TRPG General Chat

12:05 AM

@nitsua60 I deleted that thread. It was mostly back and forth about "why I get downgraded" [sic]. I appreciate you trying to explain to him but at this point I think that needs to go to meta or chat, we were up to 10 comments on that A to no good effect.

same discussion was happening on other posts too.

when my mod spidey-sense goes off that we're about to have a flameout, I've determined over time it's best for everyone to remove it from the main site asap.

Shalvenay

1:27 AM

hey there @daze413

daze413

ohai! @Shalvenay been a while since I been here. Holidays were really hectic.

Also, I have my doubts that one of my players is cheating. Fudging dice during group checks, overstating his spell slots and HP during play. Should I really start monitoring his character sheet secretly? :(

I should gather more evidence. Though another player has already casually called him out Out-of-game

BESW

12

Q: How do you tell someone you think they are cheating?

I am a player in a group with a DM who does not fully understand the rules of the system. Also in this group is a player who, so far as I can tell, is consistently breaking the rules, and giving other players bad advice which results in them doing the same. This situation presents a number of pr...

problem-players

daze413

yeah, read that a minute ago. Not that helpful as the question is about one player thinking another player is stretching the rules to benefit the party.

My player, I suspect, is fudging dice on initiatives. and stretching his spell slots to cast additional shield spells

BESW

It'd be important to figure out why, if he's doing it.

He may think he needs to do it for some reason.

If you can address that reason, then the symptom will cease.

daze413

yeah, wanna talk to him privately when I get the chance.

BESW

1:40 AM

The other player calling him out may be a good starting point for that conversation.

Just remember, it's about two friends playing a game together and trying to make sure it's fun for your friend.

daze413

I can't figure out why he's doing it, though. The encounters I've run so far have been nerfed one way or another by myself screwing up the rules or forgetting a creature's ability haha

d'oh! that guy was immune to force damage, he shouldn't have died with the magic missile spel... wellp, it's too late now.

BESW

He may have a feel for a reason.

eg, if he's had bad experiences in the past with overdifficult encounters, he may think he's only surviving because of the cheating.

daze413

we don't have RPG baggage. The only dm he's ever had was me, we're pretty new to the hobby. I think it's because he also DMs another group of his friends, and he's grown accustomed to that role (he never cheated before, as far as I can tell)

I think I read somewhere here about the difficulty of transitioning to being a player again as a DM

BESW

1:56 AM

It's definitely A Thing.

daze413

that failing (missing attacks, saves, checks) , as a DM, is part of the plan and nothing to worry about. While if you're failing as a player, those failures are cause for concern. He may have a problem with that.

BESW

D&D doesn't really lend itself to failing forward on a very granular level, no.

BESW

2:23 AM

Quick note toward a magic system: combine BGS relationships with Shadowcraft magic mechanics. Your relationship with a magical patron is the source of your power, and all magic you perform comes from interaction with that patron.

The relationship grants you a Magic skill which is rolled like Shadowcraft, except that consequences suffered from success-at-cost are inflicted on your relationship with the patron and must be resolved through interaction with them. You can also spend fate points on the relationship for effects, and be compelled in the same way.

I think this might be a good system to use for the Magical Egypt game, since magic in that setting comes from interaction with gods, fates, spirits, etc.

Shalvenay

@BESW -- that actually sounds like a very interesting way to handle magic at-large

BESW

(in Shadowcraft, magic never fails. If you fail a roll, you instead succeed at cost in the form of special consequences.)

Yeah, I think it'd be a good way to keep magic dynamic, whimsical, unpredictable, etc.

All your patron's agendas become part of the powers and limits of your magic. You could draw on magic from multiple patrons (in a traditional pantheon you'd be expected to!) but all their friendships and fallings out would become yours too.

BESW

2:41 AM

So, your patron always comes through when you call on them, but doing difficult magic means you've got a good chance of complicating your relationship with them.

@trogdor In the system outlined above, Ajani's werecat abilities would get modeled as an add-on to his relationship with Bastet.

So, for example if Bastet got miffed with Ajani I could spend fate points on that consequence to make it harder for him to do things in cat form.

trogdor

hmm

certainly interested in trying it out

nitsua60

3:56 AM

@mxyzplk Makes perfectly good sense--thanks. (Like I said, my own spidey-sense was tingling when I realized I'd written four comments in a row, and wanted to be sure I wasn't causing trouble.)

Joel Harmon

4:20 AM

@Zachiel I think the more technical term is 'false cognates'

nitsua60

@JoelHarmon I seem to recall the term "visual cognate"--but maybe I just had some crazy professor say that.

Joel Harmon

I got False Cognates from a language teacher friend

also, I recall you mentioning a Monk/Cleric multiclass the other day; did you ever expand on that? Alternately, I may be crazy.

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