Friendship is Dragons
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Page 198 - Bringing Up Roots
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When I start a new RP game one thing that I always ask of my players is to write me up a background of their character - family, friends, where they grew up, etc. There are two written rules I ensure my players know about:
1. You will be award a sum of EXP for what you write based on quality, not quantity
2. What you write down can and could be used against you in the court of fun.
1. You will be award a sum of EXP for what you write based on quality, not quantity
2. What you write down can and could be used against you in the court of fun.
I like having a backstory for my character. Makes it easier to play the character because the character has a life of their own and obviously has goals, dreams, objectives, and reason for doing things.
It is harder to just play a level 1 rogue dwarf than a dwarf with reasons for being a highwayman.
On a completely separate note:
http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/10/impact-miniatures-kickstarter-updates.html
It is harder to just play a level 1 rogue dwarf than a dwarf with reasons for being a highwayman.
On a completely separate note:
http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/10/impact-miniatures-kickstarter-updates.html
I agree!
I now wonder if upon seeing how well Applebloom works out, Rarity's player steals the idea and creates a little sister of her own for her social rogue to shine with?
Dang, not having $30 makes me a sad pony that I can't get in on that kickstarter.
I now wonder if upon seeing how well Applebloom works out, Rarity's player steals the idea and creates a little sister of her own for her social rogue to shine with?
Dang, not having $30 makes me a sad pony that I can't get in on that kickstarter.
Wow, You're and actual pony? I've always wondered, How do you guy's type with just Hooves?
We just use a voice dictation program. It's called "Dragon" ;)
Ow.
Despite the fact that Spike was introduced pre-G4, I'm now wondering if the whole "spike taking dictation" thing _was_ a terrible stealth-pun on Faust's part...
Despite the fact that Spike was introduced pre-G4, I'm now wondering if the whole "spike taking dictation" thing _was_ a terrible stealth-pun on Faust's part...
http://www.yandy.com/Magical-Pony-Costumes.php
It's not as fun as you think.
But back on topic, I'm actually doing a D&D campign (via MB) now, and the DM has let me use Caren whil was only in One Campign come back into this one. So her backstory is a previous campign!
http://niemz242.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=main&thread=1699&page=7
AAAANd to go once again OT I'm actually raising money to make my own CGI film
https://www.pleasefund.com/pages/5783
I remember I once wrote my backstory as my character - a bard - left home to see the world. He was a nobody from a Podunk town in the middle of nowhere - the town was litterally called Podunk - but only the DM knew this. Since my character had a flare for drama, he told the rest of the party when he met up with them, "I would rather not speak of my past at this moment. The time is not yet." Convinced that I would be a major plot driving character - lost prince, godborn, something like that - they immediately let me join the group.
Now, we came across the final boss, a dark sorcerer with aspirations of divinity. He even had a ritual set up that would let him ascend to godhood. Now, the DM was a Ghostbusters fan, so before the villain attacked us, he asked, "Are you a God?"
My character replied, "Yes."
I then waxed eloquent about how I was the God of Nothing, and how all was born of Nothing, and to Nothing would it return...I don't remember exactly what it was I said, but by the end of my speech - before the DM had a chance to ask me to roll a bluff check - every other player had had their character fall on their face in worship. The DM told me later that - since I'd convinced the others so thoroughly - he decided I could take 20 on the bluff check. The evil sorcerer - and his cult - began to worship me as the God of Nothing.
It wasn't until after the campaign ended with us victorious through that - we decided we'd make new characters for the next one - that I showed the other players my real backstory.
Now, we came across the final boss, a dark sorcerer with aspirations of divinity. He even had a ritual set up that would let him ascend to godhood. Now, the DM was a Ghostbusters fan, so before the villain attacked us, he asked, "Are you a God?"
My character replied, "Yes."
I then waxed eloquent about how I was the God of Nothing, and how all was born of Nothing, and to Nothing would it return...I don't remember exactly what it was I said, but by the end of my speech - before the DM had a chance to ask me to roll a bluff check - every other player had had their character fall on their face in worship. The DM told me later that - since I'd convinced the others so thoroughly - he decided I could take 20 on the bluff check. The evil sorcerer - and his cult - began to worship me as the God of Nothing.
