« first day (3371 days earlier)      last day (1891 days later) » 
00:00 - 22:0022:00 - 23:0023:00 - 00:00

Ben
Ben
00:00
And then there's the issue where people don't specify the system, wihch immediately makes the question unclear.
The system tag is essential, the other tag, not so much
Medix2
Medix2
They're certainly helpful in finding duplicates I find (and searching for similar/related questions)
But yeah... I'm still trying to figure out tags, they're (I think) the part of this site I'm most unsure how to use
Ben
Ben
I had similar issues with them originally too. I was used to sites where you had to add as many tags as possible to get people to find our question.
Medix2
Medix2
Yeah same, but then this one limits you to 5 whereas I was used to tens of tags
Ben
Ben
On SE though, it's not quite as necessary to have specific tags. System tags, game tags, perhaps, if the particular mechanic is itself something of a thing, it can help narrow it down... but any more than 3 tags is overdoing it in most cases
Medix2
Medix2
Besides the multi-classing ones where you're basically always gonna have four or five tags
Ben
Ben
00:08
I rarely use more than 2
Medix2
Medix2
Ah, I'll use the system, [multi-classing], and the composite classes
Ben
Ben
Yeah, in my mind the last two can be covered in the question.
Going back to my earlier point, the class tags are only worthwhile if you have the system tag. And in regards to the ta wikis, a generic class tag like "fighter" can be a every different thing, depending on the system you're using, so the tag wiki needs to reflect that, making it difficult to define
Medix2
Medix2
Yeah... I'm just gonna keep using tags like how it seems they already have been being used
Ben
Ben
Not saying you're wrong to do it one way or the other. That's kinda my point. The system has rules, but it being used in ways that don't follow those rules. By lots of different people in lots of different ways. I could be the one using it the wrong way - maybe you could be too.
Ultimately though, so long as the question is identifiable by the people using the system, either by way of clearly defining the subject matter through tags, or outlining the specifics in the question, then the system works.
 
2 hours later…
Vaillancourt
Vaillancourt
02:52
Hello! I'm a fan of Richard Scarry's books (for my kids), and of Dungeons and Dragons. I'm looking for "word books" set in a D&D style setting (also for my kids). Gotta train them at early ages :P
I've googled, but haven't found anything relevant :(
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
hey there @Vaillancourt, welcome to the RPG.SE lair :) (and I'm not familiar with anything of that ilk)
Vaillancourt
Vaillancourt
@Shalvenay Thanks! Yeah, the google seems not filled with that; either my GoogleFu is weak, or well, no one thought it would be a good idea to show ugly orcs, and people fighting to toddlers :P
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
03:07
@Vaillancourt yeah :P if I was getting some youngsters started with TTRPGs, I wouldn't be inclined to go with D&D
Vaillancourt
Vaillancourt
Yeah; that's basically the only thing I've played, personally (including pathfinder), so that's the only thing I know. I heard someone telling me they just showed the Monstrous Compendium to their kids :P
V2Blast
V2Blast
03:29
@Vaillancourt What do you mean by "word books"?
I'm not familiar with Richard Scarry
that said, there are 2 D&D books for young kids: 123s of D&D and ABCs of D&D
For older kids (probably teens?) that can read on their own, the Young Adventurer's Guides might be more their style
Vaillancourt
Vaillancourt
03:46
@V2Blast "Word books" are often books where scenes are drawn, with words are written all over the place; or on the margin. It's basically a way for grown ups to share knowledge about the world to the young, through images, before they can read.
@V2Blast Ah, I'll take a look at those ;) Thanks!
Yuvraj Singh...
Yuvraj Singh...
Actually I have exam in front of me toughest entrance exam, JEE and I am going through intense pressure, playing half an board game really help me.
Hot RPG Questions
Hot RPG Questions
04:05
5
Q: Dominate Person Quandary

CrimReiA mage cast dominate person on two gnolls, and both failed their saving throws. He does not share a language with them, but an ally coached him in Gnoll to tell the gnolls to follow another that ally's commands, the one who knows Gnoll. Would this work?

spells dnd-3.5e mind-control
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
Mandalorian; that's a pretty good series. We got to watch first 3 episodes.
V2Blast
V2Blast
04:49
@Vaillancourt Glad to help!
@KorvinStarmast Nice. I've been enjoying it. Just watched the latest 2 episodes last night
 
4 hours later…
kviiri
kviiri
08:48
I used to like the Richard Scarry animated series as a kid. I think my brother had a book of the same characters too
 
3 hours later…
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
11:35
@V2Blast It has an interesting feel to it... looking forward to more.
 
