With April fools quickly approaching, we take to video to talk about what type of humor resonates with us, serious game settings we couldn’t take seriously, and possible funny replacements for the Easter Bunny.
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Suggestion for a game for a first time GM or group? The Firefly roleplaying game. It’s powered by Cortex+, which is splitting the difference between FATE Core & Accelerated. If it feels like FATE, that’s because there are common people on the design team. What it really does well is give cues to the GM to get in there and complicate things for the PC’s. In FATE you have to monitor aspects for compels, in Firefly a die roll of 1 instead signals the GM its time to step it up.
Some of my favorite roleplaying experiences come from that game because it allows you to play a non-heroic sort of character. Someone like a Kaylee can excel because of, instead of in spite of, their weaknesses. Every time you chose to use a distinction against yourself you get a plot point you can use to be awesome later. In that way the system regulates spotlight. The more crap you take the more potential you have to be awesome at a point of your choosing.
Learning the rules is super simple. Instead of giving you a gigantic block of rules to read they use the episodes of firefly as a kind of giant example to teach the rules and show them in action. The rules themselves are simple yet deep. After one read through you will be able to play, but there is more there you will learn to grok over time while playing. Character creation can be as simple as picking a cast member from the show, an archetype, picking from a library of distinctions, or making your own from whole cloth. It’s as complex as you want to be and are ready for, no more.
Unlike a D&D or even a World of Darkness, the rules are not combat facing. All types of conflict are handled in the same fashion. An argument over a dinner table uses the same rules as a firefight or a train heist. No matter what you are doing, narrative is front and center. Whether you are a new GM or long time GM looking for a new system to try, I can’t recommend Firefly enough. As a plus, I don’t know anyone who roleplays who doesn’t love the setting.
As for the running of the session itself? Come up with problems, not solutions. You might have a way you might solve the dramatic question of the scenario, but the players likely won’t follow the same path. Trying to get them onto your path is exhausting and not worth it. Don’t be afraid to be overly obvious with your foreshadowing and clues. You know what the truth of the whole scenario is and the players don’t. What seems obvious to you won’t be for your players. If there is a critical piece of information they need to succeed, you need to make sure there are multiple ways they can get it. If all else fails, hit them with a clue-by-four. Have your ninjas, orcs, pirates, whatever bust down the door and attack the group. When they get beat, the players can find the note about the location of their secret lair or whatever you need to get them to the climax of the adventure on a body.
Most importantly, be a fan of the characters and players. Let their good ideas work. If they come up with something plausible and cool you probably don’t even need dice. Just let it happen. Everyone wants to feel like a big damn hero. If you deliver on that then the game should be great for all involved.
Good luck on your maiden voyage of GMing. I hope it goes well and you have many more games to come,
Steven
Hell I would love to see those Final Girl games: a mook POV story of hechmen trying to “survive” the caper of the century (Fandible filing off the serial numbers for Superman/ Batman or whoever[ hell, if you’re feeling fresh just use Nightbane or the Patrician from Rotted Capes]).
As for serial killer at the Furry Convention, that could a crossover for your SCP game.
I feel that, at least starting out, people like having more defined rules than Fiasco allows. That’s just what I’ve encountered though. 4th Edition D&D was actually pretty useful for it, because of how MMORPG like it was.
It was fun to see you guys, but can you also post a .mp3 for those of us who use podcast applications that scan your RSS feeds?
Also, before you do the Henchmen game, you need to do the Werewolves in a CIA Retirement Home game.