[D&D 4E] Metrocalypse: Oxford 1605 -- first session

May 20, 2009 15:51

Last night, I ran the first game of Metrocalypse: Oxford 1605, my setting for Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition ( Read more... )

metrocalypse, actual play, dnd, gaming

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animadversio May 20 2009, 20:22:25 UTC
An awesome wrap-up -- thank you ( ... )

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adamdray May 20 2009, 20:34:31 UTC
So it's clear, I have a "shit happens" approach to scheduling. While it was regrettable that we lost an hour of game time, I wasn't annoyed or anything.

Similar for your reaction to the dragon. I figured there was partly an out-of-character miscommunication and partly an in-character curiosity. Still, I wasn't at all annoyed with anything you did at the table! I was, however, annoyed with how I'd painted myself into a corner using old-school GM-oomph and railroading.

At some point, we're all gonna have to sit down as players and talk out how we want to play. We're winging it right now. What I mean is, how do we want to treat the game? as a strict simulation of metrocalyptic transformation? as whatever is fair in terms of the rules first and foremost? as whatever seems most interesting from a thematic and storytelling point of view?

Because, depending on the group's decision, I would run that same encounter three different ways.

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animadversio May 20 2009, 20:25:38 UTC
And I'll happily track initiative for you next time -- I've got a nice handmade tracker, using a mini-whiteboard and a Gamemastery Tracker Pad.

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adamdray May 20 2009, 20:35:08 UTC
I have an official wet-erase tracker tool that you can use, too.

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bluelang May 20 2009, 20:31:55 UTC
I am struck by how effectively a compelling setting has improved (from my perception) the 4E experience.

Kudos to you as a Game Master and World Builder!

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adamdray May 20 2009, 20:38:14 UTC
Thank you!

I'd argue that a compelling setting improves any gaming experience!

What Metrocalypse does -- where its magic lies -- is that it removes PC race and class from the weirdness equation. A lot of people, I think, feel that 4E is at once too strange with all its unusual race choices and too mundane with its uniformity of mechanics across classes and its pre-colored powers.

Reskinning powers and classes and races is something any DM can do, even if the setting is Forgotten Realms or whatever.

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animadversio May 20 2009, 21:59:39 UTC
Brian's character is actually a doppelganger cleric.

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selentic May 22 2009, 02:37:23 UTC
I had a similar giant dragon close-encounter in my first 4e game, though my GM truly ran it totally by GM-fiat - not even a skill-check, just a "look how awesome the monster is" sort of deal.

I think the idea of handling it as a hazard (with dragon colour) is a much better way to put that sort of thing in the game; Something i'll have to keep in mind for future sessions!

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