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sort of what it sounds like! i'm putting it here because when i tell people about it, they tend to be really really curious. take this as part brag, part inspo post, part ama.

over the course of the last few months i ran two interlaced three-shots set in the world of severance. in that show, the main sci-fi conceit is that you can have your personality "severed" such that while you're at work and while you're at home your memories and experiences are completely isolated from one another and you can't communicate with your other self in any way, so i had one table playing the characters away from work, running around doing occult corporate murder mystery things, and then their character sheet would get passed to the other table who was playing the same set of bodies but now inside of work, doing occult corporate mystery things but inside a bunch of winding corridors this time. the two groups did not get to know who was in the other group or directly talk to them, but sometimes one of them would, for instance, get their arm broken, and then i would bring that character sheet to the other table and the corresponding player would get to see that their arm was broken and go "what is my innie DOING in there?" it was fun!

also there was a secret third group because they'd been severed an additional time and neither of the first two groups knew about the third group.

so it was nine sessions with five players each and two fill-in substitute players for a couple absences plus me for eighteen total players! it was a lot to keep track of but i think we pulled it off. keeping notes was essential.

i ran it all using the resistance system, which is the system which powers heart and spire, because i'm comfortable enough with it to make it work the way i needed it to. it was a bespoke experience and not the sort of thing that anyone could just pick up and play even if you did have eighteen interested parties, but i've uploaded the documents i used to run the game at the link if you want to take a look.

i guess ama!

Hi, I'd really like to get more into the world of RPGs.

I watch a lot of YouTube

or I see some people participating in it and having fun

I'd love to try to join one or create one

but I'm too shy to look for one or ask, I don't have a large social circle or many friends

and my boyfriend doesn't have any friends who like it either

I have no idea where to start

or how to create a group from scratch without knowing anyone, do you have any solutions?

(in response, my boyfriend is also looking for it in his own way, I just preferred to ask here)

The word "objectively" gets thrown around a lot nowadays, but recently I've been replaying my favorite RPGs from the late '90s/early '00s (old Fallout, Knights of the Old Republic, Oblivion) and during this time I made an active effort to prevent nostalgia from clouding my judgement, doing my best to appreciate them for their own merits without the "old good, new bad" mindset to find out why they resonate with me more than their respective sequels. At the risk of sounding biased, I really do think there was a darker, more mature influence to their designs back then and I wonder why that is. Is it for broader reasons like 9/11 and Post-Cold War disillusionment or is it as simple as "Stranger Things and Critical Role didn't happen yet so the recommended reading was still solely designed by and for super-nerds."? Would anyone familiar with both eras have something to support/counter these claims? I just find it interesting that there's such a stark difference between Neverwinter Nights and Baldur's Gate III.

I am really not a fan of dungeons. Something about going room by room in dark confined spaces doesn't appeal to me at all and everytime ive run a dungeon its not been fun. It feels too board gamey to me (and yes ive tried being a player in an experienced DMs game)

I want an exploration game focused on an overland open world, small civilizations, different majestic terrains with myths and legends, maybe small dungeons scattered throughout but not the focus. Survival in an open forest sounds way more fun to me when compared to an underground catacombs infested with monsters

An example would be the video game elden ring and shadowdark cursed scrolls.

Edit: i also dont want something like a weather simulator where you roll for what direction the wind is moving in or any too rules heavy simulation game

I'm looking for books that have dedicated dark magical character archetypes with these specifics: 1. Their branch of magic isn't treated as a questionable last resort measure or special weapon, it's truly feared and condemned in-setting; practitioners are hunted and executed 2. They have complex interactions with demons, taking them as familiars, bargaining, binding, true names and shit; I try to avoid games where random demons are unleashed and attack all in sight for a minute before disappearing

Overall, I need a game that supports playing an edgy caster reveling in darkness that substitutes dwindling human interactions with demonic companionship.

Some examples of what I liked:

1. WoD in general, M20 Book of the Fallen and V20DA Abyss mystics in particular;
2. Wreck this Deck
3. Witcher's Tome of Chaos
4. SotDL supplements
5. Symbaroum demonologist
6. WoW warlock (yeah I know)
7. Wfrp (with supplements) & Soulbound Champions of Death/Chaos

It can be a corebook, a supplement, whatever, bonus points if it's solo-friendly. Thanks

Inspired loosely Winter Borrow. A community of mice of which the PCs are a part of retreated from city hustle and bustle in the woods, where they wanted to start a new life. Alas, as things were starting to look up for them an owl attacked and destroyed many of their homes, potentially kidnapping a mouse and holding them for ransom.