1 hour later…
goodguy5
goodguy5
12:47
damn it. fanatic lost again
 
1 hour later…
Medix2
Medix2
14:15
@KorvinStarmast I really like that question you opened, I'm surprised that never came up in the two campaigns I've been in that had Abjuration Wizards
Yuuki
Yuuki
14:34
@goodguy5 Which e-sport? Also, it's weird to see it as "Fanatic" when I'm so used to "Fnatic".
Or "FNC".
Medix2
Medix2
I'm honestly just used to the logo
goodguy5
goodguy5
@Yuuki lol, I mean the badge. I had a good day streak going. maybe 25 days? and didn't check the site yesterday
I think my longest streak was like 75 days and I was real sad when I lost that.
Yuuki
Yuuki
Ah, the holiday season is always a killer for that badge.
goodguy5
goodguy5
I'm eventually going to need to set an alarm on my phone.
Medix2
Medix2
I got it without realizing it existed
Yuuki
Yuuki
14:38
I can't remember what my longest streak was.
But it was close to a full year, IIRC.
Man, I freak out every time I see the Impact stat.
~5.1 million people reached? That can't be right.
Medix2
Medix2
That's... wow, that's a lot of people
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
@Medix2 uh, which one was that?
Medix2
Medix2
@KorvinStarmast Apparently I can't @ the right people... I got the "vaguely blue icon" part right
Yuuki
Yuuki
@Medix2 It has to be doubling up or something. There's no way 5.1 million unique individuals have looked at my questions and answers or something.
> The impact value is an estimation of the number of people you helped with asking questions and posting answers. It is a sum of all the views on those questions plus the views on posts you answered provided your answers meet certain criteria.
Medix2
Medix2
"It is a sum of all the views on those questions plus the views on posts you answered provided your answers meet certain criteria." (link
Yuuki
Yuuki
14:49
Yeah, that doesn't seem to filter out unique IPs or something. Someone could have looked one of my questions and then one of my answers for another question and counted as two people not one.
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
@Medix2 my confusion is "what question" did I reopen, I am guessing one by Yuuki?
> I really like that question you opened, I'm surprised that never came up in the two campaigns I've been in that had Abjuration Wizards
Yuuki
Yuuki
@KorvinStarmast Probably not, I haven't asked a question on RPG.SE in forever.
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
that amplifies my state of confusion (which is like turning up the volume on a song by the Kinks ...)
Carcer
Carcer
eh, they're counting views on questions/answers and only filtering uniqueness within a given question
that makes sense
it's just misleadingly labelled on the profile
Medix2
Medix2
@KorvinStarmast Oh yeah, I meant to @ a different user... it wasn't your question
Carcer
Carcer
15:02
tooltip offers the more accurate "Estimated number of times people viewed your helpful posts"
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
@Medix2 cackles Ok, now you have me intrigued. What question? ;)
Medix2
Medix2
5
Q: Which absorbs damage first: temporary hit points or Arcane Ward?

Ryan C. ThompsonSuppose I am an abjuration wizard with 3 temporary hit points and 5 hit points on my Arcane Ward. If I take damage, which hit points absorb damage first? For example, what will be my status after taking 4 damage? Will this damage force me to make a saving throw to maintain concentration? (In case...

