Round Robin Gm'ing - an analysis

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

I've mentioned this at GenCon and I'll say it again here: This strikes me as a game that would really profit from a good "Rogues Gallery" type book. You can just yoink a character out of there and be running in minutes instead of creating characters. I know that der kluge is getting good at smacking out a character in 30 minutes but I'm betting it takes a lot of others longer and you're only as fast as your slowest player.

I just finished reading The Ironics from EN Publishing, and it seems like it might be an excellent resource for this game. 26 pregenerated PCs covering all 11 core classes, and statted out at 5th, 10th, and 15th levels. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog..._id=2739affiliate_id=31188&affiliate_id=31188
Not trying to pimp the product (since I had nothing to do with it), but it seems really well put together, and the 5th level PCs would work quite well in a round robin game. (10th & 15th might be too hard to pull off an adventure on the fly)

 

[Henry]

I hadn't been there long enough to really grok that it was a fun and goofy game, so when Crothian unexpectedly passed to me I figured that a scary monster attack was the best way to distract the other players and make them forget that I had no clue what I was doing.

From my experience with the game, it's equally valid for players to take it from goofy to serious and back again, and in fact makes it even more engaging. I've honestly always admired your ability to think on your feet, and wish I had more talent in that direction. Extemporaneous I'm not very good at.

This strikes me as a game that would really profit from a good "Rogues Gallery" type book. You can just yoink a character out of there and be running in minutes instead of creating characters

THIS is a very nice product. And I'm not just pimpin' because I have a copy. In fact, the contributors have the hope that it WOULD be a useful convention and pick-up game resource.

Another thing that people learn is to avoid combat. Well, I have, but I’ve played RR more than anyone, but I’ve mentioned it to several people.

I have the exact opposite view; I've learned to use combat as a resource like anything else. If I'm stuck for an idea, or if things are getting bogged down by a derailing clue, then a combat can get people focused again. Here's where Round-Robin differs from every other standard RPG game: Combat doesn't refocus people, it gives them a chance to breathe! In play, you're taking in clues, keeping track of everything, keeping facts straight, so that when your turn comes you'll be ready. Combat is when you don't have to keep as MUCH track of items in play, and you can focus on one thing -- the opposition. You'll also notice that for the Round-Robin game I played in at NC Gameday, both of my turns had short combats in them. I was better at that, than advancing the plot in a meaningful way, and the fun part is, with Belen, Alenda, Adamantine, and you in it, I didn't need to.

Round Robin is the most mentally taxing and fun RPG variant I've played in a long time.

 

[Shadeus]

I just finished reading The Ironics from EN Publishing, and it seems like it might be an excellent resource for this game. 26 pregenerated PCs covering all 11 core classes, and statted out at 5th, 10th, and 15th levels. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog..._id=2739affiliate_id=31188&affiliate_id=31188
Not trying to pimp the product (since I had nothing to do with it), but it seems really well put together, and the 5th level PCs would work quite well in a round robin game. (10th & 15th might be too hard to pull off an adventure on the fly)

Thanks. I did write it for that expressed purpose. I was going to game days or doing one shots testing out adventures and creating characters always sucked and took away from the fun of playing. We tried using the iconic characters from Enemies and Allies but:

1. they were 3.0
2. contained numerous errors
3. had poor feat and questionable skill choices
4. never statted out the familiars, mounts, or animal companions!

So the goal was to create something for gamedays and such where DMs knew the stat blocks were right and the equipment was on par for a character of that level. Nice to see it is actually something in demand!

So I'll pimp just a bit.

 

[Desdichado]

Perhaps it was because I was so exhausted by Saturday, but I certainly was not at my best. I took over in the middle of combat, and that took most of my turn. I think Round Robin GM ing is a cool concept, but if I ever do it again I'll want to be well rested and thus up to quick thinking.

Hah! That's when I'm at my best!

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Thanks. I did write it for that expressed purpose. I was going to game days or doing one shots testing out adventures and creating characters always sucked and took away from the fun of playing.
<snip>
So the goal was to create something for gamedays and such where DMs knew the stat blocks were right and the equipment was on par for a character of that level. Nice to see it is actually something in demand!

Very nice job! I'll be used in my game for sure. As a followup, In The Tronics II, maybe you could do the prestige classes in the DMG and some traditional multiclassed PCs? Fighter/Wizard, Ranger/Rogue, and the like?

 

[Rel]

I just finished reading The Ironics from EN Publishing, and it seems like it might be an excellent resource for this game. 26 pregenerated PCs covering all 11 core classes, and statted out at 5th, 10th, and 15th levels. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog..._id=2739affiliate_id=31188&affiliate_id=31188
Not trying to pimp the product (since I had nothing to do with it), but it seems really well put together, and the 5th level PCs would work quite well in a round robin game. (10th & 15th might be too hard to pull off an adventure on the fly)

Is this the product that Ranger Wickett was pimping to the Game Day set? If so then it was exactly the product I was referring to while we were walking back over to the convention center (I think that was Ethernaut, der kluge, Piratecat and I having that conversation.).

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Is this the product that Ranger Wickett was pimping to the Game Day set? If so then it was exactly the product I was referring to while we were walking back over to the convention center (I think that was Ethernaut, der kluge, Piratecat and I having that conversation.).

Thats the one. I'll bring a printout to the Game Day for you to look at, but I'd recommend you buy one anyway. It's really good. Simple, effective, and great for easy access to characters on the fly.

 

[Rel]

Thats the one. I'll bring a printout to the Game Day for you to look at, but I'd recommend you buy one anyway. It's really good. Simple, effective, and great for easy access to characters on the fly.

Well my reply when he was pimping it was that it would be fairly useless to me because I almost always use pregens that are highly customized for the adventure (witness Sky Galleons and Orcz!). But for something more generic like Round Robin, I think it would completely rock. That's what made it pop to mind.

 

[Shadeus]

Very nice job! I'll be used in my game for sure. As a followup, In The Tronics II, maybe you could do the prestige classes in the DMG and some traditional multiclassed PCs? Fighter/Wizard, Ranger/Rogue, and the like?

You are a mind-reader. Let's see the interest in the first one before I devote another few months of my life to making another. But that was exactly my plan if it did well. The tough part there is deciding what to choose as a multiclass character. It also makes checking the stat blocks tough because the order you take the levels in matters.

 

[der_kluge]

This was an intresting read -

I had a post GenCon wrap up from a friend last night, who played in the friday night elven baby game. He mentioned the Round robin game as one of the good gencon memories, but specifically sited a weak begining and to many minor "dungeon crawl" like combats as the major problems. He was the DM responsible for the mummy, which he said he guessed would be the right CR. He plays more D&D than he runs, prefering to run Buffy, Mage, Ars Magica; so he was just winging a good challenge.

I am almost certain this was him, I dont know what he was playing but he mentioned casting scorching rays. Care to confirm?

That sounds right. He kept trying to draw it symmetrical, and I would oppose him on my turn. I think he played the spellcaster. Dark haired guy, IIRC.