Advice for Newcomers

Below are some points of advice that would have made it easier for me to get into the hobby. Hopefully they’ll be useful for others that are interested in tabletop role-playing.

Pieter Brueghel the Younger, ca. 1600

 
A few years ago, the 5th edition core rulebooks of D&D were $50 USD each. They’ve since come down in price, particularly on a popular online retailer that doesn’t need any free advertising. The previous prices were a high barrier to enter the hobby at the time. Even now it’s still hard to get new players into the hobby if they’re going to need to buy books. Which leads us to the first point: there are many systems that are available free of cost. It’s in any new player’s best interest to investigate at least a few free systems before making a purchase. Why spend money if you don’t have to?

D&D is just one system among many. Although it’s popular and has brand recognition, it’s not necessarily the one that everyone is going to enjoy the most. I don’t regret buying the core rulebooks for 5e (except maybe the Dungeon Master’s Guide), however, other systems might have been more appealing had I done more research. Take, for example, any system that only has one core rulebook. It can make it far easier to get into a system if all of the rules are contained in one place and potentially reduce the cost. We should also remember that D&D is mainly oriented around a specific type of role-playing: namely, medieval swords and sorcery. If that doesn’t sound interesting, be sure to look for systems that are more tailored to what sounds exciting. Stars Without Number, for instance, is a system for space-faring sci-fi that is freely available in PDF. If you’re more interested in a post-apocalyptic setting, Mutant Future is an option; there’s a version of the PDF without artwork that is free.

Think about what you want out of your role-playing experience. Are you more interested in collaborative storytelling rather than combat? A blend of both? Look for systems that take those things into account. It may take many hours of reading and playing before you find the system that you like the most.

If I had found Basic Fantasy Role-Playing (BFRPG) prior to buying 5e, there’s a chance I may not have ever bought the 5e core rulebooks. BFRPG can be obtained at no cost in PDF from the official website. There are lots of additional resources available for the system, including optional rules and adventure modules. Even if you have no intention of ever playing BFRPG itself, go and get all of the material anyway. It’s a great resource that can be looted for ideas. When I first read through the core rules, it didn’t seem terribly compelling. It has since become my favorite.

Once you’ve decided on a system, don’t panic — you don’t have to read every page before you can start playing. In general terms, the Game Master (GM) and players only need to know a few things for any given system:

• how to make a character and fill out the character sheet;
• how to engage in combat (even at a basic level);
• and how to resolve player actions outside of combat (this part depends heavily on the system).

It might be beneficial to treat every part of engaging with role-playing as part of the fun, especially when you and your group are just getting into the hobby. Get together with your players and GM before actually doing a session to walk through character creation. Depending on the rules, this process can be complicated and take a fair amount of time.

We now turn to some tips for new GMs. (Not a GM? Feel free to skip to the end.) If you have no ideas whatsoever for the first session, you may wish to use an adventure written by someone else. Doing so can remove some of the preparation burden. It might give you enough inspiration to prepare your own adventure down the line.

Don’t over-plan your first session. In general, you’ll probably only need a single dungeon (or area for the players to explore) as well as a location that the players can use as a home base, such as a town. If you’re concerned about needing material for improvisation, find a table of random encounters to have just in case (see the table included in the Arts Quarter of Pewtershore for an example).

Your first session will likely be messy. There will be rules that are misinterpreted, ignored, or simply broken. Players will make mistakes that might lead to their characters’ untimely deaths. That’s perfectly fine. Relax and have fun with your players.

When playing, try to avoid looking up rules in the books. It usually slows the game down too much in the middle of play. Until the you and the players become more familiar with the rules, it might be best for you (as the GM) to make a call and keep it consistent for the immediate session, then check the rules later if desired. Always remember that the system is a framework; don’t be afraid to change rules to make it best suit you and your players. Tabletop role-playing is meant to be fun for the entire group, GM included. Make sure that your players understand this key point; a session shouldn’t turn into a fun experience for one at the expense of the others.

To return to the issue of finances: try to avoid buying too many resources. You don’t need to and it’s easy to end up in a situation where you’ve got far too much to read, let alone use at the table. GMs probably spend more money on the hobby compared to players who never take on the role of GM. If you do decide to buy materials, be sure to check out small, independent publishers first. They frequently make more bizarre and inspiring stuff that’s sold far cheaper than the mainstream.