dnd-5e damage wizard hit-points temporary-hit-points
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
Not sure what it is about this song, but the chorus was one of those ear worms that got into my head in high school. It was a few years later that I actually took a good hard look at the lyrics, and then I really liked the song.
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
15:18
@Medix2 Medix, what is your thought on my comment here I find the decision to close puzzling.
@Miniman Why the close vote on this Q? See my comment here For my money, the scope was narrow enough given the prime goal being support.
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
@KorvinStarmast Did you deliberatly link to the same comment in both messages?
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
@Someone_Evil yes, because I want two different opinions. (And miniman voted to close) And heck, I'd like your opinion as well. :)
Medix2
Medix2
I wouldn't think it's "opinion based", if anything not enough detail for an accurate explanation of the best level ordering
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
Hmm... I just spotted a certain word in the question..
Medix2
Medix2
what order should I be leveling up in the classes from now on? --> What order of leveling up would best accomplish my goals
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
15:26
I'm not suggesting it needs to be changed. The takeaway from mxy's answer is that the question also needs goals and/or criteria, which I think the question has. However, it doesn't have overly much of it, which might have made some found it to open ended
Medix2
Medix2
It originally didn't have those goals though
Ah nevermind, looks like the close votes all came after that was added
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
Right, I'll change the title, to fit the question. That's an issue as well.
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
It has gotten two (IMO) good answers, which argue their points well. That seems like it is very much not primarily opinion based.
Oh, wait, it isn't called that anymore
Maybe we need a meta discussion for how we want to handle the 'opinion based' close reason now that the wording is changed
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
@Someone_Evil I edited it, but I am pretty sure it will stay closed.
Medix2
Medix2
It was closed on opinion after the wording change, no?
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
15:35
@Someone_Evil Oh, let's not go there again.
@Medix2 seems that way.
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
@KorvinStarmast Is this something I missed?
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
I look at it this way. IMO, it was clear enough that an answer based on "support primary" was the ask. Five other people felt otherwise. The stack working as advertised. :)
@Someone_Evil Well, I got rather disgusted by a bunch of people declaring that any answer with 'DM calls it' is "opinion based" and it tooks some community effort to correct that (censored)
And I am not interested in seeing that can of words opened up again.
@Someone_Evil ALso, your should question on Meta is one of my favorite meta questions ever. :)
Medix2
Medix2
Should I just make one big comment linking all the related questions found under this one: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/161797
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
@Medix2 Let's give the querent time to think about it and come back to us with a response
Medix2
Medix2
That's a really good point, glad I asked on here then, learning new things is fun (genuinely)
Yuuki
Yuuki
15:43
hmm i kinda want to play a circle of spores druid
goodguy5
goodguy5
Is the right answer (that I'm considering writing) to that "how to calculate the CR of a group" just:

5e doesn't handle it that way, go by xp instead?