It wasn't until after the campaign ended with us victorious through that - we decided we'd make new characters for the next one - that I showed the other players my real backstory.
Aww, but then how is a DM supposed to spring the surprise when the Goddess of Thievery turns out to be the sorcerer's older sister trolling the party just to get that +3 Ring of Awesome if the party already knows its her and not some all-might being that threatens to zap everyone into the groin-kick dimension if they don't steal in the name of "Her"? :)
True story.
True story.
The groin kick dimension, Digo? I'll stick to the Elemental Plane of Discomfort, if that's okay with you.
I don't think I'd notice a difference between things as they are and a plan of pure itchiness. No, wait. I just recalled what internal chicken pox was like.
Or the plane of infinite prawns. Although I understand that one gets boring pretty quickly.
Yes, I did get the reference.
...Huh. Now that you mention it, no one else from the Apple family has been mentioned in this game.
I disagree with you on the point of rpg etiquette, however, as it's trumped by a fantasy convention on this point: there is another.
Even a premise involving "the Chosen One" isn't immune to this convention: see Babylon 5 or, to a lesser extent, The Lord of the Rings. It's more likely to appear in television and motion pictures because of the edge it gives to contract negotiations.
I disagree with you on the point of rpg etiquette, however, as it's trumped by a fantasy convention on this point: there is another.
Even a premise involving "the Chosen One" isn't immune to this convention: see Babylon 5 or, to a lesser extent, The Lord of the Rings. It's more likely to appear in television and motion pictures because of the edge it gives to contract negotiations.
True story.
I side with the idea that unless it's specifically an established part of the game that you don't share information OOC, that you... share info OOC, and don't keep family members and stuff a secret.
I love the idea of having a secret character flaw in an envelope, especially when it's something funny.
This kind of thing comes to mind.
(Personal headcanon because of wierd mind.)
Haha, excellent story! I did that to a player of mine... except he didn't know about the BBEG being his brother. The look on his face when the "Big Reveal" came was worth all the bonus EXP I handed out. :D
Left his background open about rumors of having a sibling somewhere, so...
Left his background open about rumors of having a sibling somewhere, so...
Personally, I think that as long as the DM knows about it the players should only share background information in character to help manage out of character knowledge.
I took advantage of the long life span to give my dwarf rogue a a wife and five daughters (I think I had drawn up the sheet after watching fiddler on the roof) Regular letter writing, sending of gold (adventuring pays good) and small trinkets.
DM used it occansionally, and then abused it for a big damn heroes when we caught flung into the bad future.
Papa was so proud.
DM used it occansionally, and then abused it for a big damn heroes when we caught flung into the bad future.
Papa was so proud.
I've always wanted to play in a game where the PCs were a half-orc, human, and half elf searching for the deadbeat dad who knocked up their moms. Never could get any of my friends to go for it.
That reminds me of a series of images (NSFW) that I stumbled upon on the internet about a human bard who ended up knocking up a lot of women. Dragon, elf, minotaur, orc, centaur, and others. He was not happy when he had to take responsibility for all the kids.
Thank you for reminding me where it is.
And I agree, that sounds like a fun campaign to be a part of.
And I agree, that sounds like a fun campaign to be a part of.
If you do that online, I'm there. This sounds awesome, I'll be the half-orc.
I wouldn't mind an adventure like that either. Could be pretty freakin' hilarious RP-wise when people start asking questions.
For one campaign each player made 2 characters. I started off making a contrasting pair; a half elf rogue, and a half orc barbarian.
Then my odd sense of humor reared it's head. I decided that they were brothers. Their father was a retired adventurer (I laughingly said he had some levels in Bard)
Then my odd sense of humor reared it's head. I decided that they were brothers. Their father was a retired adventurer (I laughingly said he had some levels in Bard)
I take it she added a sister for bonuses but never thought the DM would take advantage of her.
This is going to be fun.
This is going to be fun.
Aw, darn it. I was hoping that Vox would be the next respondent, maintaining the pattern set by V and Vo.
I think she added the sister, just like everything else, because details like that made it easier to justify the main goal: reliable income. Otherwise, I agree with you that with Applebloom here, the fun has been doubled.
