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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 3712003" data-attributes="member: 16069">Dungeon Crawl Classics #0 Legends are Made, not Born An Adventure for 0 Level CharactersTurn 10a: ReviewAt the end of each of the scenarios, which will all be ‘shop bought’, and for this lot from Goodman Games, I will attempt to explain what I, and the players, thought was good and bad about the product, perhaps explain any crunchy bits, or relate other tales.To begin with an extended word about my players.Cas is played by Mr. R. who in the real world fiddles with computers, I think, he’s worming his way up to a senior management post though so I shouldn’t think he even remembers how to switch a computer on, he probably has someone to do it for him. With 26 years role-playing games experience, he’s the senior partner (beating me by a week), he specialises in playing characters that try to manage the other players function, and everyone has a function, believe Mr. R. He’s prone to speculating the outcome of his characters actions, sometimes to the nth remove, like some chess grand master.Mr. R. (as Cas)- I pull down the lever swiftly, dodge right, tight against the wall, that should prevent any sudden attacks from the room beyond. I’ll have my longsword part drawn, and… hang on, I’ll place my bow down first so I can release the sword if the enemy is at a distance and get a couple of missile shots, remember I’ve got cover though. Ok, that’s it… What happens?DM- The door opens, the sound of music and laughter drifts towards you.Mr. R.- I sneak a look, careful once again not to spill my bow… keeping my hand on my sword just in case. What do I see? I’ve got +6 on spot, do you want me to roll, I rolled an 18 anyway, that’s 24…DM- There’s a tavern, it’s pretty full. Several farmers walk in giving you a funny look on the way.Mr. R.- (Thinks about it) Do any of them Detect as Evil?DM packs up books and goes home. It, of course, doesn’t help that I grew up with Mr. R.Mischa is played by Mrs. R., I know what you’re thinking, you’re right- Mrs. R. now bares the burden of living with Mr. R., I feel very sorry for her, and at the same time very thankful. In the real world Mrs. R. proof-reads science journals before publication, I think that’s what she does, lots of fact checking is involved, which comes in handy. Mrs. R. has been playing role-playing games for about 20 years, almost exclusively with Mr. R. Her characters are a lot less noisy and/or demonstrative, they do however get on with things, and they’re usually very clever. She also spends a little time during each adventure alternatively trying to save Mr. R. from a beating, or, more often, proving him wrong.Mrs. R. (as Mischa)- I drag Cas into the bar, sit him down with a drink and face him towards the likeliest looking quest giver. I’ll mingle but keep in earshot in case he starts offending people- I’ll cast Goodberry as soon as I can, it’ll save time in the long run.DM nods sagely.It should be noted at this point that having earlier decided that she would like to play a Druid, Mischa; Mrs. R has now decided that she’s like to play a Cleric, that’s her privilege, so in the next scenario she’ll be playing- Ala.Newt is played by Mr. W. who’s a website designer/controller, another IT wizard. He has been role-playing for approx 20 years also. He plays characters that almost always seek to undermine the hero, usually by doing fairly heroic things for less altruistic motives; he’s not after saving the princess unless she’s sitting on a treasure chest stuffed with diamonds. He is also possessed of a sense of humour, which almost always comes to the fore when someone else (Cas, for obvious reasons) is making an fool of themselves.Mr. W. (as Newt)- I’ll buy a drink and loiter, any of these rich farmers deep in conversation, any games of chance- likely marks.DM- There’s only one person that seems to be fully engrossed in what he’s doing.Mr. W.- One born every minute, I’ll sidle over, what’s he look like- the mark? What’s he doing?DM- He’s talking to a farmer about crop rotation, how important it is to get it right, he’s very passionate about it, oblivious to everything else that’s going on.Mr. W.- (Thinks a while) It’s Cas isn’t it? DM nods.Mr. W.- I’ve got +6 Pick Pocket, I’ll see what I can get, he’s gotta learn sometime.DM (turns to Mischa)- You’re watching this… Do you say anything?Mrs. R.- Nah, Newt’s gotta make a crust.Jim is played by Mr. A. who also fiddles with computers, there seems to be a lot of it about, either they’re extremely popular gadgets or they keep going wrong, or maybe it’s both? Mr. A. has been role-playing for approx 18 years; he bought the D&D 3.5E Players Handbook four years ago and has not read a word of it yet- they say he is an excellent DM. He makes for a, sometimes, quiet side-kick; he likes to be involved in the action, although he veers between the over-cautious and the, seemingly, fearless.Mr. A. (as Jim)- What spells can I cast?DM- None. You’re a first level Ranger.Mr. A.- Can I see Newt stealing Cas’ money, +4 Spot?DM- Yep.Mr. A.- Right if it gets out of hand I’ll punch him in the face.DM- Which one?Mr. A.- (Thinks) Hang on… has anyone got a dice I can borrow?Bec is played by Miss E., who’s the real time partner of Mr. A., in the real world she taps at a computer, I think, supervises a shift maybe. It’s not clear. Miss E. has been playing role-playing games for approx 15 years. She plays the same character every time, at least in the games I DM, the strong and almost totally silent type- the lug of a lad that basically means no harm, she’s as quiet as a mouse. Although very prone to ‘going off on one’, which usually ends, or rather starts, with acts of extreme violence and aggression- the term ‘tank’ also springs to mind.Miss E. (as Bec)- Er…DM- Bec?Miss E.