Further complicated by the fact that there often seems to be people in a group who actively dislike the idea of "talking" to enemy NPCs, making it difficult for players who DO want to talk to them to get a chance to do that.
I am very glad for these writeups. They're enjoyable to read, and that's the only action most of these APs are going to get from me :(
My PCs had the unfortunately tendency to talk the ears off of random mooks with no backstory - often going to great lengths to take some alive - but for NPCs with a writeup, they'd either blow them off completely (for friendly ones) or go straight for the kill.
|
Further complicated by the fact that there often seems to be people in a group who actively dislike the idea of "talking" to enemy NPCs, making it difficult for players who DO want to talk to them to get a chance to do that.
Good Lord, this. If one finds a group that doesn't do that, cherish it.
So far, in every one of the Shattered Star adventures, there are "bad guy" NPCs that you can resolve with talking or diplomacy or roleplaying, and in many of those cases you can actually gain their aid, either in the short term or long term. In all cases, we're pretty obvious about the fact that if you talk to an NPC about things rathe than fight him or her, you get XP. In some cases, more XP than if you just fought them.
This makes me really eager to read/run Shattered Star, pretty much nullifying most of the worries I had before. :)
NPCs like that have been really big for our general player base. AP spoilers below:
And all of those characters with their depth and dynamics were a joy to run as a GM with players engaging with the setting.
The Shattered Star Player's Guide will show up before the release of the first volume in the Adventure Path. :)
Nope. Hasnt showed up, and im busy DLing the pdf'fees.
edit: found it elsewhere..
|
The Shattered Star Player's Guide will show up before the release of the first volume in the Adventure Path. :)Nope. Hasnt showed up, and im busy DLing the pdf'fees.
Are you sure? I downloaded a copy from here on Friday
(still waiting for my shipping notification email, though)
The Shattered Star Player's Guide will show up before the release of the first volume in the Adventure Path. :)Nope. Hasnt showed up, and im busy DLing the pdf'fees.
So where do you expect it? Check out the Shattered Star page, it's been there for a week.
So where do you expect it? Check out the Shattered Star page, it's been there for a week.The Shattered Star Player's Guide will show up before the release of the first volume in the Adventure Path. :)Nope. Hasnt showed up, and im busy DLing the pdf'fees.
Was looking at my downloads. Would be a logical place for it to show up?
|
|
Was looking at my downloads. Would be a logical place for it to show up?So where do you expect it? Check out the Shattered Star page, it's been there for a week.The Shattered Star Player's Guide will show up before the release of the first volume in the Adventure Path. :)Nope. Hasnt showed up, and im busy DLing the pdf'fees.
Only once you put it there, just like anything else you order from the store.
So far, in every one of the Shattered Star adventures, there are "bad guy" NPCs that you can resolve with talking or diplomacy or roleplaying, and in many of those cases you can actually gain their aid, either in the short term or long term. In all cases, we're pretty obvious about the fact that if you talk to an NPC about things rathe than fight him or her, you get XP. In some cases, more XP than if you just fought them.
Now - how do I get my group to realize NPCs are people, too, not just wandering XP. *sigh*
This makes me really want to run this AP after we finish KM
Ruyan.
Now - how do I get my group to realize NPCs are people, too, not just wandering XP. *sigh*
I SO feel your pain.
Creative Director
|
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
So far, in every one of the Shattered Star adventures, there are "bad guy" NPCs that you can resolve with talking or diplomacy or roleplaying, and in many of those cases you can actually gain their aid, either in the short term or long term. In all cases, we're pretty obvious about the fact that if you talk to an NPC about things rathe than fight him or her, you get XP. In some cases, more XP than if you just fought them.Now - how do I get my group to realize NPCs are people, too, not just wandering XP. *sigh*
This makes me really want to run this AP after we finish KM ** spoiler omitted **
Ruyan.
One really good way to train your PCs to do this is via experience points. At the end of the session, I always total up the XP I'm awarding right there on the table in full view of the players, and I'll announce the awards. "You get 2000 XP for killing the goblin tribe, 3000 for talking to the giant who lived on the bridge, 4000 XP for successfully wooing the merchant, 5000 XP for convincing the assassin to look for work elsewhere."
Tell the players that they're earning XP for taking non-combat solutions to the adventure. And also give them XP for good roleplaying—if the PCs get into a fun, heated roleplay session with a farmer and that takes up an hour of the game play... give them a big XP award even if it didn't "Advance" the storyline. If it was fun, the player should be rewarded for it... ESPECIALLY if it was fun for the GM.
And always ALWAYS tell the players why you're giving them XP. If they don't know you're giving them as much or more XP each session for roleplaying than for fighting, they'll just assume they got all the XP for fighting.