I think she added the sister, just like everything else, because details like that made it easier to justify the main goal: reliable income. Otherwise, I agree with you that with Applebloom here, the fun has been doubled.
Is this the same kind of !!FUN!! you get when your dwarf running the coal smelter gets in a fight with a magma crab and catches on fire right before he decides that he's thirsty and should head for the booze stockpile?
Anypony who isn't familiar with !!FUN!! is respectfully ask TO DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY and then check out this fantastic game.
Warning: Dwarf Fortress, or if you use the mods, Pony Fortress, is *HARD*.
But once you overcome the initial hurdle(the controls), it is an awesome game.
(Obligatory "Mine Little Pony" comment.)
Very pretty MC mod, but the gameplay doesn't really lend itself to "feeling" pony-ish.
Very pretty MC mod, but the gameplay doesn't really lend itself to "feeling" pony-ish.
Boatmurdered is another good story; it came from a succession game where every in-game year the player would pass the save file on to someone else, and the new person would try to run the same fortress for another year. And of course its spiritual successor, Headshoots, and sequel, Syrupleaf, the former of which has a particularly badass character whose weapon of choice is a backpack. Not kidding. Warning: lot's of cursing, but you can find links to the stories here if you want some reading material. It does help to have at least some understanding of how the game works.
And of course, on the subject of FUN, I hear one of the best sources of fun is to get cotton candy and then invite the clowns over.
I should play that game again sometime. It's just so complicated, and not very user-friendly. I seem to remember that it normally takes me about a full year just to set up food and booze production (to be fair, I generally set up a complex irrigation system), and they've probably added whole bunch of new stuff that I'd have to learn about.
My Little Fortress mod 1
My Little Fortress mod (older, alternate version)
There are also various "rainbow factory" mods, I believe. Which is exactly as terrible as it sounds.
Then again, such a mentality is common for Dwarf Fortress.
One of the things the mod did was make different kinds of ponies better at certain tasks – so earth ponies were better farmers and miners, pegasi were better fighters and dodgers, and unicorns were better mechanics and craftsmen, etc. However, that led to a lot of assigning migrants tasks based on their race, rather than what they were already good at, so if I ever get around to starting up a new game with the mod I'm going to make it more like the Pony Tales system and make it so any pony can do any task.
Also, pegasi make the best masons for building large constructions, hands down. That ability to make a beeline between any two points, regardless of obstacles in the way...
Well any pony can do any task what their racial talents do is just lower the amount of XP they need to raise skills. While this might be important for someone like your armoursmith or your first farmer, after that you can pretty much just appoint whoever has skills like normal.
The first herald of the Cute-ocalypse has revealed herself to us!
Soarin'/City Strider/ one of my friends told me that his parents were rich and adopted his PC and didn't expect anything in return.
My response? Since somepony asked me about Elemental Towns (I like classical elements. sue me), and I made 7 Towns for the Elements of harmony...
His parents were the political leaders of a town called Addo, the town of Generosity. And the ship captian guffawed at him since the PC ran away from home XD
I started one session of (my) <i>Pony Tales</i> by telling a player that her unicorn majordomo (to the local marquess), Silver Tuppence, had received a letter from his crazy uncle, complaining about a bunch of ponies trying to run him off his prospecting claim up in the hills. Said crazy uncle hadn’t existed before I thought of the story-concept, but the player and the rest of the group ran with it. One player even came up with his name: Wooden Nickel.
Oh, and it turned out that the ponies “trying to run (him) off his claim” were loggers who didn’t cotton to his habit of leaving around caches of sweating dynamite so he wouldn’t have to carry it as far.
Oh, and it turned out that the ponies “trying to run (him) off his claim” were loggers who didn’t cotton to his habit of leaving around caches of sweating dynamite so he wouldn’t have to carry it as far.
Well... There are certain charms in letting the DM have free reign about family and backstory. In the last (and our longest campaign) who kind of ended on an open note, I had the pleasure of having a quite spartan father (who turned out to be the long lost adoptive father of two ladies in our group), a quite lecherous and world renowned grandfather. An uncle who had worked his way up in the command chain of Dis, and a half-demon cousin (who was also in the party).
