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Post by goosewillis on Oct 1, 2015 21:12:12 GMT
First off I want to give out a big Thank You to Mitch and Chris for creating such an amazing podcast. I am only through the first 8 episodes but I am already loving the ideas they have. So this will be my first time DMing and actually my second time doing a D&D campaign. I loved my first play through this game even though it was 4e and apparently that is the worst version ever. I have already gotten so many great ideas for my upcoming campaign. So without further ado let me get to the meat of this post. I wanted to try to make a new opening style for a campaign in which the players slowly build their stats as the first night goes along. They will have to roll for their stats to accomplish feats as they try to find their way out of a bad situation, city destroyed by a local volcano. I have spent quite a few hours on this idea and am hoping to get some input on it. I tried to past it to this page but the formatting got all jacked up so instead I will link it to google doc. I am looking for any and all input as to how I can make this better. The ideas I have in this document are just that, ideas. I am open for changing things around as the first night goes. Campaign Opening Session - docs.google.com/document/d/1-zZwdPAfibwQDVyG1wRUKl-Rzx7VttfHUCGGHnw9J1c/edit?usp=sharingStat Rolling Scheme - docs.google.com/a/d.umn.edu/document/d/1AgfdcQOmMxfvyis_hwrqe3YTdqILm9tqi4NUA2-VKOY/edit?usp=sharingThanks, GooseWillis |
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Post by joatmoniac on Oct 1, 2015 23:31:45 GMT
First off, welcome to the Block Party! Second off, amazing name and picture! I like the ideas here, and they are definitely a different approach that takes some thinking on the part of the player. I would definitely lay out some clear examples of how the stat acquisition process could work for them. i.e. build a bit of a story around the examples you have shown in the stat rolling scheme document. I like that in a lot of ways you have the character as a person in the forefront instead of the character as an adventurer in the forefront. The only issue that I see is that if the player has a very strong sense of what type of class that they want their character to be, and the dice does not smile on that idea. Granted, that is likely a fringe case given that A) you have three chances to roll well, and B) you can reduce some stats to boost others. I would establish a low end for stats to counter the 17 high end, as I know it to be common min/max mentality to truly dump a dump stat to boost a primary one. These are all statements/suggestions based on not knowing your party, so they may not apply completely.
Again, awesome name/profile pic, happy to have another Blockhead among us, and this is an awesome idea. Hopefully some of my comments are helpful!
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Post by goosewillis on Oct 2, 2015 14:17:15 GMT
First off, welcome to the Block Party! Second off, amazing name and picture! I like the ideas here, and they are definitely a different approach that takes some thinking on the part of the player. I would definitely lay out some clear examples of how the stat acquisition process could work for them. i.e. build a bit of a story around the examples you have shown in the stat rolling scheme document. I like that in a lot of ways you have the character as a person in the forefront instead of the character as an adventurer in the forefront. The only issue that I see is that if the player has a very strong sense of what type of class that they want their character to be, and the dice does not smile on that idea. Granted, that is likely a fringe case given that A) you have three chances to roll well, and B) you can reduce some stats to boost others. I would establish a low end for stats to counter the 17 high end, as I know it to be common min/max mentality to truly dump a dump stat to boost a primary one. These are all statements/suggestions based on not knowing your party, so they may not apply completely. Again, awesome name/profile pic, happy to have another Blockhead among us, and this is an awesome idea. Hopefully some of my comments are helpful! Hey Joatmoniac, Thanks for the greats comments. I also really enjoy my username and profile pic, GooseWillis has been with me for a long time. I like the idea of putting a "cap" on the low end of stats so that someone doesn't really dump out of it to boost something else. My initial thought though was that my restriction of being able to move a max of 2 points in or out of a stat would stop that but you have a valid idea. As far as revealing, or having an example of my stat rolling scheme, I kind of wanted to stay away from that. My reasoning for this is that I don't want to have my players know that they can move points from one stat to another until after we are done with the opening scenario. I don't want them to think that they can keep a borderline result for a stat and knowing that they can pump it later. And onto the subject of the players not getting stats to fit the class they want to play. Isn't that always the issue when it comes to rolling dice for stats? Again thanks for the input. I still have some time to modify this before we start so if you think of any other flaws I may have let me know. Thanks, GooseWillis |
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Samuel Wise
Demigod
Ready to Help...
Posts: 989
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Mousefolk
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Post by Samuel Wise on Oct 3, 2015 5:36:04 GMT
Welcome to the Block Party, GW.
What I've read of your ideas sound really good. I love starting the players in different ways to increase the flow of the game. I haven't done this, but I might consider it (I'm a new DM as well and am learning from everything found here, lots of good resources). Welcome again!
