I ran my first game (with my family).

I ran my first game (with my family).

I ran my first game (with my family). My wife liked the system, but my kids were less than impressed. They disliked the magic system of the Cleric and Wizard that had to “load” their spells. I tried to explain the D&D roots, but they were unimpressed with the system as it feels very unmagical. TBH I cannot say I disagree as that system should have been binned years ago.

The only thing that really floored us was the Druid’s Shapeshift ability. The Druid still successfully shifts (Hold 1) on a Failure (6-) and gets an XP tick – unless we are reading it wrong. Sure the GM can make a Hard Move from the failure – but I cannot find any other move that still gets a partial success from a failed roll. Why is Shapshift not like Trap Expert with a Hold 3, Hold 1, Failure.

14 thoughts on “I ran my first game (with my family).”

  1. Probably to encourage the GM to have the Druid shift into the wrong creature. Turning yourself into a house cat on accident is a more interesting failure than just not shapeshifting at all, after all.

  7. If someone (especially your wife) wants to transform into a mountain lion and rolls a 6, answering “No, you can’t; stay put” is not funny. So you do what you want, but at a cost.

    Remember the GM moves? some of them are built into other, specific moves.

    This is not perfect, logically, but I think it’s better than “you can’t participate to action for now”.

    As for magic, I totally subscribe the MAGE, CLASS WARFARE and CHANNELER options.

  8. I want to thank everyone for the input. Since this was my first time running it I did not want to make changes without getting a feel. Fate is now my prime goto game some the transition was pretty easy, but still not enough to make whole changes on the first run.

    I will take a look at Mage, Class Warfare, and Channeler.

    I was mostly curious abut the Druid because other moves simply left it up to the GM Moves, but that one specifically gives you a Hold 1 (which is an auto-success? on a animal move) and the GM gets a move – none others seemed so potent for a failure.

  9. The GM gets to pick the Druid’s animal moves. On a miss, they are still a mountain lion until they spend that one hold, but their move selection is “flee from prey that will fight back” and “Mark territory via urine”

  11. In my Deadlands/Dark Tower hack, I modified the magic moves for my Hexslinger class.  These mods do away with the need to ‘load spells’.  The magic user can cast whatever spell they want that they know.   Give ’em a try if you like:

    Cast a Hex

    When you you have mana equal to at least the level+1 of a hex you know and you cast it, roll+INT. On a 10+, the hex is successfully cast and you do not expend any mana. On a 7-9, the hex is cast, but choose one:

    –After it is cast, you loose a number of mana equal to the level+1 of the hex. Cantrips count as level zero.

    –There is a minor bit of backlash from the casting. Take -1 ongoing to cast a hex until the next time you can use your Mantra.

    –You draw unwelcome attention or put yourself in a spot. The GM will tell you how.

    Note that maintaining hexes with ongoing effects will sometimes cause a penalty to your roll to cast a hex.

    The Mantra

    Every hexslinger has an instinctive connection with the deeper mysteries of the universe. Maintaining that connection is what allows them to cast hexes. The hexslinger’s Mantra is a mental exercise or meditation that fills them with the mana of the arcane mysteries. You have an extra stat called Mana. When you spend uninterrupted time (an hour or so) mentally retracing your mantra, all of your mana is replenished. Your maximum mana is equal to your level x 2.

    Book of Shadows

    You have a book that contains all of your accumulated knowledge of the arcane mysteries and the casting of hexes. When you take a moment to consult your Book of Shadows, you may take +1 to Spout Lore concerning hexes and magic. You start with all the hexslinger cantrips and three first level hexes of your choice (Class Warfare, pg. 297-327). When you gain a level, you have an epiphany concerning a new hex of your level or lower and may add it to your repertoire. Your book of shadows is 1 weight.

  13. I don’t necessarily agree with that Michael Kailus​​. I feel the player and GM should work together to make the list of moves for the animal form.

    I look at it like this. Very few (none?) of the moves explicitly say that a 6- is a failure. All the game instructs you to do is make a GM Move. That allows the GM to narrate the characters succeeding, but at such a cost the player probably wishes they hadn’t. “Sure. You scramble up out of the way, but look back to see the Arkenstone tumbling away down into the chasm.”

    Giving the Druid 1 hold on 6- when sh shapechanging is no different. The player can still turn into an animal, but the situation is such that they probably wish they hadn’t tried.

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