then examples and citations, obviously
lmao @KorvinStarmast, great minds on that comment
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
@goodguy5 yes, :)
goodguy5
goodguy5
I'll leave you to it. I think there'd be a lot of overlap if I answered.
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
I actually can't answer right now, so you are clear hot for answering that Q. RL summons me!
goodguy5
goodguy5
hrmm..... I'll consider it. I need to get some food in me before I turn into a hungrysaurus
Medix2
Medix2
15:46
TIL the hungarosaurus is a thing
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
@Medix2 They look appropriatly grumpy, do they not?
goodguy5
goodguy5
hwwat
I was just kidding
Yuuki
Yuuki
Kobolds!
Medix2
Medix2
@Yuuki Where'd you (or somebody) get the art?
Yuuki
Yuuki
> Featuring artwork from the talented Whitemantis
also, not made by me
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
15:56
@Yuuki I assume this is meant to exist with some other homebrew material, because the Urd feat references racial feats the dragonborn do not have
Yuuki
Yuuki
The author is working on a series of draconic reworks/homebrew.
So I think it draws from this dragonborn homebrew.
Yep, it adds sub-race options for Dragonborn.
One of which has Wings.
And one has Hardened Scales.
Yuuki
Yuuki
16:08
user image
And sun dragons!
user image
That Supergiant Collapse feature on the Ancient Sun Dragon sounds really cool too.
> When the dragon dies, its body rapidly collapses in on itself, causing an impossibly powerful implosion that tears open a gate to the Astral Plane. The gate originates where the dragon died. Each creature within 30 feet of the gate must succeed on a DC 26 Strength saving throw or take 55 (10d10) force damage as it is sucked through the gate to a random location on the Astral Plane. The gate then closes. The gate is one way and can't be reopened.
Each of the dragons has their own version of the ability.
goodguy5
goodguy5
16:31
Supergiant Collapse is pretty cool
Medix2
Medix2
@goodguy5 Like, of a star?
goodguy5
goodguy5
like that, yes
Carcer
Carcer
16:49
Supergiant Collapse is my Muse tribute band
Medix2
Medix2
With a cover of Supermassive Black Hole no doubt
Yuuki
Yuuki
17:09
I also like the idea of sun dragons being incredibly territorial and self-centered (where they have to be the dominant creature in their territory) but apparently also very altruistic.
I suppose it sounds a bit like noblesse oblige.
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
17:23
@Yuuki Is this a home brew or is this from a different book that I don't have yet?
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
@KorvinStarmast Seeing as the art is from a magic card, it's definitly homebrew
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
I still like it. :)
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
hey there @KorvinStarmast and @Someone_Evil, how're things going?
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
But the stats on Wyrmling and Adult need to be toned down. Way OP.
@Shalvenay Cool ness abounds, though I am at work today.
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
@Shalvenay A have a bowl of still warm roasted and salted almonds and a (jule)beer, so things could definitly be worse
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
17:38
doing alright here, got worldbuilding on the brain a bit
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
What sort of world are you building?
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@Someone_Evil got an old worldbuilding problem from a long-dormant D&D char that has me puzzled, for one...also, still need to figure out some stuff for my current campaign (DW, but in quite an unusual world)
Yuuki
Yuuki
@KorvinStarmast Went through the comments and found this:
> Recalculating, the wyrmling is actually CR 6 as presented in the image above. Intended revision is to lower its HP to 85 (9d8+45) to keep it at CR 5! (And it's proportionally more accurate to the intended balance vs. other wyrmlings.)
KorvinStarmast
KorvinStarmast
@Yuuki coolness, I'd like to see more on that. I love, simply love, the concept, but the stat blocks are just wrong, as compared to other dragons.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@Someone_Evil if you wish to help, I can see about having someone unfreeze my spoil-lair after all this time...
kviiri
kviiri
18:04
Yo folks
MikeQ
MikeQ
Happy Decemberween
kviiri
kviiri
^ Yes, that!
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
hey there @kviiri and @MikeQ
kviiri
kviiri
@Shalvenay Hello hello!
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
how're things going?
MikeQ
MikeQ
18:11
For your worldbuilding problem, I think the best solution is laser swords
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
pah :P
kviiri
kviiri
@Shalvenay Doing the last bits of Christmas prep for tomorrow :> (we celebrate Christmas mainly on the 24th)
Going to visit my parents tomorrow, SO's parents on the 25th, her extended family in Western Finland from 26th onwards
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
ah
kviiri
kviiri
I love being on vacation
MikeQ
MikeQ
@Shalvenay Okay, if not laser swords, what about mechas that are shaped like animals? Like zords or zoids?
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
18:20
lulz
MikeQ
MikeQ
@Shalvenay So what is this worldbuilding problem anyway?
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@MikeQ trying to figure out what options a nomadic civilization would have when it comes to ironwork
MikeQ
MikeQ
Hmm... Even if they didn't have their own mining networks, they could still get iron and knowledge via trade with other civilizations.
So you could probably give them whatever everyone else has
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@MikeQ yeah, I'm actually kind of wondering if my question extends to hotwork of metal altogether
because the issue isn't knowhow (they were smart enough to figure out copper alloys and meteoric iron on their own, and picked up hot ironwork from inter-civilzational contact rather readily), or access to ores (while the steppes probably aren't rich in bog iron, they have access to areas with intermittent rock outcrops that are often rich in iron ores)
but "how do you manage the infrastructure needed for hot metalwork, esp. ironwork, when you're on the road all the time?"
kviiri
kviiri
18:37
Travelling forges are a thing, but I'm not sure where they date at earliest. I can, however, imagine them being relatively low-tech in the sense that they could've been invented fairly early in a usable format.
Yuuki
Yuuki
MH4 Cutscene: Departure
►
writ large
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@kviiri yeah, the idea of a traveling forge was what I was envisioning, I just didn't know how practical such things would be for a civilization that relies on animal-drawn wagons
kviiri
kviiri
@Shalvenay But looking at something like this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloomery I don't think it's implausible that a furnace like that could've been constructed on the road, or moved along with the pack
You could cut up a clay furnace like that into ring-like pieces, then assemble it using sand or fresh clay as binder
related: The Oven of Ahknai
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
yeah, or even built whole on a heavy wagon frame
kviiri
kviiri
I'm really amazed by how good humans were at metallurgy before we understood the underlying chemistry
In fact I'm so impressed that I don't think I should even use "we" there because ancient metalworkers probably were waaay ahead my savvy when it comes to practical metalworking. The only edge I have on them is a veeery thin layer of book smarts
Yuuki
Yuuki
18:47
To be fair, that was their living.
kviiri
kviiri
Yes, of course
Yuuki
Yuuki
I imagine I'm much better at programming than ancient metalworkers even if I consider myself objectively bad at it.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
in fact, I'm wondering if a hot blast system could be implemented on a transportable-scale furnace?
V2Blast
V2Blast
@Shalvenay I went ahead and did it for you :P
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@V2Blast thanks!
Hot RPG Questions
Hot RPG Questions
18:55
7
Q: Is Holy Surge Strictly Better (and less expensive) than Holy?

