A Thread For Random RPG Musings

[tkdguy]

While Middle-earth games assume the PCs are going to be good guys, I know a few people who enjoy playing evil characters. At least one MERP adventure (I forget which) allowed the PCs to take the villainous route.

I have a few MERP characters that are evil, although they work for themselves instead of Sauron. The animist is probably a priest of Sauron, however. I created them to serve as the antagonists for my main characters, who are of course heroes. I haven't played a lot of MERP recently, so this idea hasn't gone very far.

But maybe you can have a short-term campaign about villains set just before and during the War of the Ring. The PCs will be humans and half-orcs terrorizing Bree-land and the Shire under Saruman's orders. The PCs can be fighters, thieves, and assassins. They may be brigands accosting travelers or spies infiltrating the towns after the Rangers have gone to war. Their forces will eventually be routed during the Battle of Bywater, but allow the PCs a chance to escape, so they may continue their villainy somewhere else.

[Cygnia]

These past couple of weeks has me realizing I miss honest to goodness banter in my games, both IC and OOC.

[tkdguy]

I would have been all over this game in the 80s and 90s.

 

 

[Tjack]

I have nothing bad to say about G.I. Joe but if I had the option I’d rather play a S.H.I.E.L.D. or an U.N.T.I.L. game.  It would be all the same set up but I’d prefer those other universes to run around in.  The book itself looks like quality merchandise. Well prepared and illustrated.

[tkdguy]

One thought that crossed my mind was why learn a new system when you can recreate the GI Joe universe with the HERO rules.

[Tjack]

2 hours ago, tkdguy said:

One thought that crossed my mind was why learn a new system when you can recreate the GI Joe universe with the HERO rules.

    I’m as loyal as an old hound dog to the HERO System and the Liberty and Justice for which it stands.  But some folks haven’t been instructed in the ways of our one true religion. *coughcultcough* 😜

[Cygnia]

9 hours ago, Tjack said:

    I’m as loyal as an old hound dog to the HERO System and the Liberty and Justice for which it stands.  But some folks haven’t been instructed in the ways of our one true religion. *coughcultcough* 😜

Kult?

[tkdguy]

3 hours ago, Cygnia said:

Kult?

 

I regret never trying out that game. But I never found a group that was interested in it.

[Ragitsu]

Can second string/secondary combatants be more fun (or more rewarding) to play than primary warriors?

[tkdguy]

36 minutes ago, Ragitsu said:

Can second string/secondary combatants be more fun (or more rewarding) to play than primary warriors?

 

Depends on the group, but it's better to have the character shine in another area. I once played a mentalist who was a dedicated pacifist.

[Ninja-Bear]

55 minutes ago, Ragitsu said:

Can second string/secondary combatants be more fun (or more rewarding) to play than primary warriors?

Why not? If it scratches a certain itch you have. Just like not all combatants are the same either.

 

On 5/5/2022 at 9:30 PM, tkdguy said:

One thought that crossed my mind was why learn a new system when you can recreate the GI Joe universe with the HERO rules.

Because Hero System might be more tedious to build?

[tkdguy]

31 minutes ago, Ninja-Bear said:

Why not? If it scratches a certain itch you have. Just like not all combatants are the same either.

 

Because Hero System might be more tedious to build?

 

Possibly, but the character creation system in the game don't seem any less tedious. Also, if you have the vehicles supplement for HERO, you probably can use some of the builds there; just change the names.

[Ninja-Bear]

@tkdguy, I have Super Agents and you think I’d be able to make a G.I Joe type game? (Don’t mind me, I’ve been in a slump with gaming in general for awhile.) 

 

Technohol 13 has write ups of G.I Joe for The old Marvel Super Hero game. Now how playable that is? Not sure.

[tkdguy]

I once thought about translating Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura into a tabletop rpg. It would definitely be doable in HERO or GURPS. 

[Scott Ruggels]

On 5/9/2022 at 2:06 AM, Ninja-Bear said:

Why not? If it scratches a certain itch you have. Just like not all combatants are the same either.