This post has been mostly motivated by my own experience of not doing enough research before buying rulebooks. Hopefully others won’t make the same mistake before checking out what else is out there first. If you’ve read this post as someone new to the hobby and still have questions, be sure to look online for communities. Most of them tend to be friendly towards new players.

Welcome to the hobby!

Tough Questions

I’ve been stumped for a few days trying to decide whether or not to review an adventure module from a few years ago. Ultimately, there’s not enough to say about this particular adventure to make a full review of it. Instead, it has given me the push that I needed to broach topics that are more important than ever these days: cultural appropriation and decolonization.[1]

Obviously these are massive subjects more suited to careful academic discourse; a single blog post, or even a series of blog posts, cannot hope to do justice to these topics. At the same time, it doesn’t hurt to engage in this sort of discussion outside of formal academic settings. The hobby of role-playing seems to be more and more popular with each passing year. Not only are these topics relevant to this hobby in the present, the answers that we come up with are likely going to have real consequences for its future. We have to ask: will it be an inclusive space for people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives?

It’s vital that we ask tough questions about the sorts of real-world inspiration that we’re bringing into our games. For instance, I would love to play some sessions in a setting inspired by medieval Japan. In order to do so, it’s necessary to think about the kinds of elements that would be appropriate to include (e.g., samurai weaponry) in contrast to elements that might be in poor taste (e.g., burakumin, the lowest caste of people that were exploited throughout Japanese history; even in modern society their descendants face persecution). This example is a little extreme, but it serves to highlight the thought process that we should practice.

It may be necessary to ask: is it even acceptable to run a campaign in a setting inspired by medieval Japan? I’m fairly certain that it’s just as acceptable as one inspired by medieval Europe. Treating a subject matter with a degree of care and respect — especially when it concerns a different culture — goes a long way.

With that said, there are certain parts of culture that should be considered off-limits. Some North American indigenous peoples’ art styles, for example, are sacred. Even though someone from outside these groups may have the best intentions when making artwork “inspired” by those sacred styles, it’s still insensitive and disrespectful to do so.

There’s also the question of representation. How are different peoples being portrayed within our game worlds? Western civilization is frequently held up as the only acceptable way of organizing a society, which completely disparages other peoples’ accomplishments and way of living.

By asking these questions, engaging in thoughtful discussion, and, perhaps most importantly, listening to perspectives that are often ignored, we should be confident that we’re taking steps to make our hobby better.

Notes

1. I won’t be naming the particular adventure module to avoid singling out its author(s).

Inspiration from Anywhere and Everywhere

I’ve noticed recently that I find tabletop RPG ideas in all sorts of places these days, sometimes in places that I’d never expect.

Killer7 (2005) by Grasshopper Manufacture
Although I’ve never played Suda51’s Killer7 myself, I’ve now watched a full walkthrough video series of the game twice. The game is dripping with style and atmosphere, and its cel shaded graphics still hold up. The unique characters and frequently obtuse story are highlights.

Running some sessions in a similarly bizarre version of an imagined future in which assassins are the key movers and shakers sounds like fun. Mix in a healthy dose of the surreal and I think it’d take me a while to go back to any kind of medieval fantasy setting. I’ve written some world-building notes when inspiration strikes. It’s turning into a collection of in-universe document fragments that may prove useful in any number of ways. For now they are simply enjoyable to write.

Moby-Dick; or, The Whale (1851) by Herman Melville
With more free time than usual it felt like the perfect chance to give this classic a try. The book’s reputation gave me pause beforehand; I had always heard that it was a difficult read due to its frequent allusions and references. It’s surprisingly more readable than I expected.

Melville did an admirable job of making the story interesting even to a landlubber like myself. The minutiae of life on a whaling ship are strangely compelling. There’s a wealth of ideas here for anyone planning a sea-faring adventure. A GM, for instance, could simply flip to a random page and read a few sentences or words to randomize what happens to the players and their ship.

PUPARIA (2020) by Shingo Tamagawa — VOD on Vimeo
This animated short film features incredible, dream-like imagery. Its style is reminiscent of Kon Satoshi’s work. Hypnotic music by Steve Reich ties it all together. Seeing humans standing together with fantastical creatures reminds me that familiars could be done in so many different ways. The Golden Compass comes to mind, although those are meant to be representations of human souls rather than familiars proper.

