klecser

So here's my followup question: Do you find it harder, equally difficult, or easier to do sandbox with solo investigators?

As I continue to think about this, I see a couple of big challenges for solo scenarios, but also still see great potential. I'm sure that you've already thought of these Jon, and I'll be the first to admit I haven't read far enough into the text of the scenario yet. So, if these bases are covered already, I wouldn't be surprised and I'm not trying to patronize you or anything like that.

1) An unwritten rule of investigative role-playing is that you do indeed split the party during some parts of the Investigation phase to save time. You can elucidate the results of "what happens at the cops," "what happens at the Hall of Records," and "what happens at the Library" really quickly if a set of teams divides and conquers. This option isn't inherently available to a solo investigator. So, I can see benefits in solo scenarios of the Keeper heavily suggesting clip files, hiring of flunkies and contact NPCs playing a bigger role.  I think it would be useful to write this nuance of Keeping into solo scenarios.

2) The general style of a solo game is also going to be different. I see a solo investigator avoiding combat like the plague as a general rule. This potentially influences the style of threat that they can effectively face, how they face it, and whether certain threats are even on the table. It does set up the possibility of a LOT of chase (flee) scenes! I'm not saying don't challenge the player.

3) I think you did the absolute right thing by including three pre-gens to "write towards." A home-built solo investigator could find themselves completely useless in a particular scenario. Consider the "hireling" idea too, if it isn't already in there?

Once again, not telling you how to do your professional work.  Just giving a Keeper's/Player's perspective!

Welcome to Part 7, linked above!

Was gonna respond immediately, but I decided I probably shouldn't comment until I read it. So, I bought it.

First Impressions:

1) You have a really good value going here. Having both a full color and print version of your scenario is greatly appreciated. The stat page and image of the threat will also save so much time. I can tell you think like a Keeper.  Thank you.

2) The text is very well laid out, great selection of handouts and detailed investigation. It will take me some time to read through it. That's a compliment.

Of course, neither of those things have anything to do with the 1-on-1, but they should definitely come first. I'd rather get a quality product of any type rather than a subpar one that happened to be 1-on-1. 

I just realized that you wrote a lot of the Age of Cthulhu products. I'm currently using both Starfall Over the Plateau of Leng AND Timeless Sands of India as background for my own take on Yithians for my players in the Dreamlands.  (I have a Yithian Dreamer NPC using the Dreamlands to expand their research.)

To your original question:

I really like the option of two people being able to game together and the Keeper not having to spend copious amounts of time converting group scenarios to solo scenarios. It saves a lot of time. 

From a player standpoint, there is a reason why the saying goes: "It's dangerous to go alone." The fewer players there are, the greater the tension.

It makes sense for someone to leverage interest for [insert name of other company's product] and bring it into CoC.

So, the combination of the care you put into your scenarios in general Jon, plus the concept of 1-on-1 Cthulhu, is a must-have for me.

Keep up the great work!

Michael

RPG Imaginings on YouTube

Update: I just told one of my players who is playing a character born into an Italian family to add Own Language (Italian) to her character sheet.

Listened. Loved.

Another option is to recognize that this particular character has two native languages. They didn't have to study in school to learn them. As such, I would base BOTH of those languages off of the character's EDU score and not require the player to spend any skill points on the second language.

It sounds like you want to follow the rules, and that is admirable. This is a case where the rules are setting someone at a disadvantage just because they want a bilingual character concept. Being bilingual in Jiddish and English isn't going to break the game system. If anything, we always should be encouraging to players for playing characters that are meaningful to them.

Talk to your Keeper. Let them know how important it is for you to play a Jewish character. Pitch my EDU suggestion. It makes everything so much simpler than nickel-and-diming skill points.

As to the other language connections, that would be up to the Keeper. I don't know Jiddish and don't know the extent to which someone could communicate in German/Hebrew. I don't know many people who can communicate effectively in root languages if they didn't study the root language directly.  [A quick internet search seems to confirm that German-speakers and Yiddish-speakers communicating with each other is not as easy as some let on.] French and German are root languages of English, for example, but that doesn't mean that anyone without training can communicate in French/German. That is stretching the intent of the rule. So, I would expect someone to put points in a root language to be able to speak it effectively.  It also depends upon what you are trying to accomplish. Have a conversation in a root language? That would require an Extreme success. A Hard success, in my eyes, would be using it to get a basic idea, perhaps in combination with hand gestures.  In light of all of the above, I'd probably say that once a character had invested 20 points or so in a very closely linked root language, they'd be able to speak it well enough to communicate basically (handful of words at a time, not grammatically correct sentences) and I would expect it to be role-played accordingly. 

Many players do choose to play linguists. The question here is just the extent to which the languages are inborn vs learned. 

This one contains campaign spoilers for both Shadows over Stillwater (major) AND Two-Headed Serpent (minor).

Watch me be needlessly reckless with the utility knife!

Enjoy!

