What is your favorite zero-prep game for ongoing campaigns.

[Reynard]

I find myself in a situation where my schedule has gotten tight enough that while I can still carve out a couple hours to run a game weekly, I don't really have time to prep. I have run lots of no-prep games, but as one shots or short engagements (3 or 4 sessions, max, usually over a constrained time like a convention weekend). I have never run an ongoing campaign with a zero-prep paradigm, though.

If you have done so, what is your favorite system for an ongoing, no prep RPG campaign? Is the system built for zero-prep? If so, what built in tools make that possible. If not, what external tools are you using?

Any general advice for ongoing zero-prep? Do certain genres work better? What is a good number of players? What kind of format (ie episodic versus serial) works best for you?

Thanks!

 

[BookTenTiger]

Right now it's Ironlands! It's a great zero-prep game for a smaller group (I'd say 4 players max, one of them being the GM, though it's GM-optional). What makes it a great zero-prep system is that it has multiple "oracle tables" that you roll on to generate places, consequences, NPCs, plot hooks, and even enemy actions. There's also a system of "swearing an iron vow" that commits your character to resolving an adventure hook. Sometimes a consequence to an action is to take a new vow. This means that a single adventure can create hooks for following adventures!

I've run a few sessions now for a group of two players. In the first sessions we created the setting (through prompts provided by the game) and characters (took about 10 minutes), generated a starting vow, and played through about half an adventure. The first mission was pretty simple: rescue a helpful NPC in a distant location.

But as the players rolled, some consequences introduced new plot hooks and iron vows. For example, when attempting to establish a bond with an NPC, one character had to swear an iron vow to convince their own faction to join in with a broader conspiracy. Another character received a vision that if they sacrifice an enemy in the name of the Varou (wolf people), they will gain powers.

All these storylines were generated during the session. The only prep I did was to create a Roll20 game (there's great support for Ironlands on Roll20).

 

[Reynard]

@BookTenTiger
Do you mean Ironsworn? If so, I really like Me, Myself and Die and think there's lots of neat components to the system as presented on that series.

 

[BookTenTiger]

@BookTenTiger
Do you mean Ironsworn? If so, I really like Me, Myself and Die and think there's lots of neat components to the system as presented on that series.

Yes I do!

 

[aco175]

I kind of have things develop as we go along. I have the base town and a few NPCs from earlier games or lower levels and then add a few secrets to fill out more. I find it takes little time to add a couple things for the inn or the innkeeper and lay onto them the hooks. Part of your planning each week can involve one NPC and 3 secrets for them. This may spawn more for others to tie things together, but you only need the next ones.

Not as good as having more time to plan this out more fully or with more time to develop more before the campaign starts is always better. I find this works for a ok to fine campaign.

 

[Ath-kethin]

My favorite zero prep game at the moment is Dungeon Crawl Classics.

While not every part of every module can be run smoothly without reading it first, they're all close enough that I can coast by when I need to.

I've been running a regular campaign consistently meeting every Sunday since June or July, and it's been just about the easiest and most enjoyable TTRPG experience I've had since I started gaming back in 1993.

 

[payn]

I've been wanting to do a Battletech campaign where the players are PCs and I would run their opponents. Basically, at the end of each session the PCs decide which job to take next. Just pop out the enemies and roll dice at the beginning of each session.

 

[RivetGeekWil]

Blades in the Dark (or nearly any Forged in the Dark game). Current prep: a clock and half a sentence.

 

[aramis erak]

For me, currently, it's Talisman Adventures - if I need a plot, a d12 and d6 roll will give me a place, a couple cards from the boardgame will give me a big bad. And Travel will generate a lot of encounters to riff.

Twilight 2000 4E is a close second. It's a survival game. In 2000. 3 years after the start of WW III. (alt. hist diverging in 1992.)

 

[Reynard]

I kind of have things develop as we go along. I have the base town and a few NPCs from earlier games or lower levels and then add a few secrets to fill out more. I find it takes little time to add a couple things for the inn or the innkeeper and lay onto them the hooks. Part of your planning each week can involve one NPC and 3 secrets for them. This may spawn more for others to tie things together, but you only need the next ones.

Not as good as having more time to plan this out more fully or with more time to develop more before the campaign starts is always better. I find this works for a ok to fine campaign.

I think you misunderstood my question.