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Pookie Bear

Pookie Bear

Pookie Bear

Soldato
Joined
28 Jun 2006
Posts
5,225
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne
Hey fellas,

I was just curious to see how many other D&D/PF/RPG players we have on the forums.

I've recently started a new 5e game with my group and it's going well. I love the new system - it has that old-school feel to it, yet has enough new bits to make it feel like a new edition.

As ever, we're already looking at a few house rules, but that's nothing new (like the Escalation Die from 13th Age) and since the actual rules section of the PHB is only 30-odd pages long, it's quick to pick up and a pleasure to DM, and the players are enjoying the freedom the new system gives - there's no longer a list of things you can do, the world is completely open to come up with crazy combat stunts (and they have!). Plus resolving some combats in five minutes flat makes a nice change!

We are putting our 4e game on the shelf for now while we get into 5e, but we'll no doubt be back - I think it's a good system, but I think it's a little much for novices (like 50% of my group). This new edition is even looking sweet enough that we don't fall back into Pathfinder.

So, this post was purely curious about other groups on here. What do you play?
 
Nice to see there's a few players on the forum :)

Having played another session of 5e since my original post, I have to say that I really like to system more than I thought. So flexible and it's nice to have a system which provides a framework for your game, without hindering it. It used to be that I liked the kind of system which said, "this is what you can do, and as you level up, you get more options and better at doing those things" where 5e feels more like, "do whatever you want, you just might not be very good at it (but since the important bit is the die roll, not the number on your character sheet, why not give it a go?)". The way they've balanced characters and monsters as they level is quite nice as well.

Anyway, we're playing the 5e Starter Set module which is a nice little introduction to the game - and not too railroady. I like it when the party has a host of things to do and sit there arguing over what to do next :D
 
No1newts said:
Was looking for a thread like this, does anyone play pathfinder or d&d 5e?

Played this way back as a kid and really wanting to try it again, I may try and decide it isn't for me anymore but really got the itch.

If anyone plays and can let a new player (it's been that long I may as well be new!) tag along I'd be grateful.
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We're currently playing 5e in the Northeast, but we're kinda full at the moment - 6 people in total squeezed into my dining room can be quite difficult as it is, I'm afraid. If anyone drops out, I can post a message up here, but everyone seems kind of settled at the moment, so it's somewhat unlikely.

I was planning a 5e campaign on Roll20, but dropped the idea when my normal group moved over.
 
Sadly, I skipped an entire generation of D&D and so never played 3.5e although I understand it's somewhat like Pathfinder in scope and depth? If so, I think you'll find the move to 5e fairly straightforward (it has moved away from 4e quite dramatically). It's D&D at its core, with classes, races, spells and skills. It has enough new things to make you go "oohhhh, that's cool!" (advantage/disadvantage, magic system) and enough old things to make you think, "yeah, that's D&D!"

I'd strongly suggest starting over. Have you considered the Starter Set? It's not that expensive, has a nice introductory module in it (although it has its flaws), and some fairly well-fleshed out PCs with room for development. It means you can get a good feel for the game without shelling out on the books.

I run a little personal blog on our 5e adventures if you'd like a read - send me a trust if you'd like the link.
 
I'll actually probably avoid the starter set, having seen what it contains, as we have heaps of dice, enjoy creating characters from scratch, have the free PDFs (which seem to have more content) and I enjoy writing my own adventures.
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That's a fair point. I was in the same place. I've not used the dice and only used the PCs for a few background ideas. I felt the module was a great intro to 5e but, as I said, it has its issues.

That said, two of the separate starter campaigns (Hoard and Tiamat?) look interesting too.
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After we finished the Lost Mine of Phandelver, we moved on Hoard of the Dragon Queen (and started over). Much like LMoP, HotDQ is interesting and fairly well put together, but does have a few bugs.

My shopping list currently looks like:-
Player's Handbook
DM's Guide
Monster Manual
The DM screen (looks ace - and massive!)
Those two campaign books
Some "couch vinyl" and gaming paper to make a new battle mat as per the YouTube tutorial I've just watched
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PHB is the only essential book
DMG is packed full of info if you're writing your own adventures
MM speaks for itself and is a lovely book
The DM screen didn't seem to be of much use for me (and I've started playing without a screen :eek: :eek: ).
The campaign books...I can only speak for the first - and it's good to use as a base for your game - reduced need for the DMG or Monster Manual if you intend using them, though.

Anyone know if the commercially available campaigns can be adjusted for just one Play Char? Mrs. M. has enjoyed playing two or three at once, but it's not easy as she doesn't have a background in the game like I do (been playing since about 1983, with huge gaps :( )
Cheers gamers.
Edit - tried to do the Trust thingy but no idea if it worked or not!
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I think it would be tough to go through the pre-written adventures with one PC, but to be perfectly honest the only restriction on how you play the game is your own. Tone down all the combat, perhaps accelerate the exp gain a little, start at 3rd or 4th level (perhaps do a mini adventure or two first to get familiar with skills and the system) and you can do whatever you want with the modules.

Trust didn't work, sadly, but a little GoogleFu with my username should help those worthy find my blog :D
 
It's a he :D

And yes, the blog has inappropriate language and was originally intended just for me and my group (what we found funny will probably just seem stupid/offensive to an outsider!), which is why I didn't just put the link up :)
 
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It's not easy. My style has changed noticeably from when I started and so has the amount of effort. When you're spending a few hours preparing and then writing up the blog, it can be hard work - but it is nice to read a reminder of previous events. I have to leave out some of the dafter things they do and I have to be very aware of spoilers and particularly gloating if they miss something - although I do use the blog to wind them up :D
 
Good luck!