JoshuaDThe DMG (p225) has the Holy enchantment listed as costing a +2 enchantment. The MIC (p36) has the Holy Surge enchantment as costing just a +1 enchantment, and says: A holy surge weapon functions as a holy weapon (DMG 225). In addition... (it does other cool stuff) Am I correct in reading t...

dnd-3.5e magic-items
 
1 hour later…
MikeQ
MikeQ
20:23
@Shalvenay Something to think about: How often do they settle and how often do they migrate?
kviiri
kviiri
That's a good point. Nomadic doesn't necessarily mean "always on the move".
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@MikeQ they're much more migratory than settled, encampments last from a day or two to perhaps a couple weeks tops?
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
Do they need much metal? Are there others with whom they can trade? Are encampments reused?
kviiri
kviiri
How come they migrate so often?
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
Also, magic?
MikeQ
MikeQ
20:30
1-2 days encampments? That's not nomadic, that's a road trip. Are they traveling to some destination? What's the hurry?
Yuuki
Yuuki
Some Mongolian nomadic peoples move twice a year, in the winter and the summer.
kviiri
kviiri
Now I want to google how often Sami reindeer herders move
Yuuki
Yuuki
Yeah, one thing to think about is why these people move.
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
@kviiri Pretty sure it's a similar cycle
Yuuki
Yuuki
It'll help with determining how often they move.
MikeQ
MikeQ
20:39
Even migratory animals tend to settle in an area for a while, and then move when needed - Usually in response to predators, climate/weather changes, or availability of food
kviiri
kviiri
@Someone_Evil I dunno, I asked my SO who has been to Lapland way more often than I have and she thought they are about non-stop on the move. More frequent cycle would make sense given much less ample fodder
Someone_Evil
Someone_Evil
@kviiri As I understood it, I don't think raindeer are herded activly throughout the year, but I'm willing to be proven wrong about this
kviiri
kviiri
But she's only human too
(^ don't tell her I said that)
Yuuki
Yuuki
@kviiri This sounds like a personal problem that can be overcome with willpower and effort.
Akira_Kurusu
Akira_Kurusu
Got a pretty complicated action-economy related question for D&D 5e if anybody wants to check it out.
MikeQ
MikeQ
20:41
Where are they moving to? Won't they eventually run into other people? Or coastlines?
Yuuki
Yuuki
@MikeQ They'll just bounce off of them like a Windows/DVD screen saver.
MikeQ
MikeQ
Otherwise you're looking at a perpetual caravan, who relies mostly on trade and/or raiding (and/or magic) rather than a self-sufficient economy, since they can't really establish farms or crafting centers
kviiri
kviiri
@Someone_Evil Hmm, yeah. At least in Finland there are fifty-something reindeer herding districts and I think they don't really "keep" the herd intact at all times
Can't claim much expertise on this though
@MikeQ Yeah, I agree with this. The other alternative might be that they're indeed pastoral but resources are so scarce that one cannot stay in one place for as long as real-world pastoral cultures, but at that point it's likely to be a very vulnerable lifestyle anyway.
BESW
BESW
Nomadic doesn't mean being constantly on the move, and it only takes a few days to set up a simple forge. Also, nomadic herding cultures only happen after domestication, which tends to coincide with pastoral cultures; nomadic herding is post-pastoral and so such a culture has access to all its pastoral history and technology.
(or just google "mobile forge.")
I think you're trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.
MikeQ
MikeQ
They could be a very very big marching band
Maybe their society is powered by bardic magic, which they must play constantly
Yuuki
Yuuki
20:57
I'm reminded of something about a clock that plays a tune every century or something like that.
As Slow as Possible
Organ²/ASLSP (As Slow as Possible) is a musical piece by John Cage and the subject of one of the longest-lasting musical performances yet undertaken. It was originally written in 1987 for organ and is adapted from the earlier work ASLSP 1985; a typical performance of the piano version lasts 20 to 70 minutes. In 1985, Cage opted to omit the detail of exactly how slowly the piece should be played. The performance of the organ version at St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, Germany began in 2001 and is scheduled to have a duration of 639 years, ending in 2640. == History == The piece was commissioned...
Or this.
MikeQ
MikeQ
No, I mean if a marching band could magically sustain itself by playing marching band music, then could they just... keep going?
With a sufficiently large group, they could take shifts between playing music, and eating/sleeping/whatevering
Yuuki
Yuuki
No, I'm saying this culture was born from an average high school marching band that had the unfortunate combination of a practical joker (who insisted on this song for a UIL performance) and an incredibly strict and humorless director (who insisted on following through).
kviiri
kviiri
Yeah, not everyone would even have to move all the time. The lead could set up camp and rest in place while everyone else marches past and then rejoin at the end.
MikeQ
MikeQ
Well there you have it. Problem solved @Shalvenay.
Folks, we are so good at worldbuilding
Yuuki
Yuuki
@MikeQ the best
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
21:07
hey there @JinLong, welcome to the RPG.SE lair :)
Jin Long
Jin Long
@Shalvenay thanks!
I used to play D&D a long time ago. Now I'm probably too old.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@JinLong no you're not XD
Jin Long
Jin Long
Do people play online nowadays?
kviiri
kviiri
Some do, yes
But I think the old-fashioned around-the-table way is still more popular. Not 100% sure.
Jin Long
Jin Long
Do any of you play online?
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
21:11
yeah, there's still quite a bit of around-the-table play out there, but there's also quite a bit of online play -- I have more experience with the latter than the former, even
Jin Long
Jin Long
How do you play online? Are there websites that organize play?
MikeQ
MikeQ
You need a platform for advertising the game & finding players, and then you need a platform for actually running the game. Sometimes these are the same platform. Roll20 is quite popular.
Jin Long
Jin Long
The latter can be just Discord / Slack, no?
Yuuki
Yuuki
Depends on your style of play, but yeah.
MikeQ
MikeQ
Sure. Some folks here use Roll20 (for maps & tokens) + Discord (for voice) together.
Jin Long
Jin Long
21:13
Roll20 seems to have a lot more features than I expected.
Over time, I evolved to play what you'd call "freeform".
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@JinLong Roll20 is quite popular for both functions, although there are other tools that folks use
Jin Long
Jin Long
Is there a good website for finding real-life groups?
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@JinLong yes, I play over Discord a fair bit myself; we've even been known to run games directly over SE chat
@JinLong ah, I kinda feel for you man. I've done lots of freeformish stuff, and it can be really hard to manage :/ (especially when you have a group that's averse to having the OOC dialog that's essential to a healthy table/community)
Jin Long
Jin Long
@Shalvenay yeah, I think roleplaying and plot should be the focus of RP games.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@JinLong yeah, the good news on that front is that there's been quite a flourishing in the development of systems that are far more suited to narrativist play than D&D is
Yuuki
Yuuki
21:19
Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. I personally believe that rockets, propellant, and grenades are the most important ingredients in an RPG.
Jin Long
Jin Long
@Yuuki how about propane and propane accessories
MikeQ
MikeQ
@JinLong Maybe look into sites that are for finding groups in general - Such as reddit and meetup
Jin Long
Jin Long
@Shalvenay interesting, which ones?
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@JinLong I would look at Fate (Core and/or Accelerated) as a starting point -- the SRD for it's freely available, and it's a very flexible and adaptable system
Jin Long
Jin Long
The games I ended up GMing were actually fairly classic fantasy RPGs, and looked like D&D in terms of themes and plots and settings.
We just didn't follow the rules much.
So you could create characters that weren't in the rulebooks.
The characters also had no numeric stats.
The key idea was that each action had odds of success based on your nature as a character.
So if you were a highly skilled archer, hitting a goblin from 20 paces would be say 95% certain.
However, if you were a barbarian trying to pick a lock with no prior training, you had maybe 5%.
That was basically the only rule.
BESW
BESW
21:24
@JinLong I've heard good things about online games organized at The Gauntlet Forums. They're open to a wide variety of systems and playstyles, and are pretty good about making sure people are safe while playing with strangers.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@JinLong as to the features thing, that's because Roll20 is designed to support an online translation of map-and-miniatures play
Jin Long
Jin Long
@BESW thanks, I'll check it out
@Shalvenay yeah, I was never big on that. IMHO, it makes no sense for table-top RPG to try to compete with video games. You'd just lose.
Table-top RPG should play to its strengths, which is interaction and roleplaying and truly dynamic and responsive storytelling.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
there is something to be said for that, yes
BESW
BESW
For finding real-life groups, from what I've seen it's usually best to either find a local hobby store (they often have a notice board for people looking for players/groups) or just recruit your own friends to start playing.
Some localities have social media groups for gaming, like on Facebook.
kviiri
kviiri
I dunno, I find MMORPG-style games to be a fun genre (executed properly, and in the right company) in general, and playing with present people to be more fun than playing with remote strangers, so to me many games, board, RPG or otherwise, have a niche even if "better" executed in video game format
Jin Long
Jin Long
21:32
We are humans, so we do enjoy the physical company and presence of other users.
kviiri
kviiri
Yeah. I think online playing is a fun technical innovation and has made many kinds of playing more accessible and made whole new genres possible but nothing still beats good ol' "being there". Which is kinda why I'm sad not that many video games are made for local multiplayer anymore :>
Jin Long
Jin Long
Yeah, split screen halo <3
Anyway, yeah, I think even miniatures and maps can be fun with friends, but I try to maximize the unique advantages of real-life play.
Should also mention I moved to freeform after trying the opposite extreme of some of the most complicated RPG systems ever, like Rolemaster.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
yeah -- one thing about newer systems is that they've gone for a much more rules-light approach
Jin Long
Jin Long
From the little I've seen of 5e, it moved away from being a rulebook and more towards the "content oriented" type systems.
The old D&D I used to play was a lot more, ehm, ruleful :)
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@JinLong AD&D/2e, or 3.x?
@JinLong yeah, 5e is much more ruling-centric than rule-centric
Jin Long
Jin Long
21:41
@Shalvenay I played both
kviiri
kviiri
@JinLong I see what you mean. Incidentally I dropped DnD out of my life for pretty much the same reason, I found I mainly enjoyed the "spending time with friends" aspect while finding the RP we got out with the system to be... well, rather lacking.
I'm hoping to get some Apocalypse World action in the near future though.
Jin Long
Jin Long
Both were fairly complicated systems overall. A fair number of rules and numbers to keep track of.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
yeah, I've been starting to pick up alternate systems myself
running a Dungeon World campaign these days, want to get some Fate vets together to help me with a Fate campaign set in the House of Bards setting
Jin Long
Jin Long
> I found I mainly enjoyed the "spending time with friends" aspect
Yeah, at some point when playing Rolemaster, we realized all the rules and stuff we were keeping track of were really just impediments.
kviiri
kviiri
At this point I want to remind you that no, it's not you, it's the chat quote syntax. It's not really as intuitive as anyone here would like it to be :)
Jin Long
Jin Long
21:44
Right, thanks :)
kviiri
kviiri
I wonder if I could use it right
too scared to try
Jin Long
Jin Long
We enjoyed the fantasy settings, the plots, the twists, the roleplaying. We just didn't like calculating how encumbrance was affecting you, and battles taking 10+ minutes for basically no reason.
Like take combat for instance.
Say the party attacks some goblins.
All you care about is who won, and at what cost.
BESW
BESW
There's also non-video-game RPGs specifically designed for online play, like the Discord Jam games. Special shout-out to Pidj's Graffiti Speak.
Jin Long
Jin Long
Calculating every aspect of every attack is just too much unrewarding busywork.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
@JinLong yeah, what I typically will do is run at least a minimal level of narration based on the results of the dice rolls
Jin Long
Jin Long
21:48
Right, so with the minimal system we played, each attack just had odds of succeeding, and then narration would follow from that.
Also, uninteresting fights end very quickly because it makes sense.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
yeah, I think you'll be happy to hear that 5e ditched the notion of numeric bonuses and maluses to rolls in favor of a simpler system
Jin Long
Jin Long
I.E. if level 20 fighter in full armor and sword attacks a tiny goblin, it ends very quickly in one attack and that's it.
Shalvenay
Shalvenay
yeah, my other thing these days is tinkering with the conventions of fantasy, if you will
00:00 - 22:0022:00 - 23:0023:00 - 00:00

« first day (3371 days earlier)      last day (1891 days later) »