A first play test

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Caelestis
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:05 pm

A first play test

Post by Caelestis »

Well I decided to blog the first play test we had with the rules. If anyone is interested you can find it here:

https://rpgonenightadventures.blogspot. ... ytest.html

I'm loving the rules. I plan on doing an updated version when we have run the next session. So kudos to everyone involved in the work and the rules and the whole BFRPG scene as it really works well.
Fasafan
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: A first play test

Post by Fasafan »

Thanks for sharing! Always fun to read low level game summaries.

I had a similar experience three weeks ago with a first game. I was surprised at the number of rules we actually touched upon during that first session: morale, surprise, locked doors, back stab, ranged attacks, reaction adjustments, subdual damage... Awesome stuff!

Tomorrow may be game three for us! Game 1 ended with a total party kill (2 players; 2 characters each). Game 2 ended with 5 PCs dead (4 players; 8 characters each. The game is deadly, and they are beginning to realize that!

Would you mind sharing the stats of the PCs? I'm requiring my players to roll 3d6 straight down - much to their chagrin :P I'd like to see your stats and compare them to mine.

Lee
Caelestis
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:05 pm

Re: A first play test

Post by Caelestis »

No problem at all. So the method I used on char generation in a bit more detail was this:

First I had the players roll 3d6 x 6 times and note down the scores. I got them to do this twice, then select the stat scores line they wanted.

Player 1 Rolled
13, 13, 12, 15, 6, 12
15, 10, 7, 10, 14, 10

Player 2 Rolled
8, 14, 13, 13, 5, 9
13, 5, 12, 12, 11, 8

Player 3 Rolled
12, 6, 11, 9, 10, 12
12, 9, 15, 10, 13, 8

They dropped the stat line they didn't like so they went with:

Player 1
13, 13, 12, 15, 6, 12

Player 3
12, 9, 15, 10, 13, 8

Player 2 was having more trouble deciding which stat line he preferred so I noted down the modifiers for each so they looked like this:

Player 2
Stat Line 1
8 -1
14 +1
13 +1
13 +1
5 -2
9 0

Stat Line 2
13 +1
5 -2
12 0
12 0
11 0
8 -1

Based on that he went for stat line 1 as it has obvious advantages. They then assigned them baring in mind the race and classes that they wanted to play.

Human Wizard (Player 1) went for:
Str 6 (-1)
Int 15 (+1)
Wis 13 (+1)
Dex 12 (0)
Con 13 (+1)
Cha 12 (0)

Dwarf Cleric (Player 2) went for:
Str 14 (+1)
Int 9 (0)
Wis 13 (+1)
Dex 8 (-1)
Con 13 (+1)
Cha 5 (-2)

Elf Thief (Player 3) went for:
Str 9 (0)
Int 12 (0)
Wis 10 (0)
Dex 15 (+1)
Con 8 (-1)
Cha 13 (+1)

So that's the makeup of the party.
Fasafan
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: A first play test

Post by Fasafan »

Since I had a regular player absent for last Saturday's game, I had everyone roll up new characters and decided to try the 3d6 twelve times, pick the six desired, and assign where one wanted.

My good buddy with whom I have an agreeable disagreement about how "powerful" PCs should be about fell in the floor (me being Scrooge to his Monty Haul). Everyone rolled, and one character ended up with a +7 modifier character.

I halted the entire process when another guy ended up with just a +1 for two characters. We went back to 3d6 six times, but allowed them to arrange as they desired.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it - at least for this ol' grump!

Lee
Caelestis
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:05 pm

Re: A first play test

Post by Caelestis »

I agree totally (if it ain't broke don't fix it). But it is interesting to try some new techniques sometimes. If nothing else it lets you see what will work and what won't.

I like the roll 6 times and assign method. I also found it interesting one of the chars put a decent score into charisma.
Fasafan
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: A first play test

Post by Fasafan »

Actually, typing that out made me realize I didn't follow your method! Instead of having them roll two sets of stats for a character, then picking the set they liked best, and finally assigning individual scores to each attribute, I had them effectively picking from a total of 12 possibilities, then assigning as desired.

Your method is much better for keeping the power curve lower, yet still giving the players some ability to customize.

Lee
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SmootRK
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Location: Nashville, TN

Re: A first play test

Post by SmootRK »

I houserule this. I play with kids primarily, and especially when they were younger I often had feelings of unfairness when one could roll well and another didn't. So in my games, I use an Array of scores, assign as desired (17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7).
Not sure I would utilize this with a group of adult experienced old-school players.

I also use a mechanism for increase of a single ability at every 5th level (5,10,15, etc) for most races; humans at every 4th level (4, 8, 12, 16, etc). So even though nobody gets 18 at first level, it is possible to achieve that in time.
If one wants a more conservative or modest ability scores go with a modified set (one less each: 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6), so it will take substantially more time before characters hit the highest ability scores possible.

In addition, I have expanded the table out to include 18+ stats along with a couple of slight modifications for the ability bonuses just to even out the progression. I think my houserule document is saved in a thread here somewhere, but it needs to be searched up, as I am at work away from my home files.
Is it really the end, not some crazy dream?
Fasafan
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: A first play test

Post by Fasafan »

I'm fond of the array method in other games; I've written it as a variation for the FASA Star Trek RPG (my nostalgia-obsession), but have never implemented it because I haven't had a chance to play a game in a while.

Thanks for that idea, though! I had not thought of it until you mentioned it. I like your other companion ideas as well!
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Hywaywolf
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:30 pm
Location: Wilmington, NC

Re: A first play test

Post by Hywaywolf »

I have played the funnel method several times and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. When you use 3d6 straight and start with 4 normal (0 level) players you find that you have to play outside your normal habits to keep them all alive and interesting. The last time I played that way the PC that I thought I was going to want to keep died and I felt less of a loss than I did when the urchin kid that only had a single +1 assumed room temperature.

Of course, being mostly a player and not a GM, I liked that after achieving 1st level our GM let us roll a 1d4 and add 1 point per attribute until we ran out of points. I wouldn't want to use the funnel method for every campaign but once in a while its fun to get me to play outside the box.
Caelestis
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:05 pm

Re: A first play test

Post by Caelestis »

I found the roll 2 sets and discard one worked quite well as it kept it fairly stable. As it stands my dwarf just kicked open a door and is facing kobolds and he is on 2 hp .... apparently he has a plan! I will find out Thursday :D

I'm going to try and blog how the next session goes as well so everyone can see it from start to finish. Then I may go back and do something more in depth on things like how I found the char creation etc.

Loving the system though. I have already planned the next adventure ... well sort of! I'm porting a starting adventure from a bestiary / setting to run using BFRPG. I can't wait to get to that!
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