Half-Life (1998) by Valve Software
I didn’t play this game when it originally came out. Despite coming late to the series, it’s definitely a favorite. I tend to replay it and its sequels every couple of years.  As much as I enjoy the story, I think the atmosphere and setting are what keep me coming back. There’s something intriguing about the sparsely-populated Black Mesa Research Facility. The fact that Half-Life seems to have such a consistent atmosphere without even trying means that the team put a great deal of effort into achieving that. The late 90s graphical aesthetic is also charming.

Lately I’ve been keen on trying to capture a mood and/or feeling in the RPG materials that I make. Playing through Half-Life makes me want to try using empty places more effectively. There’s a lot of spots in the game that are empty; in other words, there are no NPCs, items, or enemies. Yet even these empty places sometimes have some unique geographical feature or look to them that prevents the game from feeling like a series of identical tunnels.

Pewtershore — Arts Quarter

The nobles of Pewtershore have long been patrons of the arts. The Arts Quarter is a bustling part of the old city. Locals and outsiders alike rub shoulders as they wind their way through its even streets, admiring the pieces on display. Artists hawk their cheaper works on anyone that passes by. While there are specialists of all sorts in the Arts Quarter, the most common are painters, dressmakers, and sculptors.

Humble craftspeople have recently been displaced by some of the wealthier artists, leading to friction between the two groups.

The sound of hammers gently tapping can be heard throughout the area.

Sebastiaen Vrancx, 1622

Daytime Encounters in the Streets (1d10)

Each encounter should be crossed off this list once it has been used.

1. Master Sculptor Verincine — # 1 only HD 1 AC 11 Atk 1 poisoned knife Dmg 1d4 + poison Mv 30’ Mo 6 XP 75 Treasure 1 amethyst brooch worth 150 GP. She wears dark satin riding clothes and a mask that resembles a sparrow. She makes and sells statues by petrifying unsuspecting people with a basilisk. She’s always looking for a new “muse.” 70% of the time she is accompanied by an entourage of 1d4 servants and 1d4 admirers.

2. Stray dogs — # 2 to 6 HD 1 AC 14 (agile) Atk 1 bite Dmg 1d4 Mv 50’ Mo 4 XP 50 Treasure none.

3. Guild members — # 4 to 8 HD 1 AC 11 Atk 1 weapon Dmg by weapon Mv 30’ Mo 9 XP 50 Treasure 1 Iron Hammer pin (see below). They’re crafts people of various trades. They wear working clothes and leather belts filled with tools; they have small Iron Hammer pins — the symbol of the Guild — attached to their collars. They’re secretly planning to help their leader break free from gaol.

4. Dreamwalkers — # 1 to 2 HD 2  AC 16 (dream-like defense) Atk by spell Dmg by spell Mv 30’ Mo 8 XP 200 Treasure none. Spells: Sleep, 2 per day. They wear loose-fitting robes and look supremely relaxed. They’re dedicated to The Dream and they want others to experience it too. They’re mostly non-violent. They can invade sleeping creatures’ dreams.

5. Dust devil — Leaves and dust spin wildly around as a cold gust blows past you.

6. Pile of offal — Some careless person has thrown their rubbish in the middle of the street. It stinks terribly.

7. Autonomous Marionette — # 1 only HD 4 AC 15 (hard oak) Atk 2 arm swings Dmg 1d6/1d6 Mv 30’ Mo 12 XP 200 Treasure none. It stands 7 feet tall. Its face and body are plain, with just the bare amount of details. It wears a yellowed jacket, loose-fitting trousers, and a wide-brimmed hat. It cannot speak and wanders the streets forlornly.

8. Smashed art pieces and broken tools — The buildings along the street have been vandalized. There’s a small crowd (6d6) of people examining the damage.

9. Untended carriage — The carriage door is unlocked but stuck. Inside, there is a sealed letter addressed to Master Painter Dullmoor. The letter is a petition to paint a portrait for Marquis Frostbone. There are also 2d4 silver coins between the seat cushions.

10. Statue of uncanny beauty — The creatures that look upon this statue are entranced by its splendor. They will insist on staring at it. Creatures may make a save vs. petrify to resist the effect. Creatures that fail the save will stare for one hour and then be free to move on.

