Recent content by GMMichael

Players gonna play. If you give them options, they won't choose any. If you "rollercoaster" them, they'll complain that they don't get options. The GM's job is much like that of a marine's: adapt and overcome. (Or is it improvise?) Analysis paralysis, or apathy are my first reactions...

A draft of sample skills and perks has formulated. I'll be using them to flesh out the sample NPC/PCs, so they'll also be used in the demo play session. The parentheses in the skills are for the type of contest that will typically benefit from the skill: Physical, Mental, or MetaPhysical...

This is simple and excellent. I might borrow it. What keeps two characters from jumping straight into the sack (burlap, of course)? Well, one or both sides have a few issues that must be resolved amicably before they become an item. And before long, there's a little adventurer on the way . . .

So it's an OSR? Hmm, maybe not - I don't think there were they/them-identifying behemoths in the old school.

Looks great! You may take my eyes and I will blindly crawl in the hopes of being lovingly bound in holy spider webs.

Sounds like the party needs to have a chat with the local ranger before leaving town, to learn about the regional monsters. Active defense makes perfect sense to me, as long as it doesn't equate to "I postpone the end of combat for a round." How does intercepting enemy attacks work? It's...

Two words: death tree. Assuming this means what I think it means, I'd say the issue is D&D's focus on hit points. What if monster entries listed a Morale Check Bonus, or a Bribe Minimum, or a Non-Combat Goal for each monster?

So I misread this earlier (but my solution stays the same). I thought Hawk said that rolling off-screen wasn't possible, but it now looks like "making the PC's roll is a pain because all the bonuses are tied into a player-facing mechanism which isn't concealable." Rolling the DC allows the PC...

I mean, if Modos 2 were actually printed, it would probably be on cheap wood pulp.

If this works for you, go for it. But it sounds like a lot of work to me. You might try turning your DC into a roll instead. Secretly rolling a d4 doesn't seem any better than secretly rolling the PC's check or secretly choosing a DC.

Well, bad for vampires, anyway. I'd say it's a good thing.

@Retreater seeing the world outside D&D: Glad you found it!

I'm not really seeing why the weaker PCs should get a shot at opening a door when the "strongest PC" couldn't do it. Unless . . . a smart PC is rolling on Intelligence to understand something the strong PC missed? Sure, but that seems to assume that the PCs are working together. If all the...

I don't endorse being a jerk, but venting is a thing. I suspect a big reason for pro-sports obsessions is that it's acceptable to shout at full volume that someone else "SUCKS!" Me, I prefer picking up a digital rifle and shooting someone's avatar in the head. The breakdown might be in some...

The RPG usage has a sort of sarcastic tone to it to me, so I only use "heartbreaker" when she calls me another guy's name . . .