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Clues vs Downtime
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<blockquote data-quote="Theory of Games" data-source="post: 9322687" data-attributes="member: 7042201"><p>All Hail ichaBod!</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">No. I tried clues many years ago and discovered (1) some players don't give a naughty word about clues and (2) sometimes the party won't figure out what the clue means. Which led to me asking myself "Why am I torturing these people?" The party might come across something that makes them think "Something is amiss!" it wasn't intentional on my part that they find anything resembling a clue.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> I wouldn't call actively investigating a mystery a "downtime activity". Investigation is part of the action, right? Downtime is perfect for the party & players to strengthen their relationships by like eating dinner together by campfire.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Never force anything. The GM just drives and it's the players who decide the destination. Have this mantra: "I am NOT telling a story." </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Sure: Non-Player Characters. Use them to tell the players and their characters everything you want them to know. It's so much better than the immersion-breaking pauses to discuss the setting out of character. Those OOC pauses are ANTI-role-playing. You can present any kind of information using an NPC instead. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Ya think?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">It looks like you enjoy investigation in your games, right? D&D is NOT the best "high fantasy" or "sword & sorcery" rpg for that. Take a look at <a href="https://pelgranepress.com/product/swords-of-the-serpentine/" target="_blank">Swords of the Serpentine</a> by Pelgrane Press. That system specifically caters to investigation in fantasy settings. </li> </ol></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Theory of Games, post: 9322687, member: 7042201"] All Hail ichaBod! [LIST=1] [*]No. I tried clues many years ago and discovered (1) some players don't give a naughty word about clues and (2) sometimes the party won't figure out what the clue means. Which led to me asking myself "Why am I torturing these people?" The party might come across something that makes them think "Something is amiss!" it wasn't intentional on my part that they find anything resembling a clue. [*] I wouldn't call actively investigating a mystery a "downtime activity". Investigation is part of the action, right? Downtime is perfect for the party & players to strengthen their relationships by like eating dinner together by campfire. [*]Never force anything. The GM just drives and it's the players who decide the destination. Have this mantra: "I am NOT telling a story." [*]Sure: Non-Player Characters. Use them to tell the players and their characters everything you want them to know. It's so much better than the immersion-breaking pauses to discuss the setting out of character. Those OOC pauses are ANTI-role-playing. You can present any kind of information using an NPC instead. [*]Ya think? [*]It looks like you enjoy investigation in your games, right? D&D is NOT the best "high fantasy" or "sword & sorcery" rpg for that. Take a look at [URL='https://pelgranepress.com/product/swords-of-the-serpentine/']Swords of the Serpentine[/URL] by Pelgrane Press. That system specifically caters to investigation in fantasy settings. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]
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