Author Topic: The first game.  (Read 1672 times)

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Offline Tannik01

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The first game.
« on: August 15, 2017, 03:16:22 PM »
Hello
I have had Rolemaster FRPG and SS for a very long time, nearly two decade. throughout that time i have only ever ran two games, both were one on ones and both games had a different player. the last time that i ran a game was fifteen years ago. over the next few months i will be getting the chance to run it again, the system has always been at the back of my mind.
I would like to know how best to tackle it. would photo copying the table and building a screen help? if so what tables do you suggest?
My players have no experience with the system past one of them being a player in one of my previously mentioned games.

Offline Dragonking11

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2017, 05:28:46 PM »
First of all welcome back to the game. I was in a similar situation not too long ago (a 10 years break or so) though I had a lot of experience with the system previously

What helped me a lot was to take the time to read the core books at least a quick glance to have the important rules fresh in memory.

I suggest planning a very simple first game with a bit of everything: some combat, some utility skills depending of party composition

It could be a good idea to help your player in character generation and ask them to select simpler character (fighter, rogue)

All of this in order to learn and master the basics of RM. After a couple games, you can always start a new campaign with fresh characters

Offline Druss_the_Legend

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2017, 02:59:23 AM »
First of all welcome back to the game. I was in a similar situation not too long ago (a 10 years break or so) though I had a lot of experience with the system previously

What helped me a lot was to take the time to read the core books at least a quick glance to have the important rules fresh in memory.

I suggest planning a very simple first game with a bit of everything: some combat, some utility skills depending of party composition

It could be a good idea to help your player in character generation and ask them to select simpler character (fighter, rogue)

All of this in order to learn and master the basics of RM. After a couple games, you can always start a new campaign with fresh characters

yep. im with DK on this one. plan a very simple adventure first up. simple goals. eg. forage for a rare herb from a forest nearby or merchant guard on a caravan traveling between two nearby towns but have this adventure lead into another one... there might be an NPC that is using this first task as a test to see if they are up for something harder.
avoid a lengthy dungeon crawl (these are better with 3+ players)

its always good to link some adventures to the pcs background, try and create an adventure that gives the character a chance to utilize some of their best skills. This will give them a feel for what they are good (or bad) at :)

Offline Malim

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2017, 05:21:17 AM »
As the others wrote.
Keep it simple and expand.
Think of it as a computer game, start in a small area, learn the system by doing a turtorial.
Sir Elor Blacke knight of Helyssa, Kytari Fighter lvl 25 (RM2)
Malim Naruum, Yinka Lord Bashkor lvl 27  (RM2)

Offline Druss_the_Legend

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2017, 11:25:27 AM »
it can be useful for the players to write a brief backstory for their character. this will often give you plot hooks to add into future adventures. again, this cab be in layers. simple at first then expand.
my assassin pc had rolled an item on his background table. it became a quite powerful amulet that was stolen from its owner and he was looking for it and sent some men to get it back. the pc picked up the amulet from a mark he killed and didnt realise its importance until these two bounty hunters showed up looking for it. it was magical and they had a way of pinpointing its location, thanks to their boss who was a magician. the same assassin has a mother who is a seer (she lives in a different location to where the pc is currently) but he has a cousin who reads fortunes who is in same location. the pc visits his cousin regularly and she helps him with readings and information about all manner of questions he has about what is happening in the larger plot, of course these are given as riddles or cryptic visions but the player is always left with some clues to whats going on (i use lots of rumours and intrigue). His cousin has become a handy NPC contact. Perhaps in a future adventure she will need his help or he might be asked to rescue her from danger (there is an evil cult operating in the city where he is that are mixed up in some nasty stuff... human sacrifices and vampires!)