I was thinking of using Mausritter, which is the more obvious choice as certain elements stand out: mice need to be clever, are squishy, need to eat, inventory management rocks, mice can go and loot mysterious ruins in the forest for resources (thus a bit of dungeon delving), you can do a hex map which is great for survival themes and exploration of a new environment, mice get more exp for selflessly spending pips to upgrade their community (hell yeah, this is so perfect!!!), they can form an warband against the owl which is again great because the Aunt of the protagonist gets saved in a cutscene in the cozy survival pc game I mention despite the it having barebones Stardew Valley-esque combat, which really disappointed me.

But there are things that don't match. There are no settlement upgrading/rebuilding and crafting mechanics; food and drinks don't have useful effects, cold mechanics (although I could just have the mice carry a tent for the group and one carry campfire materials and be done with it), the game features friendly non-mouse animals that all talk the same language (although you can make everyone a mouse for an easy fix).

Some other games I'm considering:

Mouseguard: for a more intensive character focus. I don't own it, so idk how much it fits, but it's my second option. Please elaborate on this one, I'm curious to see your opinions.

Root: so that players can get to be different animal folk. Again I don't own it so idk how much it fits. Might be too politics/intrigue focused

Cottage Critters: I have this from some sort of bundle but I haven't opened it out yet. I think it has crafting mechanics because iirc correctly it's inspired by Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, but I think the setting is too modern.

Midnight Muscadines: this is currently part of a badass bundle with like 600 other games. It doesn't have animal folk, but it's cozy, gloomy, features crafting with a magical system revolving around jams. I haven't opened yet. I need to stop collecting rpgs, but there are too many bundles I cannot pass.

Please post ideas and suggestions! Thanks!

edit: Instead of being just winter, there would be seasons, but we start in winter. Also I will have some more relaxed sessions like some focusing on festivals around the year.

Exactly what the title says. I’ve never played DnD in my life, though my interest has increased over the past year or so & now some friends have expressed cautious curiosity in learning how to play, too. My knowledge is the extent of what I’ve picked up playing BG3 & listening to the dungeons & daddies season 1 podcast, & I also have the monsters manual, players handbook, & dungeon masters guide. So although I don’t have any real experience or know *much*, I do know the most out those of us who want to play.

We have a more distant friend who is a relatively seasoned player who has agreed to DM a fully fledged campaign when we give her the heads up that we’re ready to start planning, prepping, & playing. We decided amongst ourselves to do a separate one-shot before that, so we could fumble around & embarrass ourselves in an unfamiliar environment as we get used to it without the watchful eye of someone who knows what they’re doing. Not that we’d expect her to belittle or humiliate us, but trying something new, especially this, is quite vulnerable & we unanimously agreed to get over that first hurdle between ourselves so it’s more comfortable going into our first real campaign.

Now that it’s coming around the corner, I feel unexpectedly very nervous. I got automatically appointed as the DM for the one shot as, like I said, I know ‘the most’ out of us, but I feel wholly underprepared & if I handle this badly to the point it’s not fun & is just uncomfortable, they won’t want to continue onto a full campaign. I REALLY WANT TO PLAY A FULL CAMPAIGN.

HELLLPPP!! I’m looking for advice here - what can I do as a first time DnD-er, but more importantly, a first time DM, to make sure it runs smoothly & is enjoyable? What’ve you got for me? Is there anything I could plan beforehand to take some pressure off? How do I handle improv? Etc.

Thank you in advance to any answers!

I've been playing Dungeons & Dragons for a few years, but I'm looking for more beginner-friendly fantasy systems to play with new people.

I've heard this game has standard races that sail between planets. That sounds interesting, a bit like a treasure planet or a bit like a spelljammer. Is it worth buying? Can someone please tell me what the lifespans and heights of the races in this universe are, and whether elves have pointy ears? Please

at first glance the vibe is giving Call of Cthulhu without the lovecraft

Hey, all.
New to the sub, and was looking for some input (contstructive or otherwise.).
The group I'd be running the game for spans in ages from 11 to 60. The only books I have in my posession (and, any of the others playing too) are for D20 Modern. I was part of a group that met every other saturday, but I moved and now it's an hour and a half drive, and they can't start until 6pm or so, which doesn't allow for much time to game before we have to leave to get the kids to bed. So, I figure we'd just do one here.

My question is, I was going to do D20 modern, as we have the books. But, I'm seeing people say that this is not a great first DM? what would be the most Ideal for both first-time TTRPG players and first-time DM's?

If there's one that's easy to get into without spending hundreds of dollars, that would be a plus. I'm more than capable of writing scripts and stories, and drawing up the maps. I just don't know all the background stuff. All I know is that every DM I've ever played with was always out to kill all the players as quickly as possible.