Tag: Brian Holland

I was thinking about the math behind the 2d6 result ranges for DW. I’ve always thought it was really elegant but didn’t know why I thought that. So the nerd in me took over and I ran the % chances for the result ranges for 2d6 – 1 to 2d6 + 3.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QXytn5YlHfrFNgNM-_QaRRfshOr4sknn_Rx1pGzAOSo/edit?usp=sharing

It’s actually a lot more interesting than I realized. I highlighted a couple of cool points:

In yellow: You have the exact same chance of rolling a 7-9 when rolling 2d6 + nothing and you do when rolling 2d6 + 2, and it’s fairly high at almost 42%.

In green: You have the exact same chance of rolling a miss as you have of rolling a 10+ when rolling 2d6 + 1. This one interests me a lot because the results are almost 25/50/25%. As an alternate to rolling 2d6 for a project I’m working on, Tom Walker (UK) (it won’t let me tag him) suggested flipping 2 coins to get three results (HH, HT [or TH, obviously], TT) which are exactly 25/50/25% chances. It’s just interesting to me to see that the 2 coins method would most closely match a 2d6 + 1 result (because… it’s cool LOL).

In red: You still have a 16.67% chance (craps!) of rolling a miss when rolling 2d6 + 2.

It’s just something interesting (at least to me) to keep in mind.

I’m starting a new thread for this only because the version 1.1 file is WAY down in the thread.

Here’s version 1.1 of the “One Sheet RPG” which may get a new name if I publish it into a “booklet” format. This version has some changes as a result of suggestions made here and on other threads.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwGZKblpJGgYMjRXaWNGTlhpbFE/view?usp=sharing

I made this for a friend who wanted “a super simple RPG without a bunch of fiddly stuff to worry about where we can just tell a cool story”. I showed him Dungeon World and Fate, but he wanted something even more simple than both.

I understand that this is overly simplified for many of your tastes, and the way in which things are worded can be improved. It’s based heavily on Dungeon World and Fate, plus a bit of The Indie Hack (“details”) and comes in at two pages – ideally printed back-to-back so as to take up only one sheet of paper (which he has done, and laminated).

He has played it twice with different groups and has enjoyed the simplicity while still finding it gave he and his players plenty of narrative control.

What are your thoughts please? Any and all constructive criticism is welcome!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwGZKblpJGgYMUNTVlRDU1BHMzQ/view?usp=sharing

I remember seeing a somewhat recent post about whether or not you all use the rules for steadings, but now I can’t find it. Can someone link the OP here? I personally don’t use them, but wanted to see how others handle them.

I’m reading the D&D 4e Eberron Campaign Guide and like how they list “steadings” (it’s the only 4e book I own, so I’m unsure if it’s a 4e thing, or an Eberron Guide thing, but I assume the former). Here’s basically how they handle it:

Name

Type (which is very much like a Fate character’s High Concept); Population

Fluff

Point of Interest: Fluff about that POI. A POI could be a person, place or thing withing the “steading”.

I don’t have the book in front of me, so I can’t give an example from the text, but here’s one I made up (italicizing certain aspects is my own contribution, which are all things you and your players can customize):

Eastpoint

Beleaguered Border Town; Population 600

Nestled in the pass between two mountains, Eastpoint is the first line of defense against the savage goblin lands to the east and civilization to the west. With thick stone walls, mercenaries and a small garrison of soldiers from the capitol, Eastpoint has fended off weekly and sometimes daily attacks for decades. Soldiers hate a rotation at Eastpoint because of the near-constant fighting.

The Trench: Several years ago a long, deep trench filled with sharp stakes was cut to the east of town and helped stave off more than a dozen attacks. Unfortunately the trench filled with goblin and orc corpses quickly and with no way to remove them the constant stench of decay fills the air and is doubly bad on days with a westerly wind.

The Blade Market: After most battles teams of men with carts scour the blood-soaked field of all of the weapons and usable armor to be brought inside the gates and sold in The Blade Market. Occasionally a goblin-made sword or dagger is of good enough quality that a mercenary or soldier will purchase it, but the vast majority of them are sold in lots to the highest bidder, with all proceeds going to maintain the garrison and walls. Unbeknownst to the Mayor, Garrison Commander and citizens of Eastpoint, these lots are all being sold to various agents of a single organization, and many of them make their way back to the goblin hordes in the east.

I prefer this “pure fictional” approach rather using the tags of the steading rules.

Thoughts? Criticism?

Does anyone have a “favorite” GM Move? My favorite is Put someone in a spot. I think tough choices really drive and/or reveal character, and I love to see how my players deal with them.

My most recent use (several months ago now, unfortunately) resulted when the thief missed a DD roll while attempting to sneak into an Orc camp to recover something the tribe had stolen. As he made his way through the camp he rounded a corner and two orc children playing in the mud with rocks looked up at him and he froze. He REALLY didn’t want to kill the children, but knew he had to deal with them so they wouldn’t betray his presence. At one point he even considered bolting and resorting to “Plan B” which was a full assault of the camp by the entire party.

In the end, not wanting to harm children (despite them being orcs), he poured all three doses of his Oil of Tagit onto his last 2 rations (I let them be apples instead “rations”) and offered them to the pair who gobbled them up instantly. The children quickly fell asleep and he carried them out of sight.

I later got to “Think Offscreen” and have the children wake and sound the alarm when I was given a Golden Opportunity right as the thief was grabbing the jeweled sword he was there to recover. END OF SESSION. I can’t wait to pick up there when (IF) we get to continue! He doesn’t know it yet, but the alarm will draw the other orcs away from his position, making his escape easier.

Anyway, that’s my favorite and why. Does anyone else have a “favorite” that they use often?