Up to session 11 of our Hoard of the Dragon Queen game now. They are nowhere near finishing this half of the adventure - I hesitate to think how the adventurers league games reckon it can be done in 15 two-hour sessions! I know I add stuff now and then, embellish the story a little and their in random junk, but we've played near on 40 hours and have two and a half chapters to go.
 
Mileage galore. Yes, I do need to improvise, and the maps for the section I'm currently on couldn't be more confusing if they actually tried to make them confusing - they have three levels in a castle, and they decided to have the maps facing different directions, and on multiple pages. Stupid. I've read ahead as well and the next section is mind-boggling from a maps point of view as well.

That said, we had a good session last night, with some ridiculously amusing moments - mainly due to player actions - and even a tantrum. Loved it :D
 
One of my closest friends gets very emotive playing D&D - cheering crits and bemoaning NPCs successes - to be honest, I find it all part of the fun.

It's a bit like being at work, where I need to assess people quickly and adjust my approach, the same applies to DM'ing. That said, sometimes I heap misery upon misery - and they keep coming back. Last night they got jumped three times and set off a nasty trap - in between the roleplay and exploration and a couple other fights - yet they're all stoked for next week's episode (mainly because they finally got to grips with the current antagonist - and chopped his head off!).
 
EMarkM said:
we both really enjoyed ourselves
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This bit makes it all worthwhile, no matter what else happens :)
I don't see multiple PCs for one player as an issue - I've done it before. You miss out the interaction, but you still get to roleplay and it's still fun :)

gradyhawks said:
There was supposed to be a Dobbledanger that they were to fight, but I had it shape-shift into the person they were supposed to be saving, who then ran away at the first chance. Will hopefully cause some confusion.
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A very similar thing happened in my version - except the two dwarves (one captive, one doppelganger) started fighting one another - which the party saw coming, but were powerless to stop. It was pretty funny :D
 
Well, 18 sessions later, and Hoard of the Dragon Queen is complete.

I wish I could say it was a brilliantly written module, but it isn't. It has a lot of flaws. However, as with most pre-written adventures, it's what you do with it, not how it was written. I've inserted entire sections (some on the fly!), changed evil motives, added bad guys, removed bad guys, given new motivations, played merry havoc with the rules, and generally used the book only as a base for the game - and it's gone really well.

The characters are all 7th level, at least, some verging on 8th (I refuse to use the milestone system), and this week we're starting Rise of Tiamat. Sadly, we're starting it with three of the PCs dead - but that's what happens when you execute your plans poorly and a dragon is involved! Never fear, they've got a dragon's hoard and they're heading for Waterdeep - death doesn't mean that much when you're rich! I also refuse to let my group go to Waterdeep and not end up in Undermountain :D

I do like 5e. It doesn't get in the way of the game.
 
lordhughes said:
Out of interested why do you refuse to use the milestone system?
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I think it's a mixture of reasons. Firstly, most of my players are old school, and like the exp side of things. Secondly, and more importantly from a DM perspective, the milestone system feels arbitrary and doesn't adequately reflect the effort put in by the party. There were points in the first book where levels 6, 7 and 8 could be achieved with little fuss, provided the party were clever and very lucky (or snuck a look at the module :D). I prefer to make them work for it, even if I have to add homebrew missions here and there.
 
Last time around, when we started Hoard of the Dragon Queen, I had everyone roll 4d6, drop the lowest, and then had everyone use the best set. That way, everyone was as awesome as the next, and stats were never a major factor. Yes, they would never have had abilities that high with a point array, but I like my PCs to be proper heroes, well above the average man - but not to have such a big difference between the heroes themselves.

Besides, if I find monsters are too tough, or too weak, changing their stats on the run is as simple as just taking it easy - I can't believe there isn't a DM in the world who hasn't fudged a few rolls behind their screen :D

That said, don't think I take it easy on my group - they've had a total of five deaths so far :D
 
EMarkM said:
Pookie, that sharing method sounds very fair.

I've heard about everyone rolling stats, then putting them in a pool and each player takes one stat in turn until the whole pool has been exhausted, discussing amongst themselves how to share the points out for the benefit of the team, but your method sounds really cool - I may well be trying that out in a future game.
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Yeah, it works a treat - everyone is equally powerful. And they tend to be above average.

We're implementing a new "hidden roll" system tonight. For the last six months, I've been using an open table policy - no DM screen and all rolls openly visible. It's been novel - and there has been lots of cursing (I seem to roll quite well when I'm attacking PCs :D). Tonight, a new low-profile screen comes back, and I've built a little dice tower for secret rolls - like checking to see if someone is lying, or they search somewhere, I don't want them rolling a 1 or a 20 and knowing they're wrong or right - I just want them to see what they see :D
 
The new hidden roll system worked a treat last night more than once. I like it.

The only thing people used to really look at was my recording of hit points and when the Monster Manual was open. I draw maps on a big whiteboard as we go to help them visualise what's going on, so maps aren't usually a problem.
 
My group is now coming up to 9 months of playing 5e exclusively, apart from a couple weeks of Call of Cthulhu which one of the players runs when I'm on holiday. Thirty-four sessions and we're still going strong - even the blog is still going - and considering it was just a joke at first, it's something I'm somewhat proud of!

We're currently embroiled in a massive argument over alignments, but that's typical :D
 
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