Our group has actually switched to not tracking XP and just awarding the levels at appropriate points in the campaign. This way, they don't have to worry about how many monsters they killed, and are free to try to talk their way out of more situations. It seems to be working ok so far.
|
Creative Director
|
Our group has actually switched to not tracking XP and just awarding the levels at appropriate points in the campaign. This way, they don't have to worry about how many monsters they killed, and are free to try to talk their way out of more situations. It seems to be working ok so far.
I've played in games like that and it does work... but I actually LIKE having a physical tiny bit of proof that I played in a session, and being able to write down a bigger number on my sheet after every session to track my experience points not only helps me anticipate when I might level up, but it's psychologically very appealing.
Thanks for the advice, James! Now back to the actual topic, please.
Ruyan.
In terms of NPC interactions, something I've learned is it could be the way you describe the NPC, or how much background you have on him/her. You may not realize that the amount of time you spend introducing that character to them, or maybe how you have that NPC interact with the PCs could be giving them 'cues' as to that NPCs importance in the story.
In our own home games, we've been interacting with an NPC and we'll ask a question needing a roll and the GM will say, "Oh, I didn't make a sheet for that guy". This will also cue me up that the NPC is definitely not one we are meant to fight.
In another example, I have been reading up on a chronicle of the Anniversary Rise of the Runelords, and the GM described an NPC and his interaction with the party so well, that they were convinced he was a big-time NPC from the AP, and in fact had made the guy up!
|
In our own home games, we've been interacting with an NPC and we'll ask a question needing a roll and the GM will say, "Oh, I didn't make a sheet for that guy". This will also cue me up that the NPC is definitely not one we are meant to fight.
Not to hijack the thread. But that's why i fake it when i GM. If the players interact with a NPC I never bothered to stat up and need a roll. I quickly guess at a level and write it down incase I need it again. Helps keep the players on their toes. :)
our group love talking to npcs
at least 50% of the encounters in KM now live in their lands / peaceful neighbours
and im pretty sure i will need to ad lib a 'Afternoon tea and biscuits scene' when
I think i like the spontaneous interaction npcs the best, not the sort of set ones like in Shiv
D_mistress. I end making up loads npcs on the fly, the skill is to make it look as though you arent isnt it!! keeps the game exciting and added mystery for the GM too
Hmm this may be worth its own thread....
JJ: explaining where xp is a good thing, i do this too
In our own home games, we've been interacting with an NPC and we'll ask a question needing a roll and the GM will say, "Oh, I didn't make a sheet for that guy". This will also cue me up that the NPC is definitely not one we are meant to fight.
For that very reason, I often shake things up a little. Sometimes an important (not necessarily evil) NPC I'll have a nice little card with a pic, the stats all set-up and not have any plans to make much use of him. At others, the really important NPCs that would provide the greatest advantage for diplomatically resolving the issues won't have anything and I'll have to roll the checks on the fly.
The one thing I don't want to do as a DM is become unpredictable. It's a hard balance to reach and sometimes it requires an awful lot of extra work but it's worth it for me to take away in game expectations due to a metagame issue.
Hey guys,
How many traits do we get in this ap? Doesn't say, or I can't find it. Is it the standard 2, One campaign trait and one society trait ? Just want to clarify for new group starting this campaign soon.
It is up to the DM.
However, the "general" standard is two traits, one campaign and one other.
What I did, was;
One campaign and one basic *or*
One society and one basic *or*
One society and one campaign
-- david
|
Think they are poking fun at you for saying "lair" instead of "layer".extra lairs of complexity to be awesomeI'm guessing Schloss Caromarc counts as a lair of complexity.I'm DMing that soon, I'm not sure I follow
** spoiler omitted **
I apparently haven't been in this thread for 6 months, but like a slow kid getting that someone was making fun of them after they left the room, I say "HEY!"
That being said, my spelling is terrible, and I often choose the wrong homophone, and I am aware of that, and I don't have an ESL shield to deflect criticism with.
But to the original joke Schloss Caromarc was a lair of complexity, replete with strange science experiments and a museum of monsters.
|
|
Our group has actually switched to not tracking XP and just awarding the levels at appropriate points in the campaign. This way, they don't have to worry about how many monsters they killed, and are free to try to talk their way out of more situations. It seems to be working ok so far.I've played in games like that and it does work... but I actually LIKE having a physical tiny bit of proof that I played in a session, and being able to write down a bigger number on my sheet after every session to track my experience points not only helps me anticipate when I might level up, but it's psychologically very appealing.
We've moved away from XP, but I try to hit all the rewards for good roleplaying, or story enhancing ideas with tokens, rewarded on the spot for the action (and I've encouraged the players to nominate/lobby for their peers.)
The tokens maybe be exchanged for baby hero points (+1/-1 to a roll) or exchanged every 4 for a real hero point.