129 – re:play Making a PC for Pathfinder 2

August 19, 2018 / gg no re / 2 Comments

Apologies in advance, but this episode is us helping Tim create a Pathfinder 2e character and complaining about it with amused detachment.

In the process, you’ll hear how a quick first-time generation goes, where someone has read a little bit and has a lot of help.

You’ll also hear about some of the differences between Pathfinder 2 and the past and present versions of D&D: proficiency, leveling, the action economy, etc.

We do actually like some of the changes, but, of course, detest most of them. Join us in the suffering.

Check below for a ready-to-run version of the first playtest adventure, with annotations that make it mostly a system neutral one page dungeon.

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128 – re:cap City of the Crepuscular Queen 6

July 26, 2018 / gg no re / 2 Comments

Another episode in which we use shortish clips of actual play to illustrate topics of general RPG interest. This time, the examples are a bit longer and interspersed with memes. Daniel talks about:

using common thematic elements across multiple campaigns
how taking time up front to develop lore behind your setting will enrich your game
how to use Pinterest to populate your adventure locations
when to draw maps for players
and how bards can be tolerable (it’s to supply high quality rumors)

Theme music for CCQ is “Monarchy,” the title track of the album from Mosh: https://iammosh.bandcamp.com/album/monarchy

Episode image: public domain

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127 – re:cap City of the Crepuscular Queen 5

July 17, 2018July 17, 2018 / gg no re / 1 Comment

Something a bit different this time. Daniel recaps the session with voiceover, cutting in clips of the actual play, and commenting on particular mechanico-structural elements. Let us know what you think.

Here’s the link to the post I wrote showing you what a pathcrawl is and how to run one and why you might want to: https://detectmagic.wordpress.com/2014/04/22/pathcrawl/.

And my Chartopia collection of the 1981 Moldvay Basic D&D Treasure Types: https://chartopia.d12dev.com/en/collection/112/.

Theme music for CCQ is “Monarchy,” the title track of the album from Mosh: https://iammosh.bandcamp.com/album/monarchy

Episode image: public domain

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126 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 4

July 9, 2018July 8, 2018 / gg no re / 2 Comments

This ep is another example of a full mythic play-cycle: suffering in the world of humanity caused by evils within and/or without, leading to a journey to the underworld and mortal combat with its denizens, which are inimical to human interests and values, followed by the liberation of its secrets and wealth, with the protags returning to the world of humanity bearing sorrow, experience, boons, and, perhaps, an adumbration of the eschaton.

In other words, town problem > dungeon > town resolution.

This episode is also heavily choreographed in the fight(s). The game doesn’t have to play out this way, but I think everyone was into it. I know I like an intense and gorily choreographed monster fight, and that’s what you get.

Theme music for CCQ is “Monarchy,” the title track of the album from Mosh: https://iammosh.bandcamp.com/album/monarchy

Episode image: public domain

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125 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 3/

July 2, 2018 / gg no re / Leave a comment

A recap of last episode, and then the party engages Batman-mode when the cleric hears a terrible accusation against the local priest. Tragic backstory, magical investigations, barrow mounds, communing with darkness, and unexpected inquisition: THIS WEEK ON GG NO RE.

Theme music for CCQ is “Monarchy,” the title track of the album from Mosh: https://iammosh.bandcamp.com/album/monarchy

Episode image: public domain

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124 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 2/

June 25, 2018 / gg no re / Leave a comment

We return to our actual play of Daniel’s homebrew setting-system. The party decides to track down the monster they fought from last time. Hijinx ensue. You get a good look at how combat can flow, magical catastrophes, and the drama-injection mechanics.

Theme music for CCQ is “Monarchy,” the title track of the album from Mosh: https://iammosh.bandcamp.com/album/monarchy

Episode image: public domain

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123 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 1/

June 18, 2018 / gg no re / 1 Comment

We start our play of Daniel’s homebrew setting and system, City of the Crepuscular Queen.

The first seven minutes or so explain to our magic user, Jim, how magic even works. We venture into discussions on what makes a good and/or fun spell. Thereafter, it’s onto the action.

There’s an entire cycle of play, which let the players (and lets you) get a decent idea of what D&D can be like without D&D. Tense NPC interaction, spell mishaps, combat, hippie storygame nonsense—it’s all here, folks.

Theme music for CCQ is “Monarchy,” the title track of the album from Mosh: https://iammosh.bandcamp.com/album/monarchy

Episode image: public domain

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122 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 0/

June 13, 2018June 13, 2018 / gg no re / Leave a comment

We start our play of Daniel’s homebrew setting and system, City of the Crepuscular Queen. (Warning: mild Bloodborne spoilers.)

This episode starts with a discussion of mechanics and theory, intrinsic vs extrinsic rewards, using drama to structure your game, and giving creative pressure release valves.

Then Daniel moves into orienting the players on the setting, stuff they need to know in order to play their characters.

And finally we set up the first moment of actual play.

Theme music for CCQ is “Monarchy,” the title track of the album from Mosh: https://iammosh.bandcamp.com/album/monarchy

Episode image: public domain

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121 – re:play Hot Springs Island 6/

June 5, 2018 / gg no re / Leave a comment

9 minutes of actual Hot Springs Island play, followed by GG NO RE: UNPLUGGED.

We talk about what we actually are looking for when playing and running RPGs, what effect the DM’s investment in the setting has on the game, using Coggle with investigative games, creating dungeons map-last instead of map-first, shots fired about the utility of unstocked maps, designing for emergent gameplay vs designing something inherently engaging with emergent gameplay a bonus feature, and old multiplayer games. Enjoy, if you can.

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120 – re:play Hot Springs Island 5/

May 31, 2018 / gg no re / 2 Comments

Loosely an actual play, we spend the first 20 minutes talking about Star Wars. Then we look at statues.

gg no re

an rpg podcast

129 – re:play Making a PC for Pathfinder 2

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128 – re:cap City of the Crepuscular Queen 6

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127 – re:cap City of the Crepuscular Queen 5

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126 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 4

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125 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 3/

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124 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 2/

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123 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 1/

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122 – re:play City of the Crepuscular Queen 0/

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121 – re:play Hot Springs Island 6/

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120 – re:play Hot Springs Island 5/

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