Some Paranoia Questions

[s0rn]

Well, I have read many stories on these forums and others about Paranoia, and I've decided I want to give it a shot. However I'm sure many of you know it is out of print and hard to get. In my quest to obtain the rules I have managed to come up with a few questions.

1) Which Edition is the "best" to get (I think everyone prefers 2nd?), and what are the differences between 1st, 2nd and 5th?

2) What do I really need to get in order to play? I have found a 2nd Edition box set on Ebay, and I am bidding for it, but it is quickly climbing out of my price range. However there is also an auction for just the 2nd Edition rulebook - could I get away with just that? (I have found character sheets and many other forms on various web sites)

3) Does anyone know somewhere to get the rules other than Ebay, and what is a reasonable price for it?

4) If Piratecat reads this could you email me "Adventures in Clonesitting" and any other adventures you fell like sharing?
(sorn@ufl.edu)

Thanks for answering my questions.

 

[Piratecat]

Welcome to the boards!

> 1) Which Edition is the "best" to get and what are the differences between 1st, 2nd and 5th?

2nd, hands down. 1st is darker, not quite as funny, and has clunkier game mechanics. 5th is nowhere near as funny, and improved some game mechanics while destroying others. 2nd (which has a notoriously bad binding, by the way) is the best mix of humor and playability.


> 2) What do I really need to get in order to play?

If I were you, I'd only spring for the 2e book. The boxed set is nice but not necessary; the core rule book is all you really need.


> 3) Does anyone know somewhere to get the rules other than Ebay, and what is a reasonable price for it?

I only know of eBay for this.

> 4) If Piratecat reads this....

Done!

 

[kkoie]

You might also try any book stores or gaming stores that carry used materials. I purchased my copy of 2nd ed. about 5-6 years ago and thats how I found it.

2nd ed. is obviously the best, but if you are having trouble finding it, 1st or 5th edition surely isn't that bad, it beats not having paranioa at all anyway.

K Koie

 

[s0rn]

Thanks!

I appreciate the quick response (didn't anticipate it - I will try and get a hold of the 2E book; looking forward to feeling good about killing some of my players for once.

Also, this is my first post here I guess, but I have been around (mostly lurking since 3E came out, back on Eric's site.

 

[Number47]

I have the 5th edition, and never have read the other books. Without anything to compare it to, I think 5th edition is great! The rules are easy enough to follow, and it has nice handouts and stuff to photocopy. For the humor factor, I don't consider it the goal of the rulebook anyhow. Put the humor into your game. If you aren't that familiar with it, though, read Doc_Klueless Paranoia story hour. Can somebody post that, if they have it?

If anybody else has a Paranoia game out there, please please please start a story hour.

 

[s0rn]

I have a copy of Doc_Klueless' Story Hour on my home computer. I'll track it down and post it to the Story Hour Forum this weekend.

But only if PC will send me his treasonous adventures!

Morrow
(SundanceIII@excite.com)

This is from a thread about a month ago...hopefully Morrow will read this and get around to posting that story. I remember reading it before and it was amazing!

 

[s0rn]

This is a bit of a *Bump!*

Really though it appears that I will not be able to get the boxed set, but will be able to get just the 2E Paranioa handbook. With this being the case I have 1 more question.

The boxed set comes with the Complete Troubleshooters Guide, and I'm wondering what is in there. It doesn't appear that it is sold seperately, so I don't think I will be able to get a hold of it. A bit of reading seems to point to it detailing "Mandatory Bonus Duties", but if anyone could shed some light on this I would appreciate it.

 

[Number47]

Well, before this drops off the first page I'll reply. I've never seen 2E, but in 5E there are Mandatory Bonus Duties. Remembering off the top of my head, they are Team Leader, Equipment Guy, Morale Officer, Communications Officer, Hygiene Officer and, uh, something else. Included at the back of the book is even a great little test that you give the players to determine who gets what duty. Of course, it includes lots of treasonous answers. The thought is that each person gets the duty that they scored LOWEST on, because they need to work on it. I think that information should be enough for you to cobble something of the sort for your game. Hey, if you want, I can post some of my mutations/secret societies/R&D innovations. I haven't come up with it yet, but I was also thinking about making a Wheel of Research for the next time I game. Spin two wheels and the player gets some kind of innovation based on how they match up. Example: Wheel one might have Weapon, Morale, Hygiene, Communication (etc.) on it. Wheel two might have Surgery, Miniaturization, Bot, Pill (etc.). Again, something for you to think about and something for the characters to dread intensely ("please not surgery, please don't let it land on surgery")

 

[s0rn]

LOL

Man, I am loving this game so much, and I have never even so much as read a rule book, nonetheless played the game . Well, hopefully my Ebay auction will be successful, and I will have the book in ~ 1 week. Oh man my group will be looking forward to that gaming session!

 

[Number47]

If anybody looks forward to playing Paranoia, they either know nothing about it, or you have not been gamemastering right. They should be dreading, with a queasy feeling in their stomach. Dreading in a good way, though. The computer wouldn't want you to be really upset. The computer is your friend. You trust your friends, right? Not trusting your friends is treason, and may be cause for reassignment to reactor shielding. The computer tells you this because he wants you to be happy. Or else.