What is a West Marches game?

[overgeeked]

Off-topic, but Mystic Arts truly is one of the best newcomers to TTRPG content creator scene. I really dig his videos. A lot is "basic training" for DMs, but presented in such a good way that even as an experienced DM its just a joy to watch. And you still get to know some new tricks, at least in my case.

Yeah. He and his girlfriend do some great stuff.

 

[overgeeked]

Yeah. A lot of people did. Including Arneson and Gygax. That’s why the old books say the game is for 5-50 players. Ben Milton talks about this in a video I posted. The name is new, the style of play is as old as the game itself.

Here’s that video. I didn’t post it directly. It was in one of my old linked posts.

 

[Reynard]

I feel like you could use this format (with a few tweaks) for an ongoing open table superhero game.

EDIT: Now that I type that, i think it might work better from a playing villains perspective.

 

[dbm]

A read a while back about someone who did run a West Marches style supers campaign. They built a matrix of plots and enemies that connected to each character and would use that to spin up the session based on which players attended, pretty much spontaneously. Sounded cool…

 

[Reynard]

A read a while back about someone who did run a West Marches style supers campaign. They built a matrix of plots and enemies that connected to each character and would use that to spin up the session based on which players attended, pretty much spontaneously. Sounded cool…

In comics, villains tend to be more proactive. it would be fun to play like the Flash Rogues in a supers west marches game, trying to plan heists and stuff while avoiding the supers.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In comics, villains tend to be more proactive. it would be fun to play like the Flash Rogues in a supers west marches game, trying to plan heists and stuff while avoiding the supers.

The pre-Identity Crisis Rogues Gallery, back when DC supervillains weren't all-in on murder and rape, would be a great model for this, or the old Secret Society of Super-Villains. You could have all the fun supervillain economy NPCs like the Crime Tailor (a real character!) and so on helping the PCs and providing them info on jobs, letting them essentially pick from job boards.

And true to the West Marches model, the players would have to figure out what areas of the city which superheroes operated in, at what times of day, etc., and figure out where safe places and times to operate would be.

 

[Reynard]

The pre-Identity Crisis Rogues Gallery, back when DC supervillains weren't all-in on murder and rape, would be a great model for this, or the old Secret Society of Super-Villains. You could have all the fun supervillain economy NPCs like the Crime Tailor (a real character!) and so on helping the PCs and providing them info on jobs, letting them essentially pick from job boards.

And true to the West Marches model, the players would have to figure out what areas of the city what superheroes operated in, at what times of day, etc., and figure out where safe places and times to operate would be.

You could flavor the IC discord chat as CRIMR, where criminals go to trade secrets and swipe right on partners for their next heist!

 

[overgeeked]

A read a while back about someone who did run a West Marches style supers campaign. They built a matrix of plots and enemies that connected to each character and would use that to spin up the session based on which players attended, pretty much spontaneously. Sounded cool…

I think it would be fun. Just take a bit more buy in than normal from the players.

The pre-Identity Crisis Rogues Gallery, back when DC supervillains weren't all-in on murder and rape, would be a great model for this, or the old Secret Society of Super-Villains. You could have all the fun supervillain economy NPCs like the Crime Tailor (a real character!) and so on helping the PCs and providing them info on jobs, letting them essentially pick from job boards.

And true to the West Marches model, the players would have to figure out what areas of the city which superheroes operated in, at what times of day, etc., and figure out where safe places and times to operate would be.

I don't like supervillain games. But I get the proactive thing. You could easily do it as superheroes. Same idea. Criminals are committing crimes and the players have to figure out what areas are most hit, which are left alone and why, piece together the clues of any masterminds tying the crimes together, etc.

In some setups it's easier. Like the Days of Future Past timeline or similar where the villains have already won and the PCs are resistance fighters.