25 February 2023

All My Rowdy Friends

Starting on Monday, I have a weekly game starting. I have two total d&d virgins and two that have only played 5th edition. It will be the perfect opportunity to start from scratch and try out #BroSR play.

There’s a dad and an 8 year old daughter, and then a brother and sister who are 11 and 13. We also may get visits from older sister (15) and mom; there is an outside chance we will get another 12 year old boy and his dad too. But four players and the Ref will start.

We will use my Crown & Valor as the rule book of record. 

We will play a deadly variety of the game. Death at -1. Dead PCs and even team wipes should happen fairly often. Players will learn to fight only when necessary - use small unit tactics and throw their henchman ahead of them when possible.

The several players will each keep several characters right from the start. Each player will roll up four sets of stats. One set will serve as the basis of their first PCs and the rest will wait in the Bullpen to fill in for that character when necessary. To that end I have developed a Bullpen sheet.

We will keep strict time records. To that end, I have developed a calendar for the game world and worksheets to keep track of PCs while they are away from the table.

With time rules, we can make training rules of a stricter nature, which encourages interpersonal relationships with NPCs and also gives the player an excuse to switch out characters.

We will keep strict time in the underworld, marking turns, wandering monster checks, torches and rations. To that end, I have developed a time tracking by sheet. The same sheet keeps time by hour in the wilderlands. 

We will make henchmen readily available, and I will strongly suggest taking them along as soon as they can. To this end, I have adapted reasonable hireling rules and Retainer procedures, and I have several likely candidates printed out on index cards ready to hand to the players. 

We will have a Patron game as soon as the players feel like they can handle the tactical element. I have not developed objectives but I have an idea of who the patrons are and what each one wants.

I have adapted the excellent ACKs domain rules for the table for when the several players get a PC to Name level. 

We will have aging, romance (offscreen,) marriages, births, deaths, and hopefully dynasties. Is this too ambitious? Maybe. But I would rather have the capacity ready to go than tack it on later.

But Monday is Session Zero! Almost three years to the day since I last Reffed or played. 

Here is a link to the Cyfandil campaign summary sheet. 

3 comments:

  1. So how'd it go? Everyone coming back for more?

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping in. I'm so happy to have visitors.

      Half the players had to call in sick. I was crestfallen! But it gave me a chance to go through my session zero procedures and re-calibrate what my Big Binder of Stuff needs (and in what order) so it was a huge success. Also, none of the players died.

      We are going to try session 0.1 Weds night. I'll put something up about it.

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