Table Top (Stories and General Discussion)

LordMikeBedlam · June 2021

TTRPGs!

DnD, Shadowrun, Call of Cthulhu, Mutants and Masterminds, Pathfinder, MASKS, all that good stuff! (and bad if you ROLL that way lol)

Got a favorite game?

system?

Funny/cringe stories?

Let's talk.

I'm new to this site (account-wise, I've been coming here for years) and I didn't see anything about Table Top RPGs. Feel free to chastise me as you see fit if I'm wrong.

Po_gg · June 2021

There used to be conversations about pen'n'paper, but you're right it's mostly inside other threads, and cited as examples.

For the actual questions, I'm always bad in picking favourites - probably that's why I'm a game hopper too, I like too many and don't want to leave any of them out...

Anyhow,

-favourite game, I'd say D&D. Mainly for it was the first, and in AD&D 2nd's case the most played for me personally.

-favourite system, Amber (pure, diceless roleplay) and Champions/Hero system (for its total freedom and flexibility)

-stories, way too many... once in Al-Qadim I had a misfired spell which enlarged the attacking mob into a giant, wiped half the party. It spun quite a detour about me being a traitor with no honor, and got carried to justice

Was funny and cringe too... but it was a party well-known of inside trolling.

A perfect group for Paranoia, we never finished a single mission, were chasing each other all the time instead.

LordMikeBedlam · June 2021

TL;DR -

My buddy was trying some Little Finger style scheme to try and help a prisoner escape, then f*cked up by inadvertently exposing his plan.

---------------------------------------------

There was a time I was playing the A Song of Ice and Fire RPG with my regular DnD group of 6+ years. It was our first time playing, so the GM took the Sample Adventure and added a bunch of story to it so we could easily start up an original session.

In it, My character was the last of dead house that was killed off by the Boltons. The GM's character, who saved and warded mine for `10 or years, was the head of a house that served the Lannisters.

Long story short, we recaptured my homestead from the Bolton Loyalists, the GM had his character restored my Lordship, and I got a small coucil together of all the other players. We held the heir of the old residents house as a ward, to guarantee that we wouldn't have any problems with them again.

Cut to a small coucil meeting to figure out what to do with her in the long run. The master of arms and the master of coin say we should just killer her once we've rebuilt my house's reputation in Westeros. The other 2 says we should hold her until the heat from the battle dies down, then ship her off to King's Landing.

The Master of Coin had his own plans though.

In a very Master of Whisperer's type move, He slips into her bed chamber, gives her 100 gold dragons and tells her to GTFO of Dodge. The girl disapears for the rest of the night, and comes to my character in the morning and tells me what he's done. So I call him to the Great Hall to confront him alone.

"So, *insert name here* tells me that you tried to send her away last night."

"Why would I do that?" he says to me. "If you'd kindly recall, I was one of the ones that said we should just kill her."

I tell him I'm only going to ask him one more time, him being a trusted advisor, I'd be incline to believe him. And then the slip....

"I'm insulted you'd think such a thing, my lord. As Master of Coin, why would I give her 100 gold dragons to run off when we worked so hard to get My Lord's home back?"

I look at him.... "I don't recall saying anything about 1000 gold dragons, friend."

Out of character.... my friend's eyes get big and he turns white. In character, it's about the same...

"sh*t..." he and his character say in head drooped shame.

He spent the rest of that session in the dungeons being interogated by another character.

Just like an episode of GoT. It couldn't have been a more perfect f*ck up.

xerax · June 2021

I used to love this stuff and played alot at college many years ago.

Last year with Covid lockdown an old friend got in touch and started a D&D game for us remotely with the free roll 20 platform (https://roll20.net/welcome).

I was skeptical at first because I felt I have done standard D&D type games to death but he promised it would be different. We started this adventure : (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/309401/The-High-Moors) and are still playing it weekly 14 months later. I am so hooked its the highlight of my week.

Frankly it a candidate for the best adventure ever written. Its has had me on the edge of my seat week after week. It is fantastic setting which is totally fresh and surpising. If you like table top rpgs or mythos type horror then take a look.

AlBQuirky · June 2021

LordMikeBedlam said:

TTRPGs!

