Comments on: Got in some serious gaming over the weekend

By: Family Finally Survives a Session « Lord Kilgore

Family Finally Survives a Session « Lord Kilgore — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:37:23 +0000

[...] reconvened for another foray in the Forbidden Jungle with new PCs they had rolled up since the previous TPK. My wife had a halfling druid (great move for the environment) while my daughter went with a dwarf [...]

By: Telecanter

Telecanter — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:10:37 +0000

Yeah, the jungle makes it tough, most of my player deaths are unforced errors. Just an idea, what if you gave the players a magic item, say a fist-sized emerald that indicated when creatures were near. The gem glows, the party freezes, the ranger investigates. It would make the jungle more survivable as long as they don’t lose it . . .

By: A Paladin In Citadel

A Paladin In Citadel — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:04:06 +0000

And we wonder why successive editions have increased the hardiness of fresh characters. Whether it is the -10 hp rule, or the more recent 4e approach.

I have to admit I am torn between playing it true old-school and making the accommodation to more hit points at first level.

My son lost his character in yesterdays D&D session, and while he was (outwardly) non-plussed, I know it was a disappointment for him.

Tis a bit of a slippery slope, though, improving the survivability of 1st level characters. I think 4e has taken it to such an extreme, that characters can almost never die.

By: Timeshadows

Timeshadows — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:08:23 +0000

May I offer a few suggestions as a gamer and a mother?

* Use HP as it is in Searchers of the Unknown: Knock Outs.
–HPs are then recovered immediately after a scene, and if dropped into the negatives, it simply means it takes longer for the character to rest and recuperate.

* Death can still come from Save or Die situations, but kids and other normal people do NOT enjoy dying.
–Still not sure why OSR folks seem to think its fun. It SHOULD suck, but not be something to wear as a badge: ‘I’ve lost every character I’ve ever made before they reached 4th level, that’s why I don’t bother naming them. It was a real hoot.’-sort of stuff (often said by lightly-toasted guys after a tough work week.

* Next, come up with reasons why kidnapping and slavery are part of a monster’s shtick. Stuck in a cage for fattening up; thrown into an oubliette that actually does have a hidden exit tunnelled out by former occupants; kind-hearted monster children who want a human pet; etc.
–Dying in RPGs will not really prepare children for Real Lifesorrows, it just hardens them, turns them off, and drives them to videogames or TV.

* Next, address the same mechanic on their part. Killing attacks are reserved for helpless victims (tied-up, unconscious, Held, etc.). Dropping a critter’s HP to 0 is enough to make __stealing its stuff__ possible. Dropping them into the negatives ought to teach them a lesson so that they don’t come back (right away) to bother human/demi-human settlements.

* When your family is ready for the ‘real stuff’ (not -realistic- at all, BTW), then let them ask you for the game to be taken to the next level.

Just my two-bits from a Psychology, High Risk Armed Security, Gaming, and Parenting background.
–YMMV, of course

Best,
-Kyrinn

By: Meepo

Meepo — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:54:53 +0000

Perhaps a HP kicker might be in order?

It may make some of us fogeys cringe (we’ll get over it!) but you could always take the 4E way and have your 1st level characters add their Constitution score to their HP total. That should allow quite a bit more damage soaking and would work well with your heavier daily healing from rest.

By: Badmike

Badmike — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:30:23 +0000

Well the jungle should be deadly, perhaps even deadlier than a “regular” campaign. But you are right it’s not much fun when you are continually rolling up new characters. It seems to me you need more “cannon fodder”. For every PC, I would include one NPC, particularly fighter types or clerics (for their healing abilities). One of the battles I ran at the beginning of my campaign, I gave all the players a native warrior to run in addition to their character…with the inducement if they survived, they would become loyal followers of the PCs. Well 3 out of 4 of the NPCs died in the battle that followed! Good thing I included them or it would have undoubtedly been a TPK.