tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post2039644885191323613..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: Policy DecisionsAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-77334864141073985942008-12-31T11:27:00.000-07:002008-12-31T11:27:00.000-07:00Man... That is an experience I've never had as a p...Man... That is an experience I've never had as a player.<BR/><BR/>I tend to agree with Oddysey. Go with it. Talk to your players, and make that land something they'll want to return to. Rare furs, legendary monsters, what have you. A lot of land there to hide all manner of adventure.<BR/><BR/>The only thing I would bend towards cruise director on is don't let the weather kill them. That just doesn't sound like fun. Run out of supplies? There fault. Run afoul of the mother of all gnoll hordes (and the image of snowy white gnolls ambushing from snow drifts is just fnkcing awesome. thank you.) Well, that's just bad luck. Roll new characters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-8095287306326415232008-12-28T11:32:00.000-07:002008-12-28T11:32:00.000-07:00If you do end up going with the teleport out optio...If you do end up going with the teleport out option it might be interesting if that option ended up being even more unpleasant than the 30 hex slog. Leaves the party in the debt of some unpleasant entity, or they get dropped in the middle of a crime scene with the guards about to show up, something like that.<BR/><BR/>Not that I'm necessarily advocating that, since "getting chased through 600 miles of taiga by angry gnolls" sounds like the kind of thing you do well and most other DMs don't do at all. But if the players ever get grouchy about it, could be a way to change scenery without giving them too much of a break.Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15528192783751011497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-6695126580492735022008-12-28T00:40:00.000-07:002008-12-28T00:40:00.000-07:00I appreciate the comments, I really do. I should ...I appreciate the comments, I really do. I should elaborate by saying that no, it hasn't been remotely boring, and they have been jumping from one frying pan to another for some time...very cerebral panic-driven episodes. But forget that, because the last thing I need is to give details, nothing would sound more boring.<BR/><BR/>Norman,<BR/><BR/>It isn't that I couldn't "speed it up"...the problem with that is, again, why have a very large world with deep, lost wildernesses, <I>if you're not going to use them?</I>. Since I play the actual Earth, if it does nothing else it will teach them how big the planet really is.<BR/><BR/>Small point. Not tundra. Taiga.<BR/><BR/>"Wrung all the fun there is..." Interesting philosophy. I must tell you, I've hardly wrung all the fun out of hundreds of miles of snow forest. I'm sure I could continue the fun wringing another four sessions, easily. Between that and not wanting the campaign to be eternally walking, walking, walking (Lord of the Muther-fucking Rings), both choices seem equally appropriate.<BR/><BR/>Will,<BR/><BR/>Yes, actions, consequences, EXACTLY!<BR/><BR/>My instincts say, this is the world. Don't, as a DM, fiddle with it once its working. My job is referee, not cruise director.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-52835625810254851762008-12-27T20:45:00.000-07:002008-12-27T20:45:00.000-07:00I agree with Norman.I would hope, though, that the...I agree with Norman.<BR/><BR/>I would hope, though, that the important lesson has been learned: Actions have consequences!<BR/><BR/>It's simply amazing to me how many players refuse to grasp this simple concept.<BR/><BR/><BR/>[And, off topic but amusing to me in this holiday season, the word I need to type to prove I'm not a robot is "forkspie". Tell ME these things are random! I haven't forked nearly enough pie as yet...]Will Douglashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06379173017869751088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-63750666135873294322008-12-27T20:28:00.000-07:002008-12-27T20:28:00.000-07:001 rule: do what is fun, avoid what isn't.But here'...1 rule: do what is fun, avoid what isn't.<BR/><BR/>But here's the thing, you're the Game Master and have Ultimate Narrative Power! Endless Tundra does not have to equal endless game sessions. Example of UNP:<BR/><BR/>Next session you start with asking/telling players "Look I think we've wrung all the fun there is out of being chased across the endless tundra. Instead of spending the next ten sessions gaming it out in detail or Dues EXing your characters out I'm gonna narrate through weeks of game time. A few dice rolls to see how well you evade pursuit. Maybe play out an especially important combat but most I'll just hand wave. This'll continue until you reach civilization or run out of supplies and TPK, haha whoops."<BR/><BR/>So, instead of running action in terms of rounds and hours, scale it up to weeks. Ask group were they're headed and what they do, roll one encounter/pursuit/whatever for an entire week. Then interpolate results, describe them, apply supply loss, move characters on map. Repeat.<BR/><BR/>Should be able to churn through weeks of play in an hour of real time.<BR/><BR/><BR/>P.S. 2nd rule: Never evade Russia in the winter.Norman J. Harman Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01319655075997712313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-29063524928786642182008-12-27T17:28:00.000-07:002008-12-27T17:28:00.000-07:00seven sessions tests a dedicated player's enduranc...seven sessions tests a dedicated player's endurance<BR/><BR/>EIGHT is enough ; - )<BR/><BR/>my idea,<BR/>save a child<BR/>and her wizard grandfather <BR/>sends them homeclovishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03647936958773934755noreply@blogger.com