The “Skip This” notes are somewhat superfluous (but help with comic description); those ref sheets would probably just end up back into the binder in my case…
Know the start, know the end, and try to fit the in-between for the session time allowed…
I’m actually in one of those games right now. I can’t complain too much though. We also get escalation bonuses, which I’m rather fond of, considering how many times I’ve had an inappropriate CR to deal with just in the current campaign.
Brian, I’m loving this series. Brett is fantastic! I too would like to hear more about these house rules. I’m always interested in more behind-the-scenes Karthun stuff, like your Magebound reveal. Keep ’em coming. Hell, I’d even pay for more content. I’m dying to see how Karthun barbarians work.
I don’t actually know if this is a house rule in 5e, but we’ve been using since 3.5 so meh: “Skill checks are a free action”. I did this to encourage players to think more creatively, and it’s led so some super cool moments. Including using dungeoneering to collaspe a castle tower via structural damage and using knowledge nature to find a certain kind of medicinal herb when the cleric was all out of *any* kind of healing
I may need to add that to my arsenal. I always love giving inspirations to have players to think more options through than just a simple ‘attack, move, attack’. To quote from Shadowrun, in Blackjack’s Guide to Bitter Gamemastering, in the article Do This, at http://www.blackjacksr.com/stuff/BlackjacksGuide/BlackjacksGuide002.htm there’s a bit where they say: ” the GM, pissed that he or she has to wait a full minute just to hear the PC say “I pop up and shoot” is silently screaming “Do this! Do THIS!” while two billion possible actions play jai-ali inside his skull. You just want to possess the player’s body for a few moments and have him shatter the coffee table, grab a piece of glass, and frisbee it under the door and into the NPCs foot. But you can’t and just sit around waiting for the PC to slowly say, once again, “I’ll pop up and shoot.”
So, yeah, anything I can do to help creative thinking like that. Exalted with its stunting rules for bonuses is another example I like to go with, giving bonuses in some way for the actions they take.
Long time listener, first time caller.
Great stuff as always Brian – very realistic peek behind the screen of a fledgling GM running a session for veteran players. That now extra prep Brett did can always be saved and re-purposed in a future session
I’m an old GM who has (more than once) written “Goblins?” (or such) on a sheet as my only prep and still done 3+ hours on stuff I remember from sessions I ran ages ago
We play something similar to that, but if it is a skill that requires action (disarm traps, pick locks, use rope) it’ll be a standard action. But anything else, like knowledges, spot, stuff like that… yeah, it’s a free action.
Only two hours to play? That’s a dang shame. Just what does everyone have going on, that they can’t squeeze in another two hours to hang with their friends, playing games?
The group has been at this for two hours already and Brett is showing some solid first time GM chops by trimming the remainder of what he has planned to fit into the last two hours of the session. Anyone that’s spent time behind the screen has done the “pacing math” and made similar decisions.
Just life, sometimes. My friends and I, scattered across a continent, get together every Thursday night to play. I’ve been playing with these guys for almost ten years one way or another and I wouldn’t ever want to leave the group. But some of us are parents, we exist in at least three different time zones and two (sometimes three) countries, our work situations vary wildly and so sometimes two or three hours a week really is all we can carve out. We figure, it’s better than none! 🙂
The only time I tried to GM a group of more than one it was a total disaster, and I’ve only been a player a few times in actual PnP sessions, but I love reading this arc and seeing the responses from seasoned veterans and GMs/DMs.
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I might have written each and every one of these notes to myself behind my own screen.
I might have.
But you can’t prove it.
The “Skip This” notes are somewhat superfluous (but help with comic description); those ref sheets would probably just end up back into the binder in my case…
Know the start, know the end, and try to fit the in-between for the session time allowed…
The notes are actually somewhat true-to-life, Liack. Some of us use them. Yes, even notes that “Skip This”.
I always preferred “recycle”.
It can be easy to forget “oh yeah, I skipped that” and be looking for the notes on the part you know is there.
Dear Brian, what are the house rules?
I might post them, Matt, but the influx of “well actually” from people is always huge when rules are involved.