 

Because Hero System might be more tedious to build?

 Create once, cry once.  Play for years.

[pinecone]

So. I purchased Mighty Protectors yesterday, just waiting for it to arrive...V@V III...:)

[Ragitsu]

Why is healing/the function of a healer at least somewhat frequently perceived as a burden in a way that other standard fantasy-gaming roles are not?

[Cygnia]

Because (nearly) everyone wants to live out their MurderHobo Hero fantasies by doing damage rather than actually buff/mitigate/heal/play support.  And those that do like playing healers/support are tired of the majority Standing In the Bad.

[Cygnia]

[Ragitsu]

7 hours ago, Cygnia said:

Because (nearly) everyone wants to live out their MurderHobo Hero fantasies by doing damage rather than actually buff/mitigate/heal/play support.  And those that do like playing healers/support are tired of the majority Standing In the Bad.

 

Pardon? "Standing In the Bad"? Do you mean that they're tired of the other party members unnecessarily getting into trouble that invariably results in wasted resources?

[assault]

36 minutes ago, Ragitsu said:

 

Pardon? "Standing In the Bad"? Do you mean that they're tired of the other party members unnecessarily getting into trouble that invariably results in wasted resources?

 

Those aren't Healers, those are Party Leaders.

[Ragitsu]

2 hours ago, assault said:

 

Those aren't Healers, those are Party Leaders.

 

Well...healers (typically Clerics/Priests in fantasy settings) do tend to have a high Wisdom score .

[Cygnia]

8 hours ago, Ragitsu said:

 

Pardon? "Standing In the Bad"? Do you mean that they're tired of the other party members unnecessarily getting into trouble that invariably results in wasted resources?

Yeah, the other party members Standing In the Bad.

 

(or, if you're playing a Face/Diplomat and you're trying to talk to the NPCs, the murderhobosother party members just decide to gank the NPCs anyways)

[Ragitsu]

On 5/21/2022 at 7:35 AM, Cygnia said:

Yeah, the other party members Standing In the Bad.

 

(or, if you're playing a Face/Diplomat and you're trying to talk to the NPCs, the murderhobosother party members just decide to gank the NPCs anyways)

 

There are ways to tackle that tendency to take healers for granted; even better, these methods work entirely in character.

 

Healers in general tend to be wise/shrewd/aware and D&D Priests/Clerics base the strength/breadth of their spellcasting capability off of their Wisdom score and so they are wise by default. Suicidal (or nearly so) overconfidence is decidedly unwise. If the party a healer finds themselves in consistently takes unnecessary risks, the healer is well within their rights to take a stand and make a speech about the value of prudence. Furthermore, while a healer (the more altruistic and less mercenary ones, anyhow) won't leave someone on the brink of death, they might elect to let smaller injuries heal on their own as a way of indicating that their talents aren't to be frivolously spent. Finally, divinely granted magic can be withheld; if an individual is jeopardizing a priest's mission through their reckless behavior, it shouldn't come as a surprise when a spell fails to work on said individual.

[Cygnia]

1 hour ago, Ragitsu said:

 

There are ways to tackle that tendency to take healers for granted; even better, these methods work entirely in character.

 

Healers in general tend to be wise/shrewd/aware and D&D Priests/Clerics base the strength/breadth of their spellcasting capability off of their Wisdom score and so they are wise by default. Suicidal (or nearly so) overconfidence is decidedly unwise. If the party a healer finds themselves in consistently takes unnecessary risks, the healer is well within their rights to take a stand and make a speech about the value of prudence. Furthermore, while a healer (the more altruistic and less mercenary ones, anyhow) won't leave someone on the brink of death, they might elect to let smaller injuries heal on their own as a way of indicating that their talents aren't to be frivolously spent. Finally, divinely granted magic can be withheld; if an individual is jeopardizing a priest's mission through their reckless behavior, it shouldn't come as a surprise when a spell fails to work on said individual.

I'd love to pull this off in a game one of these days...

 

Spoiler