Hey, I'm using Jeff and Brendan's 20 questions to help me get a feel for my upcoming Perdition campaign.
Hey, I'm using Jeff and Brendan's 20 questions to help me get a feel for my upcoming Perdition campaign. Never done it before. Highly recommended.
http://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html
http://www.necropraxis.com/2012/02/24/20-quick-questions-rules/
Sorry, Jarrett Crader I put the post in the wrong circle so your comment got nuked.
ReplyDeleteYeah I am a big fan of both sets of questions. I don't think I'd run a game now without answering them. They do a good job of helping you focus and explaining your setting (quickly) to others.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had known about these questions when I started a campaign off of a one-shot after never having run a game before.
ReplyDeleteI think for some of it, it's not too late.
Thanks, Casey G.
My comment was that I have a copy of Jeff's list taped in a notebook that I use during Session Zeroes with noobs or when starting a new campaign. Answering just 4 of them gives you a decent head start.
ReplyDeleteI'm not gonna lie, Andrew Shields, those are pretty long.
ReplyDeleteAnd there's 20 of them. But if your answer to "Who is the powerful wizard" is "Zagbut" then I'm not sure it's worth the bother.
ReplyDeleteI thought the point was to include information that would be useful to the players, help understand the setting's flavor, and give ideas for possible plot hooks or ways to interact with the setting.
I just quit using them. Maybe I'd benefit from seeing them answered well, as inspiration, since my efforts didn't work.
Andrew Shields I should've been clearer- I don't actually ask the players these questions, I just keep the list handy for myself in case something hits me while they're working on chargen. It's more of an exercise to cover my ass.
ReplyDeleteedit: nevermind, I misread your statement. either way, agreeing with others down the line- short and simple.
I never show them, I just take a couple of notes as I go.
ReplyDeleteI did look at the questions as something to show my players. Here are three of my answers:
ReplyDeleteWho is the mightiest wizard in the land?
a. Ephram Jackanape, a human magus, but he’s missing.
Who is the greatest warrior in the land?
a. Colonel Mavet, 2nd in command at Fort Rothachath.
Who is the richest person in the land?
a. Lord Ha’chavet owns the Triple Six ranch and Saloon 666 in Purgatory Creek.
It's also easier to be short when the answer is some variant of "No, not really, not here."
ReplyDeleteYeah, I didn't actually do all the questions. Only the ones that applied.
ReplyDeleteSure. But you can usually edit down long walls of text if you make some effort.
ReplyDeleteI like Jeff's questions especially because they give you a short list of player-relevant locations that you can place on the map.
ReplyDeleteNo need for players to read most of them beforehand, really. I think it is more engaging to learn the info through play anyways. Then players will perceive bits of info as discoveries rather than as homework.
Yeah, I'm not sure any of my players actually read those two blog posts. I still found them valuable to do. Helped me with some of the initial planning for the game.
ReplyDeleteI didn't use Brendan's list exactly, but here's what I wrote:
ReplyDeleteWhat are characters like?
Like 3rd or 5th edition characters, lots of bells and whistles and knobs to turn. Bonuses to stats and to attack and such tend to be big. You get new options every level.
How often will characters die?
About as often as ACKS I expect.
How about replacement characters?
Bump a henchman up to PC, or new character with 1/2 the Prestige of the dead character. That will generally be 1 level lower.
What's up with magic items?
Barely any. Bonuses all come from class powers.
You never give out magic items anyway.
Hey, fuck you, buddy.
Will we have to run from some encounters?
Most likely.
Save or die effects?
Yep.
Mortal Wounds table like ACKS?
Different Critical Ruin tables depending on what you got hit with. Also Critical Derangements for mental damage. Think Darkest Dungeon.
Strict encumbrance and resources or not?
Strict, I'm going to add the "Usage Die" mechanic to light and rations and other consumables. Except Ammo, you need to keep it in your inventory, but you don't need to track it.
How do we get XP?
You mean Prestige. From treasure. None from monsters unless an alchemist captures their essence. Also from political maneuvering with the Vile Congress. These are explicit actions that will help you come up with schemes.
Are we doing henchmen? And how do we make it so that it doesn't slow everything down?
Yes, there are henchmen, animal companions, etc, but the limit is 2. Also, they don't get their own actions. The PC gets a bonus to hit and damage from them and access to two of their powers. If they explicitly want the henchman to do something they have to use one of their actions. The action economy is not expanded.
So, back to magic items...C'mon, dude, wtf, even potions?
Oh, there's potions. Make sure someone in the party has the Alchemy skill. Make potions, grenades, and steal the essence of dead monsters.
Are you going to house rule anything?
Not much...Maybe initiative. The method in the book is 1d6 side-based or this clever initiative pool method that I haven't figured out a way to do in Roll20. Might just do it ACKS style. Plus the Usage Die stuff. And I'm adding a few Hats.
Hats?
Yeah, hats give bonuses to skills and you can choose to have your hat destroyed instead of taking a bad hit. Hats fucking rule.
Casey G. Hats do fucking rule.
ReplyDelete