Offline Jengada

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2017, 12:09:55 PM »
Ditto what everyone has said. I'm restarting after 12 years off, and I'm going back to RM2 so it's more like 20 years off. I've got a group of players who have never played RM, and some are not game-mechanic inclined, though they're great at the story and roleplaying parts.
I gave them a small intro with a one-off adventure in my campaign world. For that, I gave them pregen 3rd level characters, a mix of classes. I did a quick tutorial on the basics of d100 rolls with a possible second resolution roll (crit result, all-or-nothing maneuvers) and then we played. They got it pretty quickly. Making it a one-off saved them character generation as a starting point.
That last bit isn't trivial. Two of them bought ChL, and both said it was so obtuse they just gave up. I made up a streamlined character generation process that has been good so far, though the non-mechanical player is still fumbling a bit with the stat sheet, ranks vs. bonuses, and the like.
Based on others' suggestions, I would say the more you can make your intro about the story, and the less weighty mechanics you drop on the players, the better they can get hooked on your campaign. You can feed them more mechanics as they're individually ready.
We ask the hard questions here, because they keep us too busy to worry about the hard questions in the real world, and we can go with the answers we like the best.

Offline Druss_the_Legend

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2017, 01:26:45 PM »
Having an underlying theme running through your campaign/story is recommended. This really depends on the type or campaign world you want. My campaign setting is classic heroic fantasy, dark and edgy with a heavy distrust of magic. The main theme is betrayal. I maintain a healthy level of intrigue with spies from every faction operating. One of the pcs was recently revealed to be a sleeper agent working for a 'good' magician although I kept this fact secret from everyone, even the pc himself. He suspected he was a traitor (he was working for two rival guilds). He was understandably very relieved when he learned who he was actually hired by.

Using factions or guilds is a good way to give pcs a support group for help on dangerous missions and can provide them with lots of adventure possibilities. Spying, double-crosses, miss information, rumours, training packages, new items or even unique skills/spells. Factions can also add lots more depth to the story. I have 3 main 'enemy' factions operating, a thieves guild, an assassins guild and an evil cult. They operate independently but do have a 'loose' alliance where they support one another of its mutually beneficial. The pcs are currently working for a 'neutral' fighters guild which is allies with a 'good' assassins guild. They are trying to recruit the support of a 'good' temple of monks to help them destroy the evil cult or at least thwart its plans. There is also a 'good'magicians guild that is helping the party although one of its more powerful magicians is missing... handywork of the evil cult most likely ;)

I have created an original back story for the evil cult. They seek to ressurrect 5 undead... 4 vampire lords and their leader a lich necromancer. The cult are essentially using the thieves guild and assassins guild to further their goals... as expendable ground troops, spies and as guards for their stronghold... also as a useful distraction to keep the city guard busy.

Offline Druss_the_Legend

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2017, 01:44:17 PM »
[WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS IN THE BEGINNING... KEEP IT SIMPLE... ADD LAYERS AS THE STORY DEVELOPS]. I have created an original back story for the evil cult. They seek to ressurrect 5 undead... 4 vampire lords and their leader a lich necromancer. The cult are essentially using the thieves guild and assassins guild to further their goals... as expendable ground troops, spies and as guards for their stronghold... also as a useful distraction to keep the city guard busy.

Online jdale

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2017, 05:09:56 PM »
That last bit isn't trivial. Two of them bought ChL, and both said it was so obtuse they just gave up. I made up a streamlined character generation process that has been good so far, though the non-mechanical player is still fumbling a bit with the stat sheet, ranks vs. bonuses, and the like.

Hopefully this will be improved in RMU...   but that said, in RMSS we always guided players through the character creation process. Race and profession are the first choices. For profession, we start by asking whether they want to use magic, and if so as their main focus (pure/hybrid) or as an assist (semi). If they want magic, then we describe the realms and let them pick. At that point they've narrowed it down to 3-4 professions without even having seen the list, so the choice is easier. Next pick a training package, that helps round them out and usually spends half the DP so the rest is a manageable number.

I also like character backgrounds. Some people like to write them up, some prefer to just have a conversation with the GM, I think either is fine. Some back and forth is helpful, you can establish some hooks that link the party members and give them some goals you can build an adventure/campaign around.
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Offline Druss_the_Legend

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2017, 08:25:38 PM »
story hooks i have going in my game right now are:
1) PC PALADIN who is about to join the group is from an ancient order opposed to the vampire lords. He has a brother who has been corrupted by the evil cult and they are using him to help further their goals.
2) PC BURGLAR is cursed by an evil sword that is slowly turning him into a vampire. His goal is to seek help from a group of 'good' monks. They are led by a high priestess who also wants to defeat the evil cult. The cult have plans to abduct her and use her as a sacrifice.
3) PC BARBARIAN is working for the leader of a fighters guild (a crime lord). The pc has fallen off-side with him and owed him a large dept of gold.
4) PC BOUNTY HUNTER has been hired to locate a rogue magician who is presumed to be linked to a plot to abduct a 'good' magician and ally of the party. The good magician has gone missing under suspicious circumstances and information is needed to locate him or prove he has been murdered.
5) PC ASSASSIN is working as a spy to gather intel on a rival assassins guild.