DnD, Shadowrun, Call of Cthulhu, Mutants and Masterminds, Pathfinder, MASKS, all that good stuff! (and bad if you ROLL that way lol)

Got a favorite game?
system?
Funny/cringe stories?

Let's talk.

I'm new to this site (account-wise, I've been coming here for years) and I didn't see anything about Table Top RPGs. Feel free to chastise me as you see fit if I'm wrong.

We have discussions here and there at times. As Po_gg alluded to, they mainly take place in other discussions, used as examples.

I love Tabletop RPGs, myself. I first looked for "the same feeling" through video games long after my high school D&D group all went our different ways (back in 1981), most to college/university then into the corporate sector. I have yet to find that feeling in video games though I keep trying

That said, AD&D was my intro to TTRPGs, and shortly thereafter Traveller. My group tried many varied systems for at least a few sessions including:

- Champions/Fantasy Hero (H.E.R.O. System)

- Space Odyssey

- I.C.E. (Iron Crown Enterprises - Rolemaster, Claw, et al)

- M.E.R.P. (Middle Earth Role Playing - offshoot of I.C.E.)

- Castle Falkenstein (heavily RP system)

- Gamma World (D&D for Sci-Fi)

- Star Wars

- Star Trek

A favorite? AD&D for the sheer amount of time played. Traveller is a close second timewise, and also in fun. Champions/Fantasy Hero is my favorite system mechanically. My friends played more than I did when they were college. I never found a group of TTRPG players to play with while in college as my friends did.

As for stories, too many to many relate and probably boring since here "knows" the characters involved

Back to my search into video games, I keep failing miserably because tabletop RPGs are so open ended. You may have some "group restrictions", but even those may be broken. What I find in video games are that dialogue choices just plainly SUCK!! A player will get very limited choices (due to programming limitations) and rarely any that send down a path the devs do not you going.

Case in point, Skyrim:

During the "big pow-wow" at the Graybeards, I want to slap Ulfric and tell him to STFU when he starts demanding USELESS territorial concessions. "Hello?!? Dragons!" is the option I want. It's not there. This is "norm" for video games because, let's be honest, developers just can't guess every possibility that players will come up with. Also, developers have a written a story to us to follow, not to "create with" us players.

This is why I prefer TTRPGs so much than video game RPGs.

Great topic, by the way

Mendel · June 2021

I came to D&D in 1975, shortly after the concept of role playing spawned. I also took a turn with Tunnels & Trolls, the first real 'clone'. Then I ventured into Sword & Sorcery, RuneQuest, Traveller, Empires of the Petal Throne, Role Master, Harn, Ringworld, just about every science-fiction and super-hero variants available, and other game systems eventually delving into several home-grown systems. Put a lot into conventions and the like chasing that illusive perfect form of role playing. Life intervened around 2005 and the usual gaming group drifted off into other pursuits.

It was a good 35 years that despite others (relatives, mostly) labeling it as 'wasted', I still view as idyllic. It earned me nothing, cost me a lot, but was immense fun. The perfect hobby.

AlBQuirky · June 2021

Mendel said:

I came to D&D in 1975, shortly after the concept of role playing spawned. I also took a turn with Tunnels & Trolls, the first real 'clone'. Then I ventured into Sword & Sorcery, RuneQuest, Traveller, Empires of the Petal Throne, Role Master, Harn, Ringworld, just about every science-fiction and super-hero variants available, and other game systems eventually delving into several home-grown systems. Put a lot into conventions and the like chasing that illusive perfect form of role playing. Life intervened around 2005 and the usual gaming group drifted off into other pursuits.

It was a good 35 years that despite others (relatives, mostly) labeling it as 'wasted', I still view as idyllic. It earned me nothing, cost me a lot, but was immense fun. The perfect hobby.

That last paragraph was stellar and so on point

AlBQuirky · June 2021

OP, I do have one story that kind of sums my "role" in my gaming group: The Catalyst. I was often the impatient (or antsy) player that would blurt some action that may kick off the action

In AD&D, our group took a boat ride (big ship more likely) to another land. During that ride, our DM rolled a random encounter of a whale swimming along side us. I "meta gamed" something awful and jumped overboard yelling, "THINK OF THE EXPERIENCE!!!!"

Needless to say I was ribbed often and mercilessly about that. We did get the kill (barely) and much laughter and fun was had by all on an otherwise "boring" boat ride

Po_gg · June 2021

Mendel said:

It was a good 35 years that despite others (relatives, mostly) labeling it as 'wasted', I still view as idyllic. It earned me nothing, cost me a lot, but was immense fun. The perfect hobby.

Yep, it's spot-on as Al said. Same with me, life intervened and I haven't had a good RPG session in about 10+ years...

Just as with MMORPG players of the past, most of my old group has stopped playing entirely over the years. Last year with the lockdowns a few of them kinda started playing again - board games...

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against board games, I play them a lot too.

My point was just even a quite drastic change like last year wasn't enough to "push" them back to roleplaying.

As Mendel said, it's a great hobby, but it takes a lot of time and effort. Maybe when we're all retired, on our pensions, and nothing else to do...

AlBQuirky said:

In AD&D, our group took a boat ride (big ship more likely) to another land. During that ride, our DM rolled a random encounter of a whale swimming along side us. I "meta gamed" something awful and jumped overboard yelling, "THINK OF THE EXPERIENCE!!!!"

So, you've pulled a Gary

One of my favourite catchphrases from Dorkness Rising, "How much experience do I get for the farmer?"
https://youtu.be/rNe1UP3v1r8?t=332

(and later, when his lightning bolt kills Leo in friendly fire, "So, how much experience do I get for the bard?")

LordMikeBedlam · June 2021

Mendel said:
It was a good 35 years that despite others (relatives, mostly) labeling it as 'wasted', I still view as idyllic. It earned me nothing, cost me a lot, but was immense fun. The perfect hobby.

There is no such thing as time wasted when you gather such good and heartwarming memories, my friend. And I feel like that's really the magic with TTRPGs. It's not just a game, it's times with friends and family that you wouldn't give up for the world!

LordMikeBedlam · June 2021

AlBQuirky said:

OP, I do have one story that kind of sums my "role" in my gaming group: The Catalyst. I was often the impatient (or antsy) player that would blurt some action that may kick off the action

In AD&D, our group took a boat ride (big ship more likely) to another land. During that ride, our DM rolled a random encounter of a whale swimming along side us. I "meta gamed" something awful and jumped overboard yelling, "THINK OF THE EXPERIENCE!!!!"

Needless to say I was ribbed often and mercilessly about that. We did get the kill (barely) and much laughter and fun was had by all on an otherwise "boring" boat ride

Some of my favorite games I've been apart of has some of the most meta 4th wall breaks, as long as it's not hurting the experience, who cares? LOL.

WalkinGlenn · June 2021

Maybe slightly off topic, but I thought I would share a D&D "lite" game called Gloomhaven and especially the newest Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion, which is the lighter, more friendly version. It's best described as D&D without the DM.

Definitely check it out for a more casual, lighter experience!

laserit · June 2021

WalkinGlenn said:

Maybe slightly off topic, but I thought I would share a D&D "lite" game called Gloomhaven and especially the newest Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion, which is the lighter, more friendly version. It's best described as D&D without the DM.

Definitely check it out for a more casual, lighter experience!

My kids and me play Gloomhaven regularly and we love it. There is also a computer version of the table top on Steam that’s in EA and shaping up nicely.

Mendel · June 2021

LordMikeBedlam said:

Mendel said:
It was a good 35 years that despite others (relatives, mostly) labeling it as 'wasted', I still view as idyllic. It earned me nothing, cost me a lot, but was immense fun. The perfect hobby.

There is no such thing as time wasted when you gather such good and heartwarming memories, my friend. And I feel like that's really the magic with TTRPGs. It's not just a game, it's times with friends and family that you wouldn't give up for the world!

As far as I can recall, there was never a wasted moment in all my role playing. Well, maybe that whole affair with the lactose intolerant troll.

LordMikeBedlam · June 2021

lactose intolerant troll.

Well shit. Now I to hear this.

Scot · June 2021

Best Sci-Fi: Faded Suns
Best Historical High Fantasy: Ars Magica
Best Modern Day "Secret Powers": Vampire the Masquerade, not its red headed step childe.

Best Horror: Call of Cthulhu.
Best High Fantasy: Exalted
Best Fu: Feng Shui
Best Lord of the Rings: Ice
Most Innovative System: Amber Dice Less Roleplaying.

My apologies to any great titles I can't recall right now.

blackthornn · June 2021

Been playing ttrpgs since around 89. Started with ad&d, then ad&d 2nd edition. Played almost every system since, with a lot of focus in the 90s-2ks in the world of darkness games.

Favorite systems: storyteller/storypath system, fading suns new victory point system, and the cortex game system.

Favorite games: wraith the oblivion, vampire the masquerade, changeling the lost, exalted, fading suns, marvel heroic, symbaroum, and through the breach

Hated games: dnd. It's always been the most watered down, generic garbage in my personal opinion. I've grown to despise any system where by level 5 you're immune to anything that would've killed you at level 1 (any exploding growth hp system). Also, personally, I'm sickened by the current generation of ttrpg "player" of the "I seduce the dragon" horny bards and sad boy warlocks. I personally think streaming ttrpg like critical role have killed the actual hobby despite wotc/Ha$bro raking in bank from it.

Annecdotes: too many. I ran a vtm larp of 100 ppl in the early 2ks...enough said lol

Personal opinions only, mileage will vary by user.

Mendel · June 2021

LordMikeBedlam said:

lactose intolerant troll.

Well shit. Now I to hear this.

Simple really. DM was up late the night before the session and watched an Ernest movie (Ernest Scared Stupid, I think) instead of thinking up something to do. So, he came up with a lactose intolerant troll, and had it attack all the bulls, but not the cows in a field. Then it ran away from a milkmaid. No one saw a troll, just the broken bulls, and heard the milkmaid's story. She couldn't describe it as a troll, just something jumped out at her, and she dropped her milkpail; it ran. No other clues. Finally meet up with the troll, and it could only be hurt by milk, invulnerable to everything else.

Complete session wasted. DM threatened about ever watching an Ernest movie again. Considered ripping out the DM's cable connection as a form of Intervention.

It's funny *only* in retrospect. RPing and Ernest movies DO. NOT. MIX.

Sovrath · June 2021

Mendel said:

LordMikeBedlam said:

lactose intolerant troll.

Well shit. Now I to hear this.

Simple really. DM was up late the night before the session and watched an Ernest movie (Ernest Scared Stupid, I think) instead of thinking up something to do. So, he came up with a lactose intolerant troll, and had it attack all the bulls, but not the cows in a field. Then it ran away from a milkmaid. No one saw a troll, just the broken bulls, and heard the milkmaid's story. She couldn't describe it as a troll, just something jumped out at her, and she dropped her milkpail; it ran. No other clues. Finally meet up with the troll, and it could only be hurt by milk, invulnerable to everything else.

Complete session wasted. DM threatened about ever watching an Ernest movie again. Considered ripping out the DM's cable connection as a form of Intervention.

It's funny *only* in retrospect. RPing and Ernest movies DO. NOT. MIX.

I'm not clear why that's bad? That seems business as usual for a friend's old campaign.

LordMikeBedlam · June 2021

Mendel said:

LordMikeBedlam said:

lactose intolerant troll.

Well shit. Now I to hear this.

Simple really. DM was up late the night before the session and watched an Ernest movie (Ernest Scared Stupid, I think) instead of thinking up something to do. So, he came up with a lactose intolerant troll, and had it attack all the bulls, but not the cows in a field. Then it ran away from a milkmaid. No one saw a troll, just the broken bulls, and heard the milkmaid's story. She couldn't describe it as a troll, just something jumped out at her, and she dropped her milkpail; it ran. No other clues. Finally meet up with the troll, and it could only be hurt by milk, invulnerable to everything else.

Complete session wasted. DM threatened about ever watching an Ernest movie again. Considered ripping out the DM's cable connection as a form of Intervention.

It's funny *only* in retrospect. RPing and Ernest movies DO. NOT. MIX.

Sounds like a filler episode of DBSuper. I honestly love it.

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