Hunting Cats

On idyllic mornings, when the sunlight sparkles on dew covered hillsides, outsiders should stay out of sight. One shudders to think of the fate of those poor souls that are caught in the open. A loud shot can be heard, birds take flight, and those in hiding can do nothing but offer a prayer for the latest victim.

Hunting Cats take great joy in the hunt. They do it for the love of sport. They’re not terribly picky about their targets; anything that might look good mounted on a wall will suffice. If one of their prey would happen to make a particularly unique trophy, so much the better!

These feline hunters average about four feet in height. They walk at a leisurely pace on their hind legs. They travel in groups (need a witness to verify a kill, naturally) and always use the same make of hunting rifles to keep things fair amongst themselves. They have no appetite for a mêlée and will flee if they’re in danger.

Albert Hahn, 1907

Groups of 2 to 6
HD: 2
AC: 11
Atk: 1 hunting rifle* — short, medium, and long ranges: 30’, 150’, 250’
Dmg: hunting rifle (1d6)
Mv: 30’
Mo: 4
XP: 100
Treasure: 30% chance — 2d4 hunting rifle ammunition

*Hunting Rifle (1d6 damage)

Rifles must be reloaded after firing once. A character can sacrifice their movement to reload. By doing so they could fire, stand still and reload, and be ready to fire again for the next round.

If a rifle becomes wet or dirty, there’s a 1 in 4 chance the rifle jams and cannot be fired. The chance to jam must be checked every time the rifle is fired until it has been properly cleaned. Jammed rifles cannot be fixed by anyone without expertise in firearms.

This weapon is purely mechanical in nature, without a hint of magic. Hunting Cats are adept at keeping them in working order. They must be kept clean, well-oiled, and away from water; neglected rifles become inoperable after one week.

Alas, there haven’t been gunsmiths in these parts for decades. If one should happen to break, who would know how to fix it?

Player Accomplishment

Leveling up in rules lite systems like the Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game (BFRPG) may feel underwhelming for players. The Fighter class, for instance, gains no new abilities and instead simply gets a bit more hit points added to their total. Occasionally the Fighter class also receives a higher Attack Bonus, making it easier to hit opponents in combat. Contrast this character progression to a system like 5e in which every class gains more hit points, new abilities, and improved stats at almost every level. There are even optional rules for feats that can be chosen in place of the occasional stat bonuses. Of course, these two systems approach characters with different design goals in mind. Characters in a system like 5e are more akin to heroes: people with almost supernatural abilities. BFRPG characters, on the other hand, are meant to be a little bit better than average people but not much more than that. These characters become heroes (or villains) through their deeds rather than through their innate powers. Furthermore, 5e tends to be far less lethal. Though there are optional suggestions for handling character death in BFRPG, the standard approach is to simply have characters die if their hit points are reduced to zero.[1]

BFRPG also handles experience points (XP) differently. Typically, GMs should reward players with 1 XP per 1 gold piece (GP) obtained through adventuring. This method is arguably necessary because of the high risk of character death. Players will learn that they do not need to slaughter every monster that they encounter in order to gain levels. In fact, they are more likely to end up losing their characters if they treat combat lightly. Death is constantly a real threat even at mid- and high-levels in BFRPG.

There are a lot more differences that we could discuss here between these systems, but we should instead focus on the question at hand: how exactly can a GM help players feel accomplished in a rules lite system? How should a GM compensate for the seemingly lesser rewards for a character leveling up in BFRPG?

The spirit behind rules lite systems is meant to be encouraging to both GM and players. Just because there is no explicit rule governing additional benefits for character advancement does not mean that a GM and their players cannot come up with a rewards system together. A skill tree, for example, may allow players to feel as though their character is becoming more competent at various activities. Pursuing these custom-tailored options may require the most work from GMs and players, but has potential to be the most satisfying; it is an opportunity to make the game unique to the group and for players to have some input into the system.

We should also consider more abstract forms of accomplishment. Perhaps a player has solved a challenge through especially creative thinking. Their use of the terrain during a fight, for example, turns the tide of the battle. The player may already have a sense of achievement based on how well their plan worked out. This moment to bask in the glory of victory may be more satisfying than any additional mechanical benefits gained through leveling up.

In addition to the satisfaction found in creative play, players should be encouraged to develop their own goals as a campaign goes on. Perhaps a player wants to find the answer to one of the many mysteries or hooks that the GM has mentioned. Maybe a player wishes to help one of the factions or NPCs in the game world. Indeed, a player’s goal may be as simple as keeping their character alive for as long as possible.

Notes

1. Chris Gonnerman et al., Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game, (self-published, 2016), 152.

Soulspiration

The setting details and lore found in the D&D 5e core rule books don’t interest me in the slightest. It’s then a little surprising that I absolutely adore reading the item descriptions in the Soulsborne (a portmanteau of Dark Souls and Bloodborne) series of video games made by From Software. The team responsible for writing this lore did an impressive job at including just the right amount of detail. Sometimes it’s hard to resist including a near-encyclopedic amount of backstory; the restraint is admirable. The narratives found in the games are frequently obtuse, and it’s probably common for players to complete one of the titles and still be mostly fuzzy on exactly what the story is.

Miyazaki Hidetaka, the main director of the series, mentioned in an interview that he has enjoyed playing D&D and role-playing game books since he was young. In light of this detail, the approach to narrative in the series makes more sense. The games feel like the From Software’s attempt to capture the experience of tabletop role-playing in the video game medium. Story tends to happen a bit more organically in a tabletop session. Players do and say things that no Game Master can predict, meaning that any tabletop narrative is bound to go in unexpected directions. How exciting!

It’s difficult to articulate what makes a setting appealing or not. In the case of From Software’s worlds, the gloomy atmosphere combined with a healthy dose of mystery makes them especially intriguing. What are the rules of this world? What is happening and why? The player is encouraged to explore and find answers for themselves. In an ideal tabletop session, players will be sufficiently engaged to do likewise.

There’s also a great deal of the strange and wonderful in From Software’s work. Take, for instance, the undying curse that is a primary feature of the Dark Souls games. Not only does it offer an in-universe explanation for a central game mechanic (i.e., the player suffers a curse that revives them upon death), it’s an element of the game world that spurs the imagination. What would the world be like if people couldn’t die? Then there are the elements that are simply left to the player’s imagination. Who made the giant statues of humanoid warriors with hawk heads in Heide’s Tower? What exactly are the Fire Keepers?

It’s a good exercise to think carefully about we find inspiring. Hopefully players will feed off of a Game Master’s excitement for the setting. Aside from incorporating elements that explicitly appeal to the players’ own interests, what else should a GM do to encourage player buy-in?

Genre Fatigue

Typical high fantasy frequently loses its appeal. Castles, swords, dragons, and magic can become tiring. It is vital for authors to push beyond the genre’s boundaries and reach a point where a work becomes genre-defying. That can be said for works of any genre, not just high fantasy.

Tropes have their uses, of course. Perhaps it’s important for players to immediately understand how a monster or trap functions. The strange can come later. The point is to ensure there is something that surprises or, at the least, keeps everyone intrigued in the shared world.

For an example of high fantasy needing a push, we turn to Japan. The long-running Dragon Quest series of video games is an institution in its home country. In contrast, the games remain perpetually less-popular outside of Japan. One reason may be the relatively vanilla approach to the genre that can be found in the mainline titles in the series. I played the Japanese language version of Dragon Quest IX, for instance, and was surprised to discover how safe and cliché the fantasy elements were. My Japanese is nowhere near fluent, so it’s certainly possible that I missed some subtle humor in the game’s dialogue. Yet the game seemed to lack the charm of the English localization of Dragon Quest Heroes.

To be fair to the series, it’s important to remember that the medieval European high fantasy that we are so used to remains a lesser-known genre for Japanese people. Dragon Quest can afford to play it safe because the genre already has unique appeal to its target audience. It doesn’t hurt that the series has a massive fan-base as well. When it is brought over to a western market, on the other hand, there needs to be a greater effort to punch up the translation and prevent it from coming off as overly dry.

Returning the world of tabletop gaming, perhaps it’s sufficient to take a break from one genre and spend time in another for a while. That may be why so many of the early modules blended different genres together, like high fantasy and sci-fi.

If the imagined world doesn’t instill a sense of wonder and excitement, what else can be done to help?