I tell you, good people, there's nothing more cathartic than watching the hateful glow in the eyes of the Caothic Neutral half-devil in the party when you say "Howdy, Cousin!"
I tell you, good people, there's nothing more cathartic than watching the hateful glow in the eyes of the Caothic Neutral half-devil in the party when you say "Howdy, Cousin!"
The most interesting semi-related thread I can recall was from a PC who left the campaign (same Pathfinder one). Much earlier, there were a couple of players who sat in on a few sessions to try the game out, but who didn't end up staying for the long haul. Legitimate reasons were found for both of their characters to leave (one had family obligations, one had vague unspecified obligations up north, but both had to depart to attend to them).
The one who was "put on a bus" to head up north? Came back as an NPC. He had left to be initiated into the paladin order of a neighbouring city-state, and returned in time to kick plot and take names as one of the leaders of the heavy cavalry groups that joined us when we asked for help with the war.
Fun fact: paladins do *really well* going toe to toe with demons. In Pathfinder, "Holy Smite" lets your melee attacks bypass DR. With the DR 20/good demon I was barely scratching, that would have helped.
(Our NPC cleric did pretty much the same thing, which is probably why the demon squished him first. I'm still peeved about that; my character _liked_ that cleric.)
The one who was "put on a bus" to head up north? Came back as an NPC. He had left to be initiated into the paladin order of a neighbouring city-state, and returned in time to kick plot and take names as one of the leaders of the heavy cavalry groups that joined us when we asked for help with the war.
Fun fact: paladins do *really well* going toe to toe with demons. In Pathfinder, "Holy Smite" lets your melee attacks bypass DR. With the DR 20/good demon I was barely scratching, that would have helped.
(Our NPC cleric did pretty much the same thing, which is probably why the demon squished him first. I'm still peeved about that; my character _liked_ that cleric.)
In one campaign, I had seventeen siblings. Not my idea - one of them was played by a friend, and he added the rest as NPCs. He'd written pages upon pages of names, descriptions, personality traits, the works.
Halfway through the first session, raiders level the village and kill everyone except the main party, including all those meticulously-planned siblings. The guy almost cried.
In another campaign, I actually spent some work establishing my (3.5e) tiefling character's position in the world, lots of contacts and such, mother was a retired adventurer, father was... not mentioned. I was working on the premise that he'd been some demonic creature and the whole encounter was best left unmentioned. Much later, I learned that he was her former party member, an evil half-fiend cleric who went insane after the supposed stillbirth of my younger sister... and the campaign's Big Bad. We raided his fortress later (although fortunately we didn't encounter him personally) and razed the whole place, and escaped with an adorable and very much alive little sister.
Yeah, I always claimed the best loot.
Halfway through the first session, raiders level the village and kill everyone except the main party, including all those meticulously-planned siblings. The guy almost cried.
In another campaign, I actually spent some work establishing my (3.5e) tiefling character's position in the world, lots of contacts and such, mother was a retired adventurer, father was... not mentioned. I was working on the premise that he'd been some demonic creature and the whole encounter was best left unmentioned. Much later, I learned that he was her former party member, an evil half-fiend cleric who went insane after the supposed stillbirth of my younger sister... and the campaign's Big Bad. We raided his fortress later (although fortunately we didn't encounter him personally) and razed the whole place, and escaped with an adorable and very much alive little sister.
Yeah, I always claimed the best loot.
Just came up with a cool idea for a magical trap. It'd be something really basic but undeniably deadly (think fireballs), buuuuut it's actually layered over another spell that makes those trying to examine what the first spell does come up with wildly inaccurate results. If your trap is a fireball, the secondary spell makes it seem like it'd teleport you to another dimension or something else much more complicated. That way, those walking into the trap are trying to counter a trap that actually doesn't exist while the one right in front of their faces goes off. (Basically, if you make the skill check to *detect* magic, but don't exceed it by [X] threshold, your detection turns up something totally different.) Bonus points if one of the ways to trigger the trap is by unsuccessfully attempting to disarm it.
In another campaign I was in (the Mekton one), "Don't give The World ideas!" was a common interjection. Because he'd use them.
It didn't help that I thought enough like the DM that I was accused of reading his mind on at least one occasion, and guessed about half of the secret metaplot in advance. Ideas that I came up with were alarmingly easy to turn against us.
