Birch33's page

I wanted to start with an apology. You see I'm about to rant endlessly. My PbP recruitment process inspires this outpouring. What follows is not so much a set of rules to apply for a position by – as a necessary sharing of thoughts and emotions.

My 'other' job is in HR and I get tired of the number of times I have to tell prospective job hunters the cardinal sin they commit when they send out their standard cv/resume. Yes it's quick to email/upload - and that allows you to apply for 20 jobs an hour – but as a recipient of such a document, I know it's your standard, unmodified, unthought-of resume.

Some organisations won't accept standard resumes. They insist on you filling out application forms and make you write answers to questions – the sort of questions that make you think. Questions that start with why or how. Why? (See what I did there?) Because it puts off people who just want to send you their uploaded resume. The people that can be bothered to spend an hour (and then some) filling out that form really do want to work for you.

Where am I going with this? The recruitment process that inspired this is one I went through that put me in mind of that sort of job-hunting. It's easy to plug in HeroLab and cut and paste some crunch. It's even easier to present 'one I made earlier but can tweak if I'm accepted.'

The process made me think long and hard about the character I was creating. I started with an idea and I worked on it and worked on it until I had something substantial. I cared about the character – enough to be devastated if she didn't make the cut.

As a player, it has historically taken me a while to get into character in PbP as I need to think through motive, character and personality past the two or three bullet-points I had in mind initially. This time round, I already knew what this character would say in any given situation. Sure she'll change - I expect her to have a story-arc through the levels - but circumstance will alter her, not me changing my mind about her personality. And the GM knows who she is too – and can plan accordingly.

I can understand if you think this process seems a little detailed and long-winded but it's not supposed to be scary. Instead it is my way of letting you know what sort of game you will be getting into – and I’m hoping that players who get what I’m trying to achieve here won’t be put off. What I hope comes across is my love of fluff and aversion to crunch. If you desire a rules-heavy GM, I'm not your guy. I want to tell a story first and foremost. I also like a fast-paced game with lots of posts and banter.

Example: I'm flexible about the use of skills. In a game I’ve played in, the GM said only knowledge arcana can yield any information about the creature we'd seen. If I were the GM, I'd be looser. Perhaps the character came across one in a dungeon crawl one day? Get a good roll and it can be the case. Or perhaps this area is plagued with them. Knowledge local then. You see I don't ignore the dice but I don't let them rule the game. That doesn’t make me right and the other GM wrong by the way – we’re just different. Which is my way of saying, if you like crunch-based/rules focused role-playing, I’m going to disappoint you.

I'm also English, so if you're offended by the 'correct' spelling of words like colour, grey or armour - you may need to look elsewhere! Rest assured, I'm OK with the trans-Atlantic spelling of words.

For what it's worth, I've GMed on the boards and played for some time now – and if I’m honest, it’s taken me a few years to get into a groove. Unlike face-to-face where you can get the feel for a group in a couple of sessions, I’ve found PbP a slower process. Or perhaps it’s the same in terms of actual hours spent playing?

As I eluded too before, in my opinion the difference between success and failure (well over half the games I've played died out within a month or so) is not just getting good players – it’s getting players that match the style of the GM.

Council of Thieves.

There are a few tweaks along the way. Book One was pretty vanilla and that was a challenge for me. It needs some more oomph and I’ll have to work on that. It also needs some more RPing – rather than jump from fight to fight – and you’ll have to work on that.

You need to consider how you’ve ended up as part of the group (feel free to read the posts and speak to the other characters in the Discussion Thread).

I'm a story driven GM and will always ensure that the fluff of a character is what drives me to recruit them. And, in my experience, a lack of effort in recruitment leads to a lack of effort in the game. I tried this very recently to backfill a position in an ongoing game and it a) reduced the number of people applied and b) substantially improved the quality of the application.

I'm looking for strong role-playing, so pick your class wisely. Paladins that shoot first and ask questions later or rangers that care nothing for killing animals are not (in my opinion) in character.

So where’s the crunch? The truth is I want you to know about the stat rules before you commit any time to the process but I don’t want to see any stats yet. Once I agree to a character, then we can look at the crunch. But I accept you’ll need to know some of the mechanics rules before you can work on your character.

Character Build:

25-point buy
3rd Level
Max starting gold for a 3rd Level character
Max starting HP, thereafter average (max HP/2 rounded up)
Races – Core Rulebook only (I’m an old-fashioned GM that way – plus non-core races are often chosen because they’re a sneaky way of min-maxing)
Classes – Core Rulebook, Advanced Player’s Guide only (archetypes are allowed) – NO SUMMONERS
Magic - Magical items are rare and GM approval needed to purchase
Weapons - No firearms
Feats - Two (one Campaign)
Alignment - No evil characters

So what do I want?

