I know what kind of hero I want to play.
If you want to play a particular Pathfinder or PAthfinder-compatible class or archetype, check with your DM. If your DM approves, go to that sourcebook and make your hero. (You and your DM will need access to that book fairly regularly to play that character in the game.) Your stats are +2, +2, +1, +1, 0, -1 arranged to taste.
Called by a Ritual of Thaumasia, your hero appears in the with your starting equipment.
IF you want to play something that may not be a traditional fantasy type--a Jedi Knight, or a My Little Pony original character, or a soldier from a first-person shooter or a Disney princess and you have an experienced DM, talk to your DM. MAybe they can “homebrew” you a race and class that lets you do that. (If your DM is also learning how to play or how to DM, homebrewing is not recommended.) But remember that you’re playing with other players--it’s not much fun for them if you’re doing all the hero-ing because you’re a dragon or a Battlemech or a Kryptonian and they’re not.
I'm not sure what I want to play.
That's okay. Do you want to play a Tough, Strong, Smashy hero? You're a Warrior. Or are you thinking of a Clever, Quick, Sneaky hero? You're a Trickster. Or do you want to be a Magic-User? You could be a book-wizard, seeking out magical tomes to learn new spells, or you could be a specialist, master of a school of magic or an elemental power, or a bear shaman or some other theme or type that defines your powers.
Next, did your hero grow up in the heart of civilization, in the uncivilized wilderness, or in the frontier area that may go back and forth between civilized kingdoms and hostile wilderness? Pick Civilized, Borderlands or Savage Lands.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Friday, March 23, 2018
What money is for in Thaumasia
I just read AngryGM's Nothing Here But Worthless Gold, and wanted to post some thoughts. If you don't want to read AnrgyGM's rant, the point is that the PCs don't end up doing that much with the huge amounts of money they tend to accumulate. (He doesn't seem to consider 3X campaigns that assumed fully functioning magic marts).
In Thaumasia, the heroes aren't going to be accumulating huge piles of cash and things easily converted to cash. Most of the valuable treasures aren't things that there's a liquid market for--magic weapons and most magic items are built for or by a specific person, and lose a lot of value in anyone else's hands, and besides, there aren't a lot of eligible buyers. You need a buyer with A) a big pile of cash, B) the ability and training to benefit from a magic sword and get your money's worth and C) doesn't already HAVE a magic sword. (Sure, maybe the one you're selling is better, but probably not--PCs keep the best sword and try to sell the old one).
One thing surplus magic items do is help contribute to the magical defenses of the kingdom. Orgnak the Unpleasant's Obsidian Blade of Evil may not do the players much good, but it counts towards the materials required to upgrade the frontier town's Temple to a Cathedral.
Another thing treasure does is provide new adventure hooks. Maybe the party fighter wants to wield the Dwarvencraft Axe of Sharpness, or maybe you want to gift it back to the Dwarven Lords (with the understanding of reciprocal gifting), maybe as an embassy from the King to upgrade relations with the Dwarven Lords (and raise your status in the kingdom).
In Thaumasia, the heroes aren't going to be accumulating huge piles of cash and things easily converted to cash. Most of the valuable treasures aren't things that there's a liquid market for--magic weapons and most magic items are built for or by a specific person, and lose a lot of value in anyone else's hands, and besides, there aren't a lot of eligible buyers. You need a buyer with A) a big pile of cash, B) the ability and training to benefit from a magic sword and get your money's worth and C) doesn't already HAVE a magic sword. (Sure, maybe the one you're selling is better, but probably not--PCs keep the best sword and try to sell the old one).
One thing surplus magic items do is help contribute to the magical defenses of the kingdom. Orgnak the Unpleasant's Obsidian Blade of Evil may not do the players much good, but it counts towards the materials required to upgrade the frontier town's Temple to a Cathedral.
Another thing treasure does is provide new adventure hooks. Maybe the party fighter wants to wield the Dwarvencraft Axe of Sharpness, or maybe you want to gift it back to the Dwarven Lords (with the understanding of reciprocal gifting), maybe as an embassy from the King to upgrade relations with the Dwarven Lords (and raise your status in the kingdom).
Thursday, March 22, 2018
I want to design the RPG that I want. The OGL exists, in its original d20 and its Paizo forms, and plenty of Open Gaming Content exists that can be incorporated.
Things I want my game to do:
1. Quick start, fast learning curve. Character generation and running your character's mechanics should be things new players master in one session.
2. Versimilitude. Players (and the GM) should believe that the world would continue in some form when the PCs are offscreen.
E6 lends itself to #2--the PCs become powerful in the world, but never powerful enough to overwhelm the world.
E6 lends itself to another design principle--with only 6 levels, I can benchmark things (spells, abilities) in three tiers (common, uncommon and rare). That helps 1st, 2nd and 3rd level spells to feel different, and to have design principles that make them 1st, 2nd, 3rd level besides just inflating numbers.
Things I want my game to do:
1. Quick start, fast learning curve. Character generation and running your character's mechanics should be things new players master in one session.
2. Versimilitude. Players (and the GM) should believe that the world would continue in some form when the PCs are offscreen.
E6 lends itself to #2--the PCs become powerful in the world, but never powerful enough to overwhelm the world.
E6 lends itself to another design principle--with only 6 levels, I can benchmark things (spells, abilities) in three tiers (common, uncommon and rare). That helps 1st, 2nd and 3rd level spells to feel different, and to have design principles that make them 1st, 2nd, 3rd level besides just inflating numbers.
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