- Is there a bar?DM- Yeeeeees. It’s a tavern.Miss E.- Right. Er…DM- Bec?Miss E.- Hang on. Er… I’ll go over…DM- And?Miss E.- Ask the barman…DM- What?Miss E.- Does it look like they do food?DM- Are you going to ask for a sandwich again?Miss E.- Er… OK.DM rolls randomly on sandwich filling table.And lastly, Miss P., who’s my better half. She spends her waking hours, and some of what should be her sleeping hours, managing a technical department (which among things deals with computers- insidious beasts); the rest of the time is spent forgiving me. Miss P. has been playing role-playing games for a little less than three weeks (at the time the above scenario was completed); she’s played twice then- obviously. She doesn’t like it, but she likes the idea of an imaginary new wardrobe, and will soon take to cutting up catalogues, she doesn’t like the idea that they’re animal skins she’s collecting, but understands that this is make-believe. Her ideal character, she says, is a Dalek. I’ve tried explaining- believe me.Miss P.- What’s everyone wearing?DM drops his dice.Miss P.- I strut around giving everyone a good eyeful, is everyone looking at me yet?DM- They’d be mad not to.Miss P.- Good.DM- Anything else.Miss P.- No, that’s it.And so onto the scenarioDungeon Crawl Classics #0 Legends are Made, not Born An Adventure for 0 Level CharactersOverall score out of 10: 6.8Play time: Approx 4.5 hours.Review:A good first scenario, nice idea that they start at 0th level and work their way up to a proper character class, also ensures that they’re good for a few extra hit points, saves and skills by the time they hit first level.The overall scenario, while nothing new, is well constructed, the players particularly liked the back way in, with its potential minor mishaps and monsters along the way- nice build up to the Ogre. Which was of course too easy- see quotes below. The kicker, the twist in the tail, the secret Wizards lab et al was again, perhaps, too easy.DMs Caution:The problem with role-playing with people with near enough 100 years experience is that they understand the full potential of their characters, even when they don’t know how they do it, what dice to roll, skill to use- Mr. A., they understand that Sense Motive is a good skill, that lots of traps look the same, that a lot of the times not saying anything is often the best policy. They likewise appreciate that encounters can be overcome in a myriad of ways, and yet they seem to love fighting, and therefore ‘tool up’ to ensure that they have the advantage wherever possible. They’ve developed techniques along the way that no matter how hard they try to role-play their character they’re not about to see them die when they know the right answer.Notes and Quotes:Everybody liked the Dire Skunk, this was indeed the moment that Jim decided that his Rangers mortal enemy would be Dire Animals, that may have been because the creature emptied its bladder on him.Mr. A. (Jim) says-“He’s pissed on me? Right that’s it… I hate them… Badgers, whatever it is.”Five of the six characters expressed delight that there were Fire Beetles to kill, they were disappointed that there wasn’t at least one Stirge; the pair being almost mandatory first scenario fodder.The poisoned mushrooms were avoided for the simple reason that they always appear here, in this type of scenario- yes, Ala’s a Druid, and therefore at one with all of nature, but mushrooms are almost always to be avoided, except for the single poisonous looking ones that either heal you to full or give you +1 on one stat for the rest of the day.Blogg, the Ogre, was too easy because, to quote Mr. R. (Cas)-“The end of level bad guy is always easy because everyone’s sub-consciously saving up for that moment, also, at lower levels, and in this scenario in particular, we knew what we were looking for.”He speaks like that- honest. I don’t know how anyone stands it for longer than a gaming session.In the alchemists (Suto’s) lab, after reading out the room’s description, ending in the silk cloak. Miss P. (Anya) says-“Did you say ‘Silk Cloak’, what colour is it?”To which, Jim asks, “Do you think it’s magical?”“That depends on the colour?” The captured carpenter made them laugh, as did the punchy Gnome, which also upset at least one of them.Mr. W. (Newt) says-“What d’you mean he hits me. I’m not knocked out. A? What’d he do that for? You can’t have Gnome-on-Gnome violence. It’s not right. We’re the little people, kind and gentle…”The others stare in disbelief.“There must be something wrong with him. In the head. He’s not right. It’s not Gnome-like.”And when there wasn’t time to finish the entire scenario in the same session, the reason we stopped was.Miss E. (Bec) says-“I’m starving. Can I have sandwich?”The final ending- Suto, and “The Voice Below”, proved to be somewhat of an anti-climax, possibly because, again, they knew most of what to expect, but also because of Suto, and I fudged it so he had all of his protections cast on him, and I cheated on at least two other dice rolls- the Hawk’s attacks included, it would have been more of an anti-climax if the bad guy got killed in two rounds by a summoned Hawk. And I made it so that Newt’s crossbow bolt killed the summoned Hawk. And when Suto failed his concentration checks, well… he didn’t- if you catch my drift. And still Suto was too weak, as for the Quasit, I didn’t want to give them the pleasure.And so, I think Mrs. R. (Mischa) should finish us of, she said, on spotting Cas swigging from a Potion of Healing, which he must have just ‘magicked’ up because he never told anyone he had it before-“Typical, Lawful Good, and a Paladin- and he lies. That’s you all over.”Thanks for reading.Next Turn: After the Party</blockquote>

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