Pens and Papers

[Ruki]

I'm going to stick to pathfinder for dnd needs. A new addition replacing all my books every few years is too much at 40 a book

I won't be the one buying the books, so I have no issue playing 5th. But, if it turns out people don't like it, he will run his game in Pathfinder (then I can build my Inquisitor or Swashbuckler!)

[EWB's Best Poster.]

I tried a brawler with dragon style. Holy shit. Held 4 people down at once.

And the skald? I'm really tempted. Adding rage powers to your song means stacking all sorts of nasty.

[Ruki]

I've also been tempted by the Brawler. And the Inquisitor. And Slayer.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

If you go brawler, do mutagenic mauler archetype. Less paperwork more fun.

[Ruki]

Keeping track of all the different feats for the different situations would be a pain.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Yeah, that's why I like it. No feats to track, just juice up.

[OctoberRaven]

Man, it's been way too long since I've played in a game that didn't last a couple sessions. Any of you guys still do games on IRC?

[NobBe Nobbs]

Forgive the length of this, but it's part something I want off my chest and part something I could use opinions on.

I've just starting roleplaying. The game I'm playing is Unknown Armies (take a look, because it's a fascinating setting) and it's also the first time the GM has run any games. For a first-timer, he's doing very well for it, and I don't want to sound like I'm criticising him, but...for the last two, three, maybe four sessions, my character has been more or less a total non-entity. Where everybody else has had interesting plot points, done a lot to progress the plot or just been generally amusing, you could have lifted my character out of the game entirely and you'd barely have noticed the difference.

I don't know where the blame lies. Part of it is probably the character himself, who I'm deliberately playing as an awkward and distrustful person, but just as much of it is down to me being new at roleplaying and so not really knowing the right questions to ask or the right things to do to move the plot and a third part has to be on the GM. I really don't want this to come across as me saying "all these things are happening and they're not about me, BORED NOW", but where other people have been given a LOT to work with, I've ended up sitting around, trying desperately to fit myself in. Like I said to one of the other players yesterday, while the roleplaying aspect amuses me and is enjoyable, it's all starting to feel a bit disappointing.

Unknown Armies also has a mechanic for awarding experience points. Each player gets a certain amount at the end of each session, but the GM has free reign to give them out to anybody he thinks has done anything particularly amusing or cool throughout the game and then, at the end of each session, each player gives a point to whichever character they've enjoyed most that session. I haven't been given any GM experience for four sessions and haven't had any votes for three (and the one vote I did get was unmistakably a pity vote). When you've been really trying to make the character interesting and get no reaction whatsoever, it's shite.

So...are these fair concerns to be having? And how do I go about expressing them?

[Ruki]

1. Talk to your GM about it, as soon as you can. Tell them about how you feel, they'll give you their position (maybe they thought that they tried). The two of you can work together to get you more into the story.

2. Change your character, immediately. Maybe not a brand new character sheet....but you got to stop the awkward/distrustful stuff. It's hard to work into a group well. A problem that a lot of people run into when they're new to roleplaying is they play the deep, dark, brooding, don't trust nobody lonewolf type. And those suck. It's a team game, and the best things come from the interactions with the party. Have your character get hit in the head and come out of it with a new personality.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

1. Talk to the gm like Ruki said. Just say "hey, I'd like to take part more."

2. Take part more. You don't need the spotlight on you for you to play. Once he sees you taking part more, his mind will develop points. The more you give him, the more he gives back.

3. Don't change your character. Instead state (or reiterate) to the players how you want to play him. It's the character not you, and talk about your desires. Once they get it, they will get into it. And if they seem to react oddly, it could be them role playing too. Just make it clear.

Edited October 7, 2014 by EWB's Best Poster.

[Kuji]

Is there a group playing Pathfinder online through skype? Kind of stuck living in a place with no pen and paper folks..

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Not here, no. It's hard unless everyone's on Skype, because the odd one out is drowned out. At least eh em everyone's on Skype people take turns better I have found.

[GhostMachine]

Been meaning to ask: D&D-wise, what's the big differences (if any) between 5e and previous editions?

[Ruki]

5 is thr halfway point between 3.5 and 4. More streamlined than 3.5, but not as much/as restrictive as 4.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

That's about what I've heard too. I'm sticking with pathfinder. Between 3rd, 3.5, 4th and pathfinder, I've invested too much money into just one game to keep buying this shit.

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Going to try the skull and shackles adventure path for pathfinder. Waking up after being drugged to find yourself on a pirate crew, mutiny and becoming pirate kings. Sounds very exciting.

[OctoberRaven]

So 5e D&D is pretty neat. Playing it with a group on IRC. Low level wizards are capable of being useful after one encounter now!

[Toe]

Going to start DMing for the first time using the Dragon Age RPG. Anyone have tips for a first time DM?

[Ruki]

Don't force the players to stay on path, as players tend to kind of do everything but what you want to do.

And remember to have fun. It's a game for the DM as well!

[EWB's Best Poster.]

Going to start DMing for the first time using the Dragon Age RPG. Anyone have tips for a first time DM?

Just remember all the things you did as a player to pissed the DM off and then expect revenge.