I’ll start with some don’ts

Don’t:
- Create a character that strikes me as purposefully min/maxed – it will likely get passed over
- Worry too much about who else you know at this point (that can come once the characters are chosen and before we start the game)

And now what you should do:

Do:
- Create a profile/alias and include relevant information inside
- Provide a physical description
- Describe the character’s personality
- Describe the character’s background
- Tell me why the character is part of this group
- Spend time telling me about your character’s backstory – why do you have those skills and languages and why are you that class?
- Tell me about your character's overarching aim in life. This will help with selecting appropriate encounters (or treasure). You may not want other players knowing what it is – so you can PM me if you wish. An overarching aim is to be knighted, marry a handsome prince , create the ultimate spell-book or discover the Sword of Gryffindor – rather than to simply get rich or be a specific advanced class. Basically, what plot hook would have you forget any common sense and rush out to fight a dragon single-handed?

The extra mile

Thanks to GM Beazy for this one…
Write a story or compose a ballad about your character. This is your chance to impress me that you really want a spot in this adventure. It’s not absolutely necessary but it does show you really want to be part of this game. Plus it adds to the character’s background.

I'll be honest with you in terms of character submission and will post that feedback on the boards (hidden only by a spoiler) - so shy, retiring types might think twice. I am honest and fair with my feedback I believe and only want to maximise your chance of getting a spot in the game.

I’m likely to start with too many players as people dropping out is always possible and it's easier to manage attrition this way than stop and recruit every time we fall below the set amount. So up to seven may end up the number we begin with. Regardless it would be x different classes as I don't want two rogues fighting over every trap. And I have a rogue waiting in the wings - so my advice (if you choose to take it) is not to submit a rogue.

I would expect at least a daily input but the pace of the group is key. If the majority of the players are posting more regularly, it can be really frustrating to have to wait 24 hours to continue - especially in combat. And posts in combat don't have to be verbose. A few lines will do if that's all that's needed.

I do prefer longer posts in general (but please don’t hog all of the limelight)

One of the slowest parts of play-by-post is combat. I intend to run as much as possible from my iPhone and iPad and so will always simplify combat i.e. describe the situation and ask for your response. This will mean no alpha-numeric maps to determine who can see or reach whom, and no waiting for the person with the highest initiative to decide what to do before you can decide your move (although actions will always follow initiative order).

1. I have no firm house-rules at present (but reserve the right to change that later ; p)
2. Speech in” bold” and thoughts in’ italics’ please.
3. I won't be tracking XP, but instead will level up as and when it's appropriate for the encounters. The published modules are explicit of the appropriate level and I'm not going to throw in random encounters to get you there - rather I'll amend the adventures to make sure you have enough 'experience.' For me it’s a story, not a board game.

So, you've made it this far down the post, and I presume you're still interested. My aim is to close applications when I have the right players. Recruitment will stay open until at least Friday and I’ll give 48 hours notice when I think I’m close to finalising the spot.

In my experience, people who create outstanding applications don't always post frequently or well – so I’ll be looking at posting frequency and interaction with other applicants as part of the process.. How often you post here (and add value) will be a factor in choosing the final party. As will how often you post elsewhere (I will have a look to see what is your style and frequency).

It is therefore useful to let me know if you are an existing player on the boards, which alias best reflects your playing style.

Now, what do I need on this thread? Dotting for interest is OK. Otherwise please use the Discussion thread for questions (the ability to follow directions is another factor in selection!). Post here with your character concept.

Ancalinza spotted the white sawtooth sabre on a red-green-red field before any of her crewmates and immediately shouted the alarm.

”Pirates Captain. Looks like a caravel and she’s out of Mediogalti by her colours.”

The following twenty minutes flashed by. The pirate ship closed easily, despite the sloop’s efforts to evade her and no sooner had the vessels touched than the pirates had boarded en masse.

Ancalinza fired a good many crossbow bolts and men fell from the ropes they were swinging on – but before long she was engaged in hand to hand.

She cut down a few before she lost control of her rapier. Scrabbling on the deck, she was aware of a man with a peg-leg stomping towards her. She looked up at the same time as he let his whip flick out at her.

The sting of pain from below her bottom lip was sharp and warm simultaneously. She licked at the blood with her tongue and the metallic taste galvanised her into action.

”Well my pretty. What a tasty morsel we have here.” His voice was raspy and his breathing ragged, as if excited. She could smell the rum on his breath from six-feet away.

Without taking her eyes from the pirate, she grabbed her rapier and immediately closed the gap between them. ”You may take this vessel, but you’ll not take me.” Her words were more than bravery. He would die for his arrogance, if nothing else.

She feigned to his left – her dancing moves morphing with her fighting style to great effect – before dropping her shoulder and ramming the sword deep into his gut.

”Tasty perhaps – but your lips will never find out.” She head-butted him and he slide off her sword slowly, the flesh squeaking as it parted company with the steel.

