Tabletop Roleplaying Games (D&D, Pathfinder, CoC, ETC.)

[Tactical Wizard]

It's funny, so many people are all "Oh, I want simpler games. Faster rules."

I'm over here running a fucking Rifts game and we're talking about not going back to PF1 and just switching to Palladium Fantasy because fuck not being able to parry and dodge and shit.

I’m currently having another flare up of Classic World of Darkness (Because, like Herpes, once you’ve got it you will be periodically dealing with it for the rest of your days) And I’m just like “aaaah! Dodging, parrying, blocking, functional grappling rules and two optional martial arts systems!”

 

[Adamska]

My short Alien: RPG campaign wrapped up last night, and I will state that despite my best efforts the entire crew of the USCSS Lightning made it out alive and mostly sane. The crew managed to find a working umbilical into the HMS Hisashi Maru and began their sweep for survivors, as well as a map of the place to get a head for where things were.

They saw what had to be a nasty aftermath of some final stand, before they carefully searched first the A Deck medlabs for clues. Mostly bust so they went north, noting that the stairways and a lot of the vents were welded shut.

They hit a motherload. First they found some older proprietary tech from some of the big corporations that were on board, but they also got some serious spooks from bodies that were mangled, and the intercom occasionally playing disturbing and distorted versions of songs. The big winner from this spot was an experimental personal laptop Hyperdyne made in the day with an experimental GUI. They made it to the Casino, where things started going bad.

They managed to get into the security center for the place, where they got a good amount of access to the ship. Their comptech guy decided to use one of the few semi unsealed vents to head down to B Deck, where he almost got killed by some horrific bug entity.


He would've been dead to rights but for the Captain successfully avoiding panic, and managing to guide him to a place where he was able to hide using camera relays.

The party then had to get through the ship that was now under quarantine, as they found that a damaged combat synthetic that was one of the two surviving models was on the bridge, trying to stop anyone that got here and their antics alerted him. They managed to with some ridiculous successes fry the security systems, which made it a race against the clock to get to the bridge. Mainly because all locked systems were unlocked.

They were able to get to the bridge after sneaking about and using noise makers out of slot machine parts. They got there, the synth was missing, and they made MU/TH/UR think herself to death and explode the ship from cascade failures. They managed to successfully YOLO a space walk before then, and then the captain managed to beat the synth in controlling the ship, the doc managed to force it to fry itself using a Yutani set of codes he picked up, and I botched sneaking a few bugs onto their boat and leaping onto it.

They all in all got their hands on the blackbox, a couple of bearer bonds, an old wiped combat synth, and a bit of fine liquor. They started to relieve stress by bashing the shit out of that box, looked through the logs and wiped the most incriminating shit about how they found these things. Basically The companies found out about an old abandoned colony that was sent through the system; a leper colony from a race beyond the stars. They wanted the xenos in this case more due to their carapaces, since that material would make plastic growable, and remove the need for petrorefining. It also made a material you could charge in the air wirelessly. In the words of the doc, "They were naive and greedy. They didn't even know what this was."

All in all, they managed to pressure Wey-Yu with the bodies of the corpo scions to leave them be, gave Seegson some useful kit to make up for not doing salvage, got small time ownership of a big mining consortium due to the bonds, and there was a small sample of these things that they still had...

All in all:

• Captain Ward became a wealthy man and retired to a nice colony as an incentive to shut up.
• Doc Mason managed to save his job at Seegson, and basically was responsible for a cheap civilian computer that became popular among kids making it to the market in a year.
• Dr. Muller has his debts cleared, and still has some residual profits that allows him to have a small discretionary fund. He also has a sample of xeno DNA...
• Chief Engineer Asimov caught the bug, and is shifting career choices into the USCM. Oorah to Ashes.
• Engineer Nakamoto OD'd and died a month later; he couldn't handle the windfall he got.

The stress dice they all had was on their side for the most part. It was really funny. Didn't even use 2/3 of my maps due to getting 5 successes on trying to force a system reboot, but it worked out.

Definitely intending to run more shortie campaigns using it...

 

[Rapier Ape]

I’m currently having another flare up of Classic World of Darkness (Because, like Herpes, once you’ve got it you will be periodically dealing with it for the rest of your days) And I’m just like “aaaah! Dodging, parrying, blocking, functional grappling rules and two optional martial arts systems!”

I had an off and on tabletop player buddy text me like 2-3 weeks ago asking about running a Vampire game. I told him I'd rather run Dark Ages. He doesn't know much about the WoD settings or its spinoff games
He's not aware of how absolutely busted every WoD creature is that isn't a Vampire.
I just left it as maybe but I'm currently running 3 different games/systems with IRL games and players.
I'd honestly rather run Hunter/Project Twilight so I could just throw the whole damn kitchen sink in there. Because they've gonna go murder hobo anyways.

 

[Paradox Mystic]

I had an off and on tabletop player buddy text me like 2-3 weeks ago asking about running a Vampire game. I told him I'd rather run Dark Ages. He doesn't know much about the WoD settings or its spinoff games
He's not aware of how absolutely busted every WoD creature is that isn't a Vampire.
I just left it as maybe but I'm currently running 3 different games/systems with IRL games and players.
I'd honestly rather run Hunter/Project Twilight so I could just throw the whole damn kitchen sink in there. Because they've gonna go murder hobo anyways.

I've been thinking of having some games about human PCs where it's more of a mystery than a hack and slash. Something that is more like "What if you played potential victims in a slasher horror?" It would be kinda intentionally slow-burn focused. I guess it would be heavily drawing from those 1-2 hour horror videogames that crop up a lot where the killer only appears in the last 20 minutes the rest is more about build. Depending on the players and your sources of inspiration the players could be some sort of cops/fbi instead if you want something where the PCs are expected to be more violent/competent PCs. Call of Cthulhu or Delta Green could work but I've been thinking maybe something with less or no supernatural elements.

It would depend a lot on trying to have players that get the vibe and enjoy the idea of savoring the atmospheric elements, rather than people who try to speedrun through things.

 

[Judge Dredd]

I had friends that were into it, we almost done campaign but because they didn't manage to explain to me stuff, and then it was abruptly cancelled without any notice. Should I just learn stuff before trying it or just go for more begginer friendly stuff? Because I was the only begginer to d&d there

It really depends what you mean. You should be mostly familiar with how your character works and what abilities they have in a broad sense. You don't have to memorise everything. But when it comes to your turn, your answer shouldn't be "uuuuh".

It's funny, so many people are all "Oh, I want simpler games. Faster rules."

Because when it takes 20-40 minutes to play out a turn, only for you to roll a d20, get a 2, and then have to wait another 20-40 minutes, it really kills the fun.


Wasn't going to post here, but have something I think Kiwi's might enjoy.

Guy wants to play Starfinder 2. Another guy wants to try any Starfinder version. I was already seriously considering the setting book after hearing good things, so I sailed the high seas to give it a Starfinder 2 gander and, well...

A very typical human.

There are other artwork horrors. A holiday destination with a gay Vesk couple. I'd have assumed they were straight since Vesk females are bigger than males and they don't have boobs, but both are dressed as men so I don't know.

In general, the artwork is mostly like this. Technically well painted, but a mess of clashing colours and hideous character designs. I think it's telling the only ones to come out of this looking good are the hold overs from the previous one. One of the reoccurring characters is this weird gay cat man. I guess the intention is to pander furries, but their idea of furries seems locked somewhere in 2012.


And some text. For context. The Azlanti Star Empire are basically the baddies from Star Wars. Golarion is Earth.

SOCIETY
Human societies are as varied as the worlds they thrive on.
While the Azlanti Star Empire seeks to recapture an imagined
era of glory by isolating and idealizing an ancient culture from
lost Golarion, most human groups coexist with other species
in diverse communities.

Later they do give options for playing as an Azlanti, but the GMs guide lists them in the bad guys section.


One minor nitpick nobody understands or cares, but I don't like the Starfinder 2 trade dress. The logo, fonts, layout, I prefered the old version. Though I also liked the DnD 4e trade dress while most online seem to prefer the TSR era with the futura font so maybe I have bad taste.

 

[Ghostse]

Though I also liked the DnD 4e trade dress while most online seem to prefer the TSR era with the futura font so maybe I have bad taste.

I also liked the 4e design and layout even if shit like chapter ordering was complete fucking garbage.