It didn't help that I thought enough like the DM that I was accused of reading his mind on at least one occasion, and guessed about half of the secret metaplot in advance. Ideas that I came up with were alarmingly easy to turn against us.
Beguiler: <casts Nystuls magic Aura on a longsword making it seem like a +5 Holy avenger to detection magic then slips it into the loot pile while nobody's looking>
Wizard: "Alright time to Identify all the magic gear, Whoah this one's a doozie a holy avenger longsword"
Paladin:" I callest dibs upon yon sword"
Beguiler: "Well we all agreed to split up the value of the loot evenly I think we should just sell it"
Paladin: "Nonsense I shalt provide recompence from my own share to make up the lack from its sale"
Beguiler: "If you say so"
Wizard: "Alright time to Identify all the magic gear, Whoah this one's a doozie a holy avenger longsword"
Paladin:" I callest dibs upon yon sword"
Beguiler: "Well we all agreed to split up the value of the loot evenly I think we should just sell it"
Paladin: "Nonsense I shalt provide recompence from my own share to make up the lack from its sale"
Beguiler: "If you say so"
Also, it's not as annoying as the totally-non-lethal spike room trap from Unforgotten Realms. It's a room where the ceiling is COVERED in spikes. Upon walking into the room, the door behind them shuts without being able to be unlocked, and a magical equivalent of a Faraday cage prevents teleporting out as the ceiling begins to descend. In the center of the room is a single, ominous-looking red button. If the players hit the button, it resets the ceiling to exactly where it was before they walked in, then it begins its descent again. Many hours later (real time) when the PCs have totally given up on life and welcome the end the spikes provide instead of resetting it every round or two, they'll let the ceiling come completely down...
Only to find it actually only extends to a little above their heads before stopping completely and a door opens up from the wall on the other side of the room. It was that moment that renewed my at-the-time-fading love of that series.
*Forever denotes a period of no less than two years, but not to exceed however the buck long I feel like making it.
Also, I will treasure it always. And by treasure, I mean appreciate in the now and for the next several hours, but probably forget about it by the time my next gaming session is over. This effect will refresh every time I see this conversation again.
Ramsus sees much...potential in this. Particularly since my character doesn't know the specifics of any "deals" that may or may not have been made in that five year period.
Why do I get the feeling that Applejack only just found out about Apple Bloom as well?
I have to say this made me think of the Mentally Advanced version of this episode.
As for the topic, I'm DMing a play by post game and five of my seven players have backstory I plan to exploit at some point.
As for the topic, I'm DMing a play by post game and five of my seven players have backstory I plan to exploit at some point.
In my Regency-era 3.5 D&D game, one of the characters is a half-elven wizard who is the youngest daughter of a baronet. Her father is in his seventies and thus won't be around for long. Her brother is in his fifties and has two daughters, no sons. The baronet title and lands are entailed to the male line, and the only other male heir is her cousin, a priest of Hextor. There is going to be inheritance drama, because it's not Regency England without inheritance drama.
On the other hand, my last game had an elven wizard whose son was the chieftain of the nearby human tribe. He was level 11 and had adult grandchildren, while she was level 1. One of the other PCs was her grandson, and another PC was sleeping with her great granddaughter. The elven lifespan is surreal.
On the other hand, my last game had an elven wizard whose son was the chieftain of the nearby human tribe. He was level 11 and had adult grandchildren, while she was level 1. One of the other PCs was her grandson, and another PC was sleeping with her great granddaughter. The elven lifespan is surreal.
Thinking of "Player Traps", one that I absolutely loved was a large statue with a podium in front of it. The podium has two buttons, one upright (green), one depressed (red). If you press the green button, darts shoot from the ceiling in a 5ft radius around the trap, and the red button pops up while the green stays down. Pressing the red button causes darts to shoot 10 feet away from the statue, but not 5 feet away, and switch buttons again.
A fun way to annoy PCs.
As for backstories? I like going the "whim" route: Whenever a situation would come up that is unexplained in current BG, something is added, and that becomes canon. So you start with a fairly blank slate, just a loose personality and stats, then...
"why geology?" "PC was a miner".
"Frustrated by an NPC?" "I think PