolled them up from behind. The giant was in a jolly mood, shouting "Gonna smash, gonna smash, makin lots of gold" in his tongue (which Finrier knew). Neither rays of frost, nor a bad bluff about gold behind it managed to slow the brute. But the ogre was intrigued by the small pretty man speaking words he knew and picked up the elf instead of attacking straight away (Str vs dex contest).
Then it wondered why instead of the goblins who payed it, there was only jelly in the hallways. Another bluff from the elf even to convinced the creature to put him down and not attack. To bad the elf promised it lots and lots of gold...
We ended it there, as we where just in time for the germany-netherlands match and weren't willing to miss one second of it.
The feedback was generally positive. Jons player liked his at will laser. The new player very easily picked up the rules and while they obviously can't compare the game to others systems, I find it a good indicator that they where able to enjoy and contribute equally to the game as the experienced players. The player of ingrimsh had the caveat that the system seems very simple right now, but said he needs to see more. Finrier loved being enabled to pull weird stunts, though he seemed to ascribe that quality more to my DMing than the system.
Personal notes:
-I wish we had more time for the game, but honestly I'm happy we managed to get in a session at all. A lot of time was swallowed by the usual joking and out of game stuff
-Combats where fast and easy to run.
-We almost missed the defender feat, but once in use, it was very effective.
-Jon missed the dark adept with his searing light, which felt a bit anticlimatic. The player defiantly pointed out how much damage the dirt he hit takes, which might very well be why that spell does nothing on a hit. That's a lot of damage at first level.
-The characters where exactly right in ability and damage dealt to the monsters, but I feel they had to many hp for first level. They just kept taking those hits.
-I love the halflings ability to hide behind other creatures. I played it loose and fast with hiding and at one point allowed the rogue to hide from the ogre, behind the ogre. Not how everyone would play it, but I thought it's appropiate.
-I still don't like slayer. I literally stumbled over it each time I described Crossbos hits. I don't think the player would have been broken up if it was replaced with something else.
-Long rest didn't come up, thankfully
-Hit die healing worked well.
Last edited:
