tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210373310486731809.post7115993050076704102..comments2024-03-26T01:02:03.579-07:00Comments on All Dead Generations: Tombrobbers of the Crystal Frontier - Play Report - Session 1Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210373310486731809.post-7540379305334442912021-01-29T15:42:21.935-08:002021-01-29T15:42:21.935-08:00Glad you enjoyed it. I should finish writing up t...Glad you enjoyed it. I should finish writing up the next session, where they decided to hunt down the owlbear.<br /><br />As to 5E mentality, I think the three new players just didn't know what to expect exactly. They got my intro email, they heard my friend describe the play style, and they were on board. They just didn't realize there was really a wandering monster that could absolutely eat a PC's face in one round. Now that they have it they're getting their thrills mostly the same places my long term players do -- schemes! While I'm sure terrible players who only want to play one game, one way are out their, my experience has been positive - a few initial pains from the new play style, but a quick enough grasp of the differences.<br /><br />I suspect that Manny's player didn't like dying much - I mean who likes their PC dying? He also had some kind of redemption arc story planned for the murderous bum that is now "tears in the rain" as they say. He's a RPG storytelling sort of player and has been playing the "Fighter with no name" for four more session and seems quite content now.Gus Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14872819206286105195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210373310486731809.post-47980427409109887112021-01-29T09:32:05.928-08:002021-01-29T09:32:05.928-08:00I love a good owlbear story, and this is right up ...I love a good owlbear story, and this is right up there with the best I've heard. <br /><br />"The random encounter unfolded typically, with a negative reaction roll and the Beakbear rolling a 6 for initiative."<br /><br />Yep, pretty typical. It's like how my players always seem to get surprised by a level-draining undead (who knew wights were so sneaky?). As they say, the dice don't lie.<br /><br />I'm reading about your players' reactions to the events at the table and my first thought is: I really have little-zero sympathy for players who bring a 5E mentality to an old school game. While I suppose that marks me (by some) as a rather "dickish" DM, I'm okay with that...in recent years, I have mostly refrained from gaming with such individuals in order to avoid hard feelings, instead choosing players well-experienced with old style play OR taking on new players with no preconceived expectations. I've had pushback on only a couple occasions: one from an adult who'd had no RPG experience but a LOT of video game-bred expectation, and the other an adult who had played through every iteration of the game and evolved his play style along the same lines of development (i.e. he was a person who welcomed and enjoyed the changes in tone and structure over the years of D&D's evolution) and didn't particularly like "going backwards."<br /><br />I'm glad that your 5E players are adjusting to the new way of playing. I know other DMs who haven't been so lucky (i.e. they've found their players abandoning the game or revolting and forcing an edition switch). I can't think of anything more depressing (in the sphere of gaming) then being forced to run a game (or an edition of a game) that is distasteful to the guy or gal running it. Kudos for finding players with the maturity and ability to adapt. JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210373310486731809.post-26848455606656536242021-01-23T05:23:55.329-08:002021-01-23T05:23:55.329-08:00Funnily enough the "nameless" fighter is...Funnily enough the "nameless" fighter is still with the party and the player has had to develop some 'backstory' through play to explain why he's such a nihilist. I suspect some of the peevishness that led to "Fighter" was having a backstory thought up for poor Manny -- and more a plan for a story for his future.<br /><br />The player is very into such things, and like the owlbear encounter, Lost Mines of Phandelver bred expectations of how character story works led him astray on the Crystal Frontier. Adjusting to less up front story and more emergent story wasn't hard though and I don't think he's felt it a diminished ability to enjoy story telling play because of it.Gus Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14872819206286105195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1210373310486731809.post-5098423628682312632021-01-22T21:54:37.895-08:002021-01-22T21:54:37.895-08:00HA!- In some ways, few names are more old-school t...HA!- In some ways, few names are more old-school than "Fighter 2" written in protest of the first fighter's untimely demise.Warren D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05634722785917786420noreply@blogger.com