It was only now that Ancalinza realised that the ship was silent – save for the sound of someone clapping. Slowly and quietly at first and then louder and faster. She looked around to see all of her crewmates had fallen and only half of the pirates were still alive. The clapping was coming from a man in a scarlet velvet jacket, with large brass buttons and a plumed hat.

”I have need of a new second-mate and I fancy you’d fit the bill. I haven’t seen such skill since I sailed on the Monsoon. Ditmara was destined to become captain sooner or later. But that’s a story for later.”

Ancalinza stepped over the body of the former second-mate, making sure she snapped his peg-leg in two as she did.

I wanted to start with an apology. You see I'm about to rant endlessly. A recent PbP recruitment process inspired this outpouring. What follows is not so much a set of rules to apply for a position by – as a necessary sharing of thoughts and emotions.

My 'other' job is in HR and I get tired of the number of times I have to tell prospective job hunters the cardinal sin they commit when they send out their standard cv/resume. Yes it's quick to email/upload - and that allows you to apply for 20 jobs an hour – but as a recipient of such a document, I know it's your standard, unmodified, unthought-of resume.

Some organisations won't accept standard resumes. They insist on you filling out application forms and make you write answers to questions – the sort of questions that make you think. Questions that start with why or how. Why? Because it puts off people who just want to send you their uploaded resume. The people that can be bothered to spend an hour (and then some) filling out that form really want to work for you.

Where am I going with this? The recent recruitment process I went through put me in mind of that sort of job-hunting. It's easy to plug in HeroLab and cut and paste some crunch. It's even easier to present 'one I made earlier but can tweak if I'm accepted.'

The process made me think long and hard about the character I was creating. I started with an idea and I worked on it and worked on it until I had something substantial. I cared about the character - enough to be devastated if she didn't make the cut.

As a player, it has historically taken me a while to get into character in PbP as I need to think through motive, character and personality past the two or three bullet-points I had in mind initially. This time round, I already knew what this character would say in any given situation. Sure she'll change - I expect her to have a story-arc through the levels - but circumstance will alter her, not me changing my mind about her personality. And the GM knows who she is too – and can plan accordingly.

I can understand if you think this process seems a little detailed and long-winded but it's not supposed to be scary. Instead it is my way of letting you know what sort of game you will be getting into – and I’m hoping that players who get what I’m trying to achieve here won’t be put off. What I hope comes across is my love of fluff and aversion to crunch. If you desire a rules-heavy GM, I'm not your guy. I want to tell a story first and foremost. I also like a fast-paced game with lots of posts and banter.

Example: I'm flexible about the use of skills. In a game I’ve played in, the GM said only knowledge arcana can yield any information about the creature we'd seen. If I were the GM, I'd be looser. Perhaps the character came across one in a dungeon crawl one day? Get a good roll and it can be the case. Or perhaps this area is plagued with them. Knowledge local then. You see I don't ignore the dice but I don't let them rule the game. That doesn’t make me right and the other GM wrong by the way – we’re just different. Which is my way of saying, if you like crunch-based/rules focused role-playing, I’m going to disappoint you.

I'm also English, so if you're offended by the 'correct' spelling of words like colour, grey or armour - you may need to look elsewhere! Rest assured, I'm OK with the trans-Atlantic spelling of words.

For what it's worth, I've GMed on the boards and played for some time now – and if I’m honest, it’s taken me a few years to get into a groove. Unlike face-to-face where you can get the feel for a group in a couple of sessions, I’ve found PbP a slower process. Or perhaps it’s the same in terms of actual hours spent playing?

As I eluded too before, in my opinion the difference between success and failure (well over half the games I've played died out within a month or so) is not just getting good players – it’s getting players that match the style of the GM.

I intend to run Rise of the Runelords. Why? If I had £1 for every time I’ve started this campaign and not got past the opening adventure, I’d have…well about £10. I’m determined to see it through all of the chapters and levels – and I’m in more control as a GM than a player.

There are a few tweaks, some of which you need to know up front. Firstly you will all start outside Sandpoint and be on a caravan bound for the town. This ensures you all know each other before the ‘game’ starts. It also ought to ensure you play nicely with each other. There’s no point having great role-playing if we have characters whose philosophies are opposed to each other. I played a paladin in a game – and played it right – but I was a pain to one of the other characters who wanted to shoot first and ask questions later. Then the group had to take sides and it slowed the game down rather than adding to the experience.

I’ve put a link in the Campaign Info tab with lots of information about Sandpoint – more than the Player’s Guide has – but I’d recommend you download a free copy of that too for yourselves as it has the campaign traits in it.

I'm a story driven GM and will always ensure that the fluff of a character is what drives me to recruit them. And, in my experience, a lack of effort in recruitment leads to a lack of effort in the game. I tried this very recently to backfill a position in an ongoing game and it a) reduced the number of people applied and b) substantially improved the quality of the application.

