Recent content by GuardianLurker

  1. GuardianLurker

    It's the End of the World As We Know It: Apocalyptic Campaign Settings

    Eh... yes? To all of them? So the current campaign's stakes are apocalyptic - just a conquerer BBEG, no world destroying involved. (That's None.) However, the setting has some similarities to the Well of the Worlds, and the characters are in the equivalent of a world hex. And the hex walls...
  2. GuardianLurker

    D&D General Best Adventure I Haven't Run?

    If you're looking for classic/OSR, I can recommend I3-5, the Desert of Desolation campaign. Written by Weis and Hickman (of Dragonlance fame), it's one of my favorites. And, of course, there's the Original high-level campaign G1-3/D1-2/Q1, and all of its modern descendants. They vary in quality...
  3. GuardianLurker

    What rpg system would you use for a 60+ session fantasy campaign?

    @Jacob Lewis You put it much better than I did. Thank you. I will also expand that a more common problem is how a system handles "scaling" or "power levels". Which might be touching on the long term progression that the OP (@Elvish Lore ) was trying to address, as the high-end is the more...
  4. GuardianLurker

    What rpg system would you use for a 60+ session fantasy campaign?

    Umm... I pretty much always run 60+ session campaigns. I've run them in 2e, 3e (twice), 5e, and am currently using PF2. And played in a few as well. On the D&D branch and descendants, I've found that none of your stipulations are generally a problem. Going to other systems, that answer...
  5. GuardianLurker

    Poll: VTT Users - Do you prefer self-hosted or cloud-based VTTs?

    So, I'm currently FG-based, and have been since before they moved to their cloud-based lobby (back when I had to deal with port-forwarding). I don't miss the days of port-forwarding, though I do prefer self-hosting. What would it take for me to switch at this point? Better automation than...
  6. GuardianLurker

    D&D General Advice for a new DM

    To continue on a theme: Y.A.G.N.I. You Ain't Gonna Need It. It can be really hard to stop yourself from fleshing out your world. But, especially as a beginning GM, build literally ONLY what you need, nothing more. If your PCs are exploring the local dungeon, you need the town, and a skeleton...
  7. GuardianLurker

    Is there a framework for pnp RPGs that allows you to compare the game mechanics between different editions of a game?

    I think your character generation and advancement categories are a little too fine grained for useful comparisons across the wide variety of TTRPGs. If I understood Cergorach's first post correctly he is looking for broader "feels like" comparisons. And while you certainly caught some I missed...
  8. GuardianLurker

    Is there a framework for pnp RPGs that allows you to compare the game mechanics between different editions of a game?

    That's probably the best (only?) mechanics-based codification I've seen for rules-weight in TTRPGs. (Congratulations!) I've always thought that rules-weight was ultimately about "how hard is this system to learn and master?" I'd probably combine your "Approach" levels into three: Unified (your...
  9. GuardianLurker

    Is there a framework for pnp RPGs that allows you to compare the game mechanics between different editions of a game?

    Now those could be meaningful for multiple game systems. That would add: Turn Order/Initiative: Individual/Group/Hybrid; Randomized/Adjusted Order/Fixed Order; Periodic Resets/Purely Cyclical 1e and 2e have initiative that is Individual, randomized, with frequent (every turn) resets. 3e and...
  10. GuardianLurker

    Is there a framework for pnp RPGs that allows you to compare the game mechanics between different editions of a game?

    Yeah, the system I use doesn't work well for cross-edition comparisons, I'll admit. Very few systems radically change their mechanical approach as they age, at least at the gross level. And of course, they also have to have enough different editions to really see the drift as well. I've never...
  11. GuardianLurker

    Is there a framework for pnp RPGs that allows you to compare the game mechanics between different editions of a game?

    There are all KINDS of ways to compare PnP (TTRPG) systems, depending on what you're looking to analyze. For me, I pretty much start with the dice mechanics: *Single Die vs Target *Dice Pools, with variants of summed/success, small/limited/large, same size/varying size *Custom Dice *Cards...
  12. GuardianLurker

    Pathfinder 2E Looking for advice as a GM new to PF2e

    If your players are coming from 5e (or similar) backgrounds, you'll probably really want to emphasize that the three actions are "Move, Attack, Prep/Buff" and that they really won't get the benefits they want from Attacking 3 times. Really - to really be effective with your character, even a...
  13. GuardianLurker

    D&D General Eberron Hexcrawl Help

    OK, this is PF2e focused, but it'll translate easily into any d20 system. Some notes: Faranthal is my current home brew setting. Soul Coins are the campaign's metacurrency (augmenting PF2e's Hero Points). I'm using 6 mile hexes for the hexcrawl map. For my players, they generally spend about...
  14. GuardianLurker

    D&D General Eberron Hexcrawl Help

    NP. I'll post it in full in a bit. But the basic concept was: Take the normal movement per day in hexes (at your scale) in open terrain, call that X (for me it was 4 or 5). Add "activities" like scouting, mapping, be brave/bold/stupid (attract more encounters), find REALLY good long term camp...
  15. GuardianLurker

    D&D General Eberron Hexcrawl Help

    I'm running a (semi) hex-crawl right now with a similar setup - large scale known map, small scale exploration. 1. The best bet on how to integrate Lightning Rail, Airships, and other fast-but-not-instant travel is to limit the actual hexcrawl to wherever the PCs disembark, as has been...
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