Offline Jengada

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2017, 11:05:44 PM »
story hooks i have going in my game right now are:
1) PC PALADIN who is about to join the group is from an ancient order opposed to the vampire lords. He has a brother who has been corrupted by the evil cult and they are using him to help further their goals.
2) PC BURGLAR is cursed by an evil sword that is slowly turning him into a vampire. His goal is to seek help from a group of 'good' monks. They are led by a high priestess who also wants to defeat the evil cult. The cult have plans to abduct her and use her as a sacrifice.
3) PC BARBARIAN is working for the leader of a fighters guild (a crime lord). The pc has fallen off-side with him and owed him a large dept of gold.
4) PC BOUNTY HUNTER has been hired to locate a rogue magician who is presumed to be linked to a plot to abduct a 'good' magician and ally of the party. The good magician has gone missing under suspicious circumstances and information is needed to locate him or prove he has been murdered.
5) PC ASSASSIN is working as a spy to gather intel on a rival assassins guild.

Neat to see these. With the party I'm spinning up (4 of 5 have done solo adventures!) I have:
1) PC orcish bard, a custom class I made, whose brigand band was ambushed and wiped out while he and a couple of others guarded the base. The base was discovered, so they had to flee.
2) PC nightblade, whose mother crossed the evil church that rules their country. She was publicly sacrificed as a warning, and he and his father fled town. His father went to avenge her and said the son had to get out or the church would catch and slaughter him, too.
3) PC rogue who was so poor he was proficient with a club, but only owned a stick. A local prostitute in his hinterlands village convinced him to escort her to the big city. They're about to pick up 2 NPCs who are going to drag the whole party into controversies.
4) PC warrior monk, from a maritime culture, was sent across country by his noble mom and dad, to deliver a message to a former captain.
5) PC wood elf cleric, of the goddess of water. She's apprenticed on a fishing boat that gets wrecked in a storm, and her mentor killed.

Unbeknownst to the players, #1 and #2 share the enmity of the same evil cleric - he slaughtered the brigands, and the mother, for being part of a ring smuggling potential sacrifice victims to freedom.

The other thing I'm doing this time, to tie the characters into a party, is mystical (read, unexplained) cross-powers. Each PC will receive some benefit from staying with one of the others, and they'll lose that when they part ways. For example, the cleric will give the nightblade elfin resistance to poison. The rogue will give the monk linguistic ability.
We ask the hard questions here, because they keep us too busy to worry about the hard questions in the real world, and we can go with the answers we like the best.

Offline Malim

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2017, 02:16:55 PM »
STOP!
You play in Shadow World right?
Orcs DO NOT fare well with others.. also they are called Lugroki afaik.
And orcish bard... common :D makes me think of that finnish band Lordi that won EMC!
Sir Elor Blacke knight of Helyssa, Kytari Fighter lvl 25 (RM2)
Malim Naruum, Yinka Lord Bashkor lvl 27  (RM2)

Offline Jengada

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Re: The first game.
« Reply #12 on: August 17, 2017, 05:29:53 PM »
STOP!
You play in Shadow World right?
Orcs DO NOT fare well with others.. also they are called Lugroki afaik.
And orcish bard... common :D makes me think of that finnish band Lordi that won EMC!
No, I don't use Shadow World. I use my own campaign world. The only similarity is the Jengada Allied Nations, or Jan, which I made for my world and modified to be Nomads of the Nine Nations.
But more relevant, the bard is a half-orc. In that part of my world, while orcs are generally evil, they are the lesser evil and orcs and men have periodically made alliance against the greater evil of the church the evil cleric I mentioned serves.
(The orcish bards use channeling, and their "deity" is actually the power of anger and aggression that forms around a battle. They are somewhat limited in what they can cast when there's no combat going on.)
We ask the hard questions here, because they keep us too busy to worry about the hard questions in the real world, and we can go with the answers we like the best.