 

[Rapier Ape]

any recommendations for 3d ones? Not asking for shiny graphics, the 3d is enough to immerse myself

DDO would probably do the trick. I haven't touched it since after the Ravenloft expansion material was launched but it was pretty much based off the 3.5 ruleset aside from having a mana pool when it came to casting. It's a very fun game though and very easy to pick up and learn. The community is very friendly especially in the noob 1-3 level area. After you figure the game out you can easily solo most content as long as you bring along a Cleric hireling.
There's also an option to turn on visible dice rolls.
But it plays in real time and has more of an action RPG using dice rolls (every game with RNG does this) with a good bit of platforming, puzzle solving and exploration.
There's enough of the free to play content to keep you busy and engaged from 1st level to max. There are microtransactions + a subscription if you want to go that rout. You get awarded with the microtransaction currency though just for clearing content so it really isn't needed THAT much. Just don't focus on getting the currency and focus on getting to high levels. Then just steamroll all of the old content on higher difficulty to get those points.

the players could be some sort of cops/fbi.

That's exactly what Project Twilight is. It was a sourcebook for Werewolf that didn't get a whole lot of love. It was a softcover splatbook and more or less plays better if you have other material to work with. It's generally mentioned in other sourcebooks with agents in the possible antagonist sections. All of the tech is based on late 90s stuff but it doesn't take much to modernize it. As far as supernatural elements go the agency known as the SAD KNOWS that the supernatural exists. They just don't know the entire extent of it. Or the higher ups keep that extremely classified. It was written when X-Files was in it's run and it's listed as one of the inspirations. But there's a sample game with several chapter scenarios and paths that eventually leads to a survival horror chapter in an old abandonned mine VS one hell of a stealthy ambush killer. It's actually pretty good.
One of the funnier chapters in the books is one with the SAD's Most Wanted list and Persons of Interest. There's a totally not Jason Vorheese serial killer. A Vampire that literally just trolls the hell out of the department and has since the 1940s. The Mothman.
The default agents themselves though are just flat out normal Fed Agent humans working for that 401k. You could even start them out as beat cops that get sucked into a mess that's much bigger than themselves. Hell they could start out as the night shift crew at Waffle House and have to find the DIshwasher they let off for an hour to come back with a bag of weed and never returned with your money OR your ounce of Blue Dream.
There's enough in the core to do whatever you need to do with it.
I think you should give it a read.

In general, the artwork is mostly like this. Technically well painted, but a mess of clashing colours and hideous character designs.

That's pretty much across the board with all of the big name companies currently. An old grifter boomer Youtuber called Diversity & Dragons was bashing on the artwork for the new starter set based on Keep on the Borderlands. I generally hate politisperg gaming content creators but kinda watch him as a guilty pleasure sometimes. He was spot on though with the critiques. The "works " themselves I couldn't give 2 shits about them being woke etc. It's the fact that that they completely screwed up very basic level proportion protocols with human anatomy. It's one of those cases that I 100% believe that it was just some lazy underqualified artist that gave AI some prompts then submitted it with some pretty heavy flaws that they were probably to stupid to recognize.
That sort of thing urks me really hard because I was an artfag growing up and throughout my 20s. Still am from time to time.
Maybe I should log out of the farms. Put on Blackface then bust into WotC in a wheelchair yelling in Bix Nood demanding a salary and front parking.

 

[AnOminous]

Though I also liked the DnD 4e trade dress while most online seem to prefer the TSR era with the futura font so maybe I have bad taste.

Me too but I'm a Futura fanboy so just that alone does it.

 

[Fuck Bankers]

I've been thinking of having some games about human PCs where it's more of a mystery than a hack and slash. Something that is more like "What if you played potential victims in a slasher horror?" It would be kinda intentionally slow-burn focused. I guess it would be heavily drawing from those 1-2 hour horror videogames that crop up a lot where the killer only appears in the last 20 minutes the rest is more about build. Depending on the players and your sources of inspiration the players could be some sort of cops/fbi instead if you want something where the PCs are expected to be more violent/competent PCs. Call of Cthulhu or Delta Green could work but I've been thinking maybe something with less or no supernatural elements.

It would depend a lot on trying to have players that get the vibe and enjoy the idea of savoring the atmospheric elements, rather than people who try to speedrun through things.

If you want something lite run mothership. Space magic if you want, or none if you want. Also the PDF is free on archive. If you want something with less supernatural and more crunch then you could use Cthulhu but if you want to strip the supernatural then I'd suggest Pulp Cthulhu making it more action oriented.

 

[Imperial Citizen]

Dice Scum had a good rest and is journeying to Lovecraft's Dreamlands. Will it be better than the mention of the Dreamlands in Cthulhutech 2nd edition? Yes, this is a book written by Sandy Peterson, for goodness sake!

 

[AnOminous]

Yes, this is a book written by Sandy Peterson, for goodness sake!

Sandy Peterson was one of the best Chaosium designers.

I had always wanted to do a Dream Cycle campaign but never could work up the interest. It is a rather neglected part of HPL's oeuvre.

 

[LovisXVI]

I had always wanted to do a Dream Cycle campaign but never could work up the interest. It is a rather neglected part of HPL's oeuvre.

Feel you, it is comparatively really soft to the rest of his works, so people into Lovecraft rarely are drawn to it as much as the rest of it. If you want to play CoC, you are probably not going to want to play horror-tinged weird fantasy.

 

[AnOminous]

Feel you, it is comparatively really soft to the rest of his works, so people into Lovecraft rarely are drawn to it as much as the rest of it. If you want to play CoC, you are probably not going to want to play horror-tinged weird fantasy.

My main CoC campaign, I combined it with organized crime, lots of guns, and Car Wars for the vehicular combat.

It wasn't really easy to sell dream worlds. It wasn't that the people who played CoC weren't aware of it or didn't like it, but they liked shooting things.

 

[Sigg Kyle]

Have any of you guys ever ran a campaign set in a place like varanassi sewage slop india? Was it fun?

 

[AnOminous]

Have any of you guys ever ran a campaign set in a place like varanassi sewage slop india? Was it fun?

I ran one in Chicago. Isn't that at least a bit close?

 

[Sigg Kyle]

I ran one in Chicago. Isn't that at least a bit close?

If there aren’t any rivers of death and literal cannibal priests, it’s not

 

[Smoltine Kiminal]

campaign set in a place like varanassi sewage slop india?

>in the grimdarkness of the ganges there is only poo
ngl grimdark steampunk mixed with colorful dresses & hindu rituals sound really cool
bonus points for toilet cultists

 

[Ghostse]

>in the grimdarkness of the ganges there is only poo
ngl grimdark steampunk mixed with colorful dresses & hindu rituals sound really cool
bonus points for toilet cultists

Steampunk where the Indians opted to remain British Subjects. Make it steam punk with Black Death London + Current calcutta.

 

[Smoltine Kiminal]

Steampunk where the Indians opted to remain British Subjects. Make it steam punk with Black Death London + Current calcutta.

campaign is about hunting down manyarmed demon / hindu godess that is leading a deathcult
the british governor kinda just doesnt care because he doenst see the difference to buisness as usual
hold of the british on the city is weak, they are few and rarely come out of their fortified quarters
only when factories stop producing, english specialists leading those are harmed, or mass unrest arises do they come out and shoot down a bunch of indians
long have they given up to keep the sewage running, they moved the main trainstation inside their quarter, so it is well maintained, and a special clearance locomotive, equipped with a wider plow and a saw arm is used to keep the tracks free everysooften

the food situation is dire, the river is so polluted that no fish can survive in it as their gills just clog up, only utterly mutated amphibians and the rare reptile can survive the ganges, living from waste & cadavers
rat & snake hunting is prevalent, but most food has to be imported from other regions

as industrial runoff and human feces are almost everywhere, plateau stilts you wear over your shoes are in fashion
everyone with a little bit of wealth wears the most colorful fabrics, taking great care never to stain them, as being able to keep your clothes clean is a sign of high status, but washing a sari costs a workers monthly wage in water rations

even tho they where build by the british just a few generations ago, the rare aqueduct that is still in working condition is seen as a gift from the gods, bringing the only clean water into the city, since the rain is acidic from smog
as such a cult has formed around the aqueducts, praying to them and sanctifying them with holy oils and lead paint, which sadly pollutes the water
but drinking a bit of heavy metals is a small price to pay to keep the waterworks of the gods from rusting away, life is short in varanassi

 

[Sigg Kyle]

^expanding this
In the grimdarkness of Varanassi, the only life that truly thrives is the Horde. A rare, mutated type of human that is one with the ganges, they roam in vast numbers like ants. When nature calls, they crowd the railways, the rivers, they get chopped down by the hundreds by the few with the venerance to maintain the Last Aqueducts.
They embark on this wild hunt everyday, causing plagues and turmoil with the sheer amount of carcasses they deposit in every waterway, alley, and railway they can find. Of course, those carcasses are inevitably their own. Hundreds die every day in Varanassi, and when the horde is satisified, it merely crawls deep into the impenetrable and inhospitable Landfill Mountain to birth hundreds more.
No longer merely human, strange and exotic horrors beyond all nightmares are seeping from and growing on and rearranging their very physiology. And Landfill Mountain grows each day.