I'm looking for strong role-playing, so pick your class wisely. Paladins that shoot first and ask questions later or rangers that care nothing for killing animals are not (in my opinion) in character.

So where’s the crunch? The truth is I want you to know about the stat rules before you commit any time to the process but I don’t want to see any stats yet. Once I agree to a character, then we can look at the crunch. But I accept you’ll need to know some of the mechanics rules before you can work on your character.

Character Build:

25-point buy
1st Level
Max starting gold
Max starting HP, thereafter average (max HP/2 rounded up)
Races – Core Rulebook only (I’m an old-fashioned GM that way – plus non-core races are often chosen because they’re a sneaky way of min-maxing)
Classes – Core Rulebook, Advanced Player’s Guide only (archetypes are allowed)
Magic - Magical items are rare and GM approval needed to purchase
Weapons - No firearms
Feats - Two (one Campaign)
Alignment - No evil characters

So what do I want?

I’ll start with some don’ts

Don’t:
- Create a character that strikes me as purposefully min/maxed – it will likely get passed over
- Worry about who else you know on the caravan at this point (that can come once the characters are chosen and before we start the game)

And now what you should do:

Do:
- Create a profile/alias and include relevant information inside
- Provide a physical description
- Describe the character’s personality
- Describe the character’s background
- Tell me why the character is on a caravan on its way to Sandpoint (I’ll mention again that my link is extermely useful as is the player’s guide - which is a free download from the Paizo site if you need inspiration)
- Spend time telling me about your character’s backstory – why do you have those skills and languages and why are you that class?
- Tell me about your character's overarching aim in life. This will help with selecting appropriate encounters (or treasure). You may not want other players knowing what it is – so you can PM me if you wish. An overarching aim is to be knighted, marry a handsome prince , create the ultimate spell-book or discover the Sword of Gryffindor – rather than to simply get rich or be a specific advanced class. Basically, what plot hook would have you forget any common sense and rush out to fight a dragon single-handed?

The extra mile

Thanks to GM Beazy for this one…
Write a story or compose a ballad about your character. This is your chance to impress me that you really want a spot in this adventure. It’s not absolutely necessary but it does show you really want to be part of this game. Plus it adds to the character’s background.

I'll be honest with you in terms of character submission and will post that feedback on the boards (hidden only by a spoiler) - so shy, retiring types might think twice. I am honest and fair with my feedback I believe and only want to maximise your chance of getting a spot in the game.

I’m likely to start with too many players as people dropping out is always possible and it's easier to manage attrition this way than stop and recruit every time we fall below the set amount. So up to seven may end up the number we begin with. Regardless it would be x different classes as I don't want two rogues fighting over every trap. And I have a rogue waiting in the wings - so my advice (if you choose to take it) is not to submit a rogue.

I would expect at least a daily input but the pace of the group is key. If the majority of the players are posting more regularly, it can be really frustrating to have to wait 24 hours to continue - especially in combat. And posts in combat don't have to be verbose. A few lines will do if that's all that's needed.

I do prefer longer posts in general (but please don’t hog all of the limelight)

One of the slowest parts of play-by-post is combat. I intend to run as much as possible from my iPhone and iPad and so will always simplify combat i.e. describe the situation and ask for your response. This will mean no alpha-numeric maps to determine who can see or reach whom, and no waiting for the person with the highest initiative to decide what to do before you can decide your move (although actions will always follow initiative order).

Rules:

1. I have no firm house-rules at present (but reserve the right to change that later ; p)
2. It would be helpful to have a volunteer rules-guy as one of the party - I love GMing but would appreciate someone who loves the crunch helping out in the Discussion thread concerning rules matters.
3. Speech in” bold” and thoughts in’ italics’ please.
4. I won't be tracking XP, but instead will level up as and when it's appropriate for the encounters. The published modules are explicit of the appropriate level and I'm not going to throw in random encounters to get you there - rather I'll amend the adventures to make sure you have enough 'experience.' For me it’s a story, not a board game.

Applications:

So, you've made it this far down the post, and I presume you're still interested. My aim is to close applications when I have the right players. Recruitment will stay open for at least a week and I’ll give 48 hours notice when I think I’m close to finalising the group.

In my experience, people who create outstanding applications don't always post frequently or well – so I’ll be looking at posting frequency and interaction with other applicants as part of the process.. How often you post here (and add value) will be a factor in choosing the final party. As will how often you post elsewhere (I will have a look to see what is your style and frequency).

It is therefore useful to let me know if you are an existing player on the boards, which alias best reflects your playing style.

Now, what do I need on this thread? Dotting for interest is OK. Otherwise please use the Discussion thread for questions (the ability to follow directions is another factor in selection!). Post here with your character concept.