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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Jun 2012 : 05:44:49
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Good evening fellow (and far more senior) scribes,
In addition to the many exciting games being offered by WoTC set in the Realms at this year's Gen Con (detailed hereabouts in another thread) there is, tucked in among the better known, better attended, and maybe even just better events (Lol) a more modest offering. An offering of a somewhat unusual nature...mine.
Anyone reading my occasional posts will be able to guess what my particular spin is. I run 'Earth/Realms crossover' games in the vein of 'The Chronicles of Narnia' or 'The Woods Out Back'. My games take the real world stats of the gamers sitting around the table and convert them into a fantasy format (in this case the Pathfinder rules system), then 'import' them into the Realms for a bit of rollicking fun!
Since most gamers aren't members of Seal Team Six, this tends to place a survival premium on the possession of large amounts of Realms lore and a quick tongue, two things that certainly don't seem to be in short supply around here... In fact, I'm running this 'Realms Play Yourself Demo' game at the con precisely because a number of the world's most fanatical Realms fans, you guys and gals, will be there!
So, if any of you are up for something a little out of the ordinary, and if you've ever wanted to walk the Realms with your own two (virtual) feet, I'd encourage you to join me for fun! I promise you it will be an event you'll remember (hopefully fondly! Lol).
Here is the event description (and here is the link to sign up for Gen Con attendees = https://registration.gencon.com/events/38454), please ask away if you have any questions!
Title: Play Yourself Adventures (in Faerun)
Short Description: Spent any time looking in the back of wardrobes for portals to fantasy worlds? Join us as we explore gaming using this classic staple of fantasy fiction and get a chance to visit the Forgotten Realms.
Long Description: If you have ever read 'The Chronicles of Narnia', 'The Guardians of the Flame', or 'The Woods Out Back' and wondered, "where is the nearest portal to MY favorite fantasy world?" then this is the game for you! Players will get to spend a few hours exploring a little corner of the Forgotten Realms using only their wits, their accumulated Realms lore, their LARP inspired combat skills, and their junk food toned bodies to survive. You only need a pen, a D20, and a basic understanding of RPGs to play (you don't need to bring your very own Ed Greenwood, although there is a strict limit of one Ed per player for those of you who do!). The when's and where's of its specific placement in the Realms will be revealed as play develops, but rest assured any fan of the Realms (or novice seeker from the Candlekeep Forums) will feel right at home.
Maximum Number of Players: 12
Minimum Age: Teen (13+)
Experience Required: None (You've never played before)
Materials Provided: Yes, materials are provided for this game. You do not need to bring your own.
Start Date & Time: Saturday at 6:00 PM
Duration: 6 hours
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Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2012 : 01:32:42
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Okay, so I confess I was hoping to foster a wee bit o' discussion of/interest in the matter... Lol.
In hopes of getting that ball rolling...is anyone who plans to attend Gen Con interested in the event? I sort of offered it up at Gen Con (once I saw a few of us would be going from my poll) in the hopes of getting some truly intense Realms scholars to play. As much as I love the players I've had in my campaigns over the years (including the ones in my current campaign - yes, I know you can see this you buggers! Lol), I'll admit I've never been challenged with one anywhere nearly as Realms lore savvy as I'd be on that side of the screen. I know you guys and gals could fit that bill and then some. Lol.
So, don't be shy. Feel free to ask questions, tell me I've got a horrible, evil, tainted concept, or even volunteer to give it a go! |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2012 : 01:38:27
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It does seem interesting, though I must admit I don't know how you are going to give out statistics?
Could you expand on that? How do you determine what my Constitution is? I can tell you it is rather feeble, despite me being 6ft and heavily muscled.  |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2012 : 21:16:10
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Dalor,
A totally understandable question. Lol.
Usually, I have a fairly complex system that's part self reporting (as you just confessed to a Con lower than your Strength for example), part rating based on book guidelines (most rules systems give comparative examples to base stat ratings on) and part 'group consensus' (for mental scores in particular), but given the speed needed for an event in an environment like a Con, I'm going to go with my 'quick and dirty' version of my system (as I usually do in situations where a group just wants to 'jump in and play').
We use the Pathfinder rules set, so the ability scores are a bit 'inflated' (in my view anyway, Lol) over standard 1E or 2E where an 18 in a score represented the true human maximum.
In 'quick and dirty' games like this, mental scores are really more what you can actually DO with them around the table than what is written on your sheet. I have yet to meet someone who is an actual spellcaster (either arcane OR divine, Lol) here on Earth, so just assigning a provisional '+1 stat bonus' to all mental stats (the Pathfinder equivalent of saying 'you all have a 12 or 13 intelligence, wisdom, and charisma') without taking the time (and bruising the egos...) to actually stat people out is a good way to start. If someone actually has an 18 intelligence, or 15 wisdom, or 16 charisma and I'm 'robbing' them, then it will soon become apparent how smart, or wise, or charismatic they are as they make decisions and interact with NPCs in game (and I can adjust their modifiers in my head on the fly if needed). Conversely, if someone has a 9 intelligence, or 6 wisdom, or 7 charisma then no '+1 bonus' will protect them from the negative consequences of their in game choices or the flip comments they make when they spout off to NPCs (as every DM knows...Lol).
For physical stats, those are easier to gauge through a combination of observation ('6ft and heavily muscled' versus '5ft and rail thin') and self reporting. Most gamers tend to fall into either the 'physically active' or 'couch potato' categories pretty easily. So, you start with the average score (10 or 11 in Pathfinder) and make some assessments about how much above or below that people are when it comes to Strength (the easiest to gauge based on weight allowance charts, etc), Constitution (which usually requires a question or two about stamina and whatnot), and Dexterity (where I'm kind enough to average in the 'full body' and 'eye-hand' components of such). Almost everyone I've ever played with (and I've done this sort of thing A LOT over almost 20 years now, it is kind of my one trick pony) has tended to fall between 8 and 16 in most scores (with Pathfinder skewing those scores up a bit and allowing for the odd 17 or 18 unlike 2E). Again, the effect of a -1 to a +3 (that range's impact) while significant at low levels, isn't quite as determinative as skill (non-proficiency is a BITCH) or luck (lucky people have luck with dice in my experience, so that balances out, Lol).
In a nutshell, a starting 'Play Yourself' game is, for the vast majority of us who aren't physically skilled or overly imposing in a Medieval combat skill set sort of way, a game of wits and knowledge. Cleverness, a quick tongue, and a healthy dose of metagaming lore ('oh, that's a X, don't use Y on it' or 'this is the place with the Harper contact/secret compartment where the healing potions are hidden') rule the day. A HUGE amount of the fun comes from playing a character that isn't able to just knock heads together at the drop of a hat, but has to outwit the locals in a 'shop smart, shop S-Mart' sort of way. Of course, a lucky (or smart) group always somehow seems to include that one guy (or gal) who happened to be an Iraqi combat vet, star college athlete, or the local arms champion in the SCA. Just stand behind them when the rubber hits the road (it is a good place to get a head start running away...). Lol.
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Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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coach
Senior Scribe
USA
479 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2012 : 06:45:47
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i've done one of these before and they are pretty neat
we filled out a survey and then were interviewed
i scored out:
S 10 (and I thought the GMs were being generous, i was a "finesse" athlete, all speed, no strength, i think a very strong dex can mask a poor str)
D 18 (legit - still hold school record for stolen bases set in 1989, table tennis open champion at my university - the asians that snickered at the "whiteboy" i made sure to humiliate)
Co 16 (healthy, tee-totaler, no smoking or drugs, BMI on track, "look" like an athlete)
I 13 (shortchanged here, i think a poor wis can mask int LOL...)
W 9 (i am awake reading this past midnight and have to go to work in 5 hours, a 9 may actually be too high LOL)
Ch 16 (who knows how they figured this, maybe that my job (coach) involves leadership, i think people do follow me but i dont know why sometimes LOL)
I wanted to play a thief/wizard (does that give a clue on how long ago this was heh) but the int made me think that wouldnt be great, and those scores are hard to find a perfect match unless you just count the charisma as a bonus
before you say "sorceror" there was no such thing
i went pure thief and was the party "spokesman" so the charisma wasn't wasted
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Bloodstone Lands Sage |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2012 : 02:10:54
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Coach,
That's more or less the spirit of things yeah. Lol.
Although, I probably would have gone lower on your Dex 'back in the day' (when I used 2E) as an 18 represented absolute human perfection absent magical enhancement. These days, using Pathfinder, 'stat creep' is a bit more understandable. Starting stats tend to be around 2 points higher than 'the old days' as an 18 is really now a 23 when you factor in level dependent stat boosts.
The 'rating game' is a lot of fun though. I find it helps to have a realistic appraisal of yourself (i.e. not think you are God's gift to the world) and not be too bent out of shape when people tell you what you think is an 18 charisma really ends up being more like a 13. Lol.
I'd encourage my fellow scribes to have a bit of fun by joining you and coming up with their own stats for entertainment...I use the Pathfinder game system.
To start that ball rolling I offer you 'Kris the Grey' five minutes after his arrival in the Realms:
Str 9
Int 17
Wis 11
Dex 14
Con 10
Chr 15
Class: Expert
Level: 1
Hit Points: 5
AC: 12
Feats: Education (Bonus feat - thank you American public education system! Lol), Persuasive, Deceitful (did I admit to that out loud?)
Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Law), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Metagaming), Perception, Profession (Law), Sense Motive, Stealth, Swim (all with a single rank and all class skills owing to the Expert class)
In all honesty, two of the things I like best about my little 'Play Yourself' adventurers are:
- they force players to use their heads first and their fists second as few of us are combat monsters in real life (unlike virtually every single character in 3E, 4E, and Pathfinder) - a fair number of people playing over the years did so running characters that they would have tossed out and re-rolled had they been playing traditional PCs, it makes you appreciate the fact that low stat characters really CAN be fun to play
- as odd as this sounds, it promotes 'realism' in the game by giving the DM and the players a rationale for actually exploring 'the little things' about living in a fantasy/medieval environment (instead of just taking them for granted) as they are encountering them as 'outsiders' instead of people who are used to living in such a world - something as simple as what to wear or what to eat becomes interesting all over again
Those two things taken together are part of what allows a 'starter adventure' of the sort I'm running at the Con to still be a load of fun. I'll be surprised if anyone who sits down at the table to play even rates a single level in a PC class (the NPC classes in Pathfinder being commoner, aristocrat, warrior, and expert), but that shouldn't stop them from having a good old time nonetheless. Of course, it also won't stop them all from getting butchered like livestock if they do or say something profoundly foolish, but that can be part of life in any world. Lol.
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Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
Edited by - Kris the Grey on 12 Jul 2012 18:48:16 |
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Gaming at GenCon - A Chance to 'Visit' the Realms