Hey folks,

I'll be visiting a friend in Vegas in mid July and I'm looking for shops that are good for old and new RPG stock. Call of Cthulhu is my main game but I am also interested in shops with strong variety and curiosities.

Any recommendations?

Coupon received and book ordered! Check your inboxes!

Mark Morrison's afterword is a very pleasant addition to the scenario!

We rescheduled for June 22nd and we have Call of Cthulhu on the 29th, so I'm using the extra time to get some wicked planning done for that game. Library ship on the seas of the Dreamlands that will encounter a dream variant of the Mary Celeste!

25 minutes ago, Shiningbrow said:

You don't have a healer in the party?

If you find someone with Rune magic that can cure any type of migraine, you will be swimming in L.

Update: Well, the sad news is that we had to cancel due to multiple migraines of participants. But we have rescheduled for June 22.

5 minutes ago, Bill the barbarian said:

Not sure of the question. If it is how does one craft a potion.one would use the knowledge skill, alchemy.

Sorry, you're right, I was unclear. How does a healing potion work? It just heals whatever number of points it is rated at and applies to any location? Edit @Joerg got it! Thanks!

And just to be sure I understand:

Arm has lost three HP. First aid applied to arm and heals five. Arm increases by only three. Total hit points increases by only three?

My first game in six hours!

While I was reviewing the basic rules last night, I surprised myself to find that I didn't quite understand healing as well as I thought I did. I think part of it may be that I am reading the text as every single word mattering, and maybe it doesn't.

Question 1: Do healing sources heal BOTH location hit points AND total hit points?

The Heal Rune spell specifies that it heals at a location AND total hit points. But the Spirit Magic Heal does not. Does this deliberately imply that Rune Heal is more powerful because it ALSO heals total hit points? The example on page 149 describes how Sorala heals 5 hit points to her arm but only 3 are applied since she only lost three in that location. Does she recover 3 hit points to her total hit points as well?

Question 2: If Spirit Magic only heals location hit points, how does one go about healing total hit points besides a Rune spell or First Aid/Natural healing?

Question 3: I've heard people reference healing potions and they appear on one of the QuickStart characters. The box on p150 RRIG references healing potions, but a search of the index shows no entry under "Healing Potion" or "Potion" or "Craft" for the ability to craft potions.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Spectacular.

Thank you Crel and Bill for giving examples of how to make it come alive!

Thanks for the update Michael! Really looking forward to Shadows. It has a lot of great material that could be used in any era, IMO, in addition to DDT.

Not quite what I'm asking. I'll clarify. Is the level of detail of mentioning the Dragonrise doing more to risk overwhelming at a starter table than just jumping right into an adventure?

Do all of the Starter adventures take place after the Dragonrise? I'm going to use the opening text from Broken Tower "introducing" Glorantha to my players, even though I will be running Cattle Raid. Is it even worth mentioning the Dragonrise on the first adventure or is that too much information early on?

This is NOT an invitation for you to muse about your favorite nuances of Glorantha lore. I am asking a practical GMing question.   😜 

11 hours ago, Spence said:

When does the hardcopy hit?

 

Usually four to six months after the PDF depending upon timing and shipping. For example, Shadows over Stillwater PDF was released in January and we should get the hardcopy in June, at most recent estimates. Of course, there could be unforeseen delays that could mean later.

4 hours ago, Joerg said:

Hardly surprising if you know that Jeff used to be a member of the Seattle Farmers Collective who were famous (notorious?) for their obsession with cattle and raiding thereof.

Cattle raids (or the aftermath of having been raided) are an excellent excuse to pull player characters into some nearby wilderness with rather little preparation.

Plus the added bonus of having to chase them under dire circumstances. It just makes sense. So many opportunities for varied conflict. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

10 hours ago, jajagappa said:

Dream-wefts! (Check them out in the Quickstart p.33)

Idrima does!!! If those pesky adventurers happen to thwart Idrima's sprul-pa, she just might decide to make their lives more difficult, particularly if they seem reluctant to join her cause.

Hmm, Broken Tower... just might be an ancient ruin, and, oh, there's an ancient Earth goddess haunting it. And she wants people to sacrifice (cattle) to her! Oh! The adventurers don't want to go along and are stealing her offerings! Well, maybe if her dream-wefts possess them, they'll cooperate more...  😉

At least in my run through, Idrima didn't like people stealing her offerings.

 

Honestly, I don't know what any of that means. There is no Idrima in Cattle Raid?

1 hour ago, PhilHibbs said:

Good idea, but it raises an interesting point. I just looked through the pregens and poor old Nathem is losing out on weapon augments. He uses axe and bow, but has ony 50% in Earth and nothing at all in Fire. I suppose if he goes for an Earth augment and fails it, earning a penalty on all Earth related activities, he can just try not to engage in melee and hang back with his bow instead.

Do you think the intent behind giving him the Multimissile matrix is to compensate for that?

I'm most concerned with my players getting an accurate impression of the flavor, and having fun. I'm certain whoever chooses Nathem will have a blast.