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Post by Vulash on Oct 13, 2015 14:03:06 GMT
First off, welcome to the Block Party! Second off, amazing name and picture! I like the ideas here, and they are definitely a different approach that takes some thinking on the part of the player. I would definitely lay out some clear examples of how the stat acquisition process could work for them. i.e. build a bit of a story around the examples you have shown in the stat rolling scheme document. I like that in a lot of ways you have the character as a person in the forefront instead of the character as an adventurer in the forefront. The only issue that I see is that if the player has a very strong sense of what type of class that they want their character to be, and the dice does not smile on that idea. Granted, that is likely a fringe case given that A) you have three chances to roll well, and B) you can reduce some stats to boost others. I would establish a low end for stats to counter the 17 high end, as I know it to be common min/max mentality to truly dump a dump stat to boost a primary one. These are all statements/suggestions based on not knowing your party, so they may not apply completely. Again, awesome name/profile pic, happy to have another Blockhead among us, and this is an awesome idea. Hopefully some of my comments are helpful! Hey Joatmoniac, Thanks for the greats comments. I also really enjoy my username and profile pic, GooseWillis has been with me for a long time. I like the idea of putting a "cap" on the low end of stats so that someone doesn't really dump out of it to boost something else. My initial thought though was that my restriction of being able to move a max of 2 points in or out of a stat would stop that but you have a valid idea. As far as revealing, or having an example of my stat rolling scheme, I kind of wanted to stay away from that. My reasoning for this is that I don't want to have my players know that they can move points from one stat to another until after we are done with the opening scenario. I don't want them to think that they can keep a borderline result for a stat and knowing that they can pump it later. And onto the subject of the players not getting stats to fit the class they want to play. Isn't that always the issue when it comes to rolling dice for stats? Again thanks for the input. I still have some time to modify this before we start so if you think of any other flaws I may have let me know. Thanks, GooseWillis I like this idea! It's a creative way to approach the character build night I think. Just for clarity: What happens if I roll my strength on the first check, and get say a 16 and decide to keep that, and then am faced in the future with a potential strength check. Do I just then roll the check as normal and not reroll the stat? And to answer your question about a player not getting the right stats to play a class: The answer to that is not really because by all the new conventional dice rolling methods players can swap stats around - so they'd always put their highest number in the requisite stat. In the old days that wasn't supposed to be the case. Now with the point buy system there is no risk (We still roll, it's more fun!). Having said all of that, I think you've built in enough fail safe's that that shouldn't happen often unless the player gets greedy - although that might happen. If I wanted to play a wizard and rolled a 12 I'd reroll it when I could. If I got a 13 next I'd reroll that as well, and might end up stuck with a 9 that I couldn't move up or down at all. How experienced is your group? Are you playing with people that only play their set classes? I think if it's a flexible group as long as you let them know that the class will be determined at the end of the first session you should be fine. Some people might initially buck a bit if they are set on a class, but sometimes in D&D you have to be flexible and just enjoy trying something new, and this is a neat idea to try. For example, I normally prefer a wizard - or I'll map out a specific idea if I deviate. If I was going into this game as long as I knew up front I couldn't do that, I'd just let the dice determine what I was going to play and roll with it. One comment I'll offer if I may be so bold as someone who has DMed awhile and has a very analytical/logical way of approaching things. You've obviously put a lot of thought and time into this, and mapped out the many ways it can go. I really like how you've designed this thing, and can't wait to see what else you do in the future if this is your first run at it haha. I would be careful after this "stat building" session of mapping things out too carefully because your characters will absolutely deviate from your plan in ways you'll never see coming. It was always a point of frustration for me early on, and I had to learn to just go with the flow a bit more. Since you're listening to the DM Block I'm sure you're quite aware, but I thought I'd throw it out there. I don't even bother coming up with the different solutions my players might take anymore - I just put in the problem and let them go to town. Again, I think what you've got here is wonderful and absolutely works for a first character building session, and then I expect your players to start blowing up plans after the first few sessions! EDIT: One more comment! If you're players aren't the type to get upset at not getting to play exactly what they want this could actually work out to your advantage! If you get a player that creates his backstory with an obvious route in mind, and the numbers steer him somewhere else (maybe he hadn't intended to play a strong character, but after bursting through the door on the first roll he became inspired and deviated - and now the character with the bookish background is a strong man class (fighter or barb?) with a passion for reading and history) you could end up with some amazing character dynamics that really break out of the usual tropes. It'd be awesome if you came back and let us know how it goes and what classes you end up with! |
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Post by goosewillis on Dec 11, 2015 15:09:44 GMT
So I finally started this campaign and thought that I should give you all an update. Well it didn't go quite as well as I had planned. My players had ideas for what they wanted to be before the night started so I had to do a lot of improvising. Overall it was a total blast and things ended up well for everyone in the end, well except for one player. He really wanted to play a artificer and his roles were just awful. So I had a little improvisation for him after the night. He was approached by Roderick aboard the ship and given a potion. It allowed him to swap to stats but would need to lose 2 combined from any stats. It wasn't all that much of a swap to do and it got him into a class he really wanted to play.
As this being my first time DMing I learned a lot about the game on the run. It is so much fun having the power and knowing what is in store for the characters. Cannot wait to keep this going. Thanks for all the input.
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Post by DM Kiado on Dec 29, 2015 21:36:52 GMT
I like all this man. I just saw it, but I like the idea, and how you laid it out. (I need to start reading everything on here!)
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Post by whipstache on Dec 29, 2015 23:19:44 GMT
I like all this man. I just saw it, but I like the idea, and how you laid it out. (I need to start reading everything on here!) It's really hard to keep up with the glutinous fantastic ideas and info on the forums. It's just... gold. And good on you, Goose. |
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