Let me type them all up in a nice document and we’ll see.
long as it’s not like my first college DM whos house rule was you had to roll 2 20’s for a crit to count
‘Confirm’ the critical ..? Yeah, me too!
I’m actually in one of those games right now. I can’t complain too much though. We also get escalation bonuses, which I’m rather fond of, considering how many times I’ve had an inappropriate CR to deal with just in the current campaign.
I’ve had to confirm criticals with some GMs, but the second roll only needed to be high enough to hit to confirm.
That’s the default in 3.5rd edition DnD, if I recall correctly.
and Pathfinder (1st edition)
Brian, I’m loving this series. Brett is fantastic! I too would like to hear more about these house rules. I’m always interested in more behind-the-scenes Karthun stuff, like your Magebound reveal. Keep ’em coming. Hell, I’d even pay for more content. I’m dying to see how Karthun barbarians work.
A far better GM than we ever were
I don’t actually know if this is a house rule in 5e, but we’ve been using since 3.5 so meh: “Skill checks are a free action”. I did this to encourage players to think more creatively, and it’s led so some super cool moments. Including using dungeoneering to collaspe a castle tower via structural damage and using knowledge nature to find a certain kind of medicinal herb when the cleric was all out of *any* kind of healing
Ooooh. I like that.
I may need to add that to my arsenal. I always love giving inspirations to have players to think more options through than just a simple ‘attack, move, attack’. To quote from Shadowrun, in Blackjack’s Guide to Bitter Gamemastering, in the article Do This, at http://www.blackjacksr.com/stuff/BlackjacksGuide/BlackjacksGuide002.htm there’s a bit where they say: ” the GM, pissed that he or she has to wait a full minute just to hear the PC say “I pop up and shoot” is silently screaming “Do this! Do THIS!” while two billion possible actions play jai-ali inside his skull. You just want to possess the player’s body for a few moments and have him shatter the coffee table, grab a piece of glass, and frisbee it under the door and into the NPCs foot. But you can’t and just sit around waiting for the PC to slowly say, once again, “I’ll pop up and shoot.”
So, yeah, anything I can do to help creative thinking like that. Exalted with its stunting rules for bonuses is another example I like to go with, giving bonuses in some way for the actions they take.
Love seeing the transition from behind the DM screen in Part 23 to the new controlled chaos of this scene!
Long time listener, first time caller.
Great stuff as always Brian – very realistic peek behind the screen of a fledgling GM running a session for veteran players. That now extra prep Brett did can always be saved and re-purposed in a future session
I’m an old GM who has (more than once) written “Goblins?” (or such) on a sheet as my only prep and still done 3+ hours on stuff I remember from sessions I ran ages ago
“That now extra prep Brett did can always be saved and re-purposed in a future session”
It’s a lot like writing a book. Edit stuff out, but never throw it away. May come in handy someday.
I often describe playing RPGs to non-gamers (or fledgling ones) as writing a shared novel, movie or TV series with your friends
We play something similar to that, but if it is a skill that requires action (disarm traps, pick locks, use rope) it’ll be a standard action. But anything else, like knowledges, spot, stuff like that… yeah, it’s a free action.
Only two hours to play? That’s a dang shame. Just what does everyone have going on, that they can’t squeeze in another two hours to hang with their friends, playing games?
The group has been at this for two hours already and Brett is showing some solid first time GM chops by trimming the remainder of what he has planned to fit into the last two hours of the session. Anyone that’s spent time behind the screen has done the “pacing math” and made similar decisions.
Just life, sometimes. My friends and I, scattered across a continent, get together every Thursday night to play. I’ve been playing with these guys for almost ten years one way or another and I wouldn’t ever want to leave the group. But some of us are parents, we exist in at least three different time zones and two (sometimes three) countries, our work situations vary wildly and so sometimes two or three hours a week really is all we can carve out. We figure, it’s better than none! 🙂
The only time I tried to GM a group of more than one it was a total disaster, and I’ve only been a player a few times in actual PnP sessions, but I love reading this arc and seeing the responses from seasoned veterans and GMs/DMs.
Keep going, Brett, you’re fantastic! 🙂