Non-urgent Adventures and Campaigns?

Some very good adventures/mini-adventures in which time is not a prime driver from over on ENWorld. Checkout the discussion in the comments for sure!

~AoB

 

 

Source: Non-urgent Adventures and Campaigns?

This thread got me thinking. I’ve been reading too many published adventures lately that all have a timer of some sort. Some big bad Thing is going down, and the adventurers need to stop it. What kind of adventure/campaign can be constructed where taking a week-long rest doesn’t result in towns destroyed, kidnapped princesses sacrifced, or the BBEG inching closer to his plan?

What are some plot hooks that allow for downtime?

• Artifact search. Nothing bad happens if they don’t find it, it’s just a cool thing to discover. Perhaps a rival treasure-seeker to racket up the tension when needed.
• Survive. There might be a clock, but the goal is to run it out. Fight off monsters on the island until rescued. Find your way to the portal out of the Feywild.

What are some other ones?

2E to 5E

Moving from 2E to 5E! I thought my move from 3E/PF/CnC to dabble in 5E was a jump. Way to be Evil DM! I do agree though that  there’s a lot of good materials available in other editions (esp. 2E settings).

http://evildm.blogspot.com/2014/11/moving-forward-with-dungeons-and.html?_sm_au_=iVVZ61psj40VNZNH

~AoB

Risus Monkey: Gaming With Kids: Superhero Birthday Party

Very cool birthday in the works for Risus Monkey’s kids. Check it out here. Risus Monkey: Gaming With Kids: Superhero Birthday Party.

~AoB

Player-Facing Rolls

There’s been some discussion on the web relating to using “player-facing rolls” (e.g., Gamer: The Blogging: Player-Facing Rolls.). In D&D, this is where you flip the mechanic over and have the players roll defense vs a static offense statistic (offensive rolls are made normally). Here’s a link that explains it more from the SRD. The DM essentially never needs to touch the dice (unless they’ve got some hidden roll they want to make).

I’ve considered them before and while I’ve never used them, the idea intrigues me. However, I’ve noted that there is a strong polarization around the idea. People either love the idea or hate the idea. Some of the “Love” may be the shininess or appreciation of its cleverness and some of the “Hate” may be related to “don’t mess with how I’ve always played my game!”. This thread on the Troll Lord Castles & Crusandes forum speaks to how old-school type games seem to perceive the idea (I know “Old-school” is a loaded term that may mean a lot of different things, but I think my point remains the same regardless of whether you view C&C as strictly Old-School or not).

I’ve been thinking of using it for my Atlantis/C&C/HAGIS mash-up, but am leaning against it. Not that I don’t like it, I do. I just want to remove any perceived bumps in the road. With the limits on all our time, all the logistics in setting up a game, and all the changes I’m making to rules that will require some explanation….I just don’t want another thing to explain. Perhaps another time I’ll use it….or swap it in later. We’ll have to see. I’d love to hear what others think about it….especially those who’ve used it.

~AoB

Cyclopedia + Forgotten Realms Original Set = Awesomeness

Doc Rotwang recently posted on his blog, I Waste The Buddha With My Crossbow: The Voices Are Whispering Their Strange Maths To Me, about using the most excellent D&D Rules Cyclopedia with the Forgotten Realms setting….from the original Boxed Set.

I loved that set….it was from a simpler time before the power escalation, Time of Troubles crap-fest. Don’t get me wrong, I liked playing Baldur’s Gate, but somehow the storyline that preceded it and all the canon material that’s been built up over the years is a bit much.

He goes on to flesh out some specifics  on what his game will be about.…Rotwang, always the master mixer, is bringin’ some Swashbuckling to Sembia. It sounds like a fun game. Thanks for the inspiration, good Doctor!

I’m setting up a game with my kids and grabbed those very materials….not so much for the rules really (my kids are 3 and 5), but more for inspiration (and pictures for the kids). We’ll be using some simpler, off-the-cuff rules in our game….and it looks like ours will feature pixies….I’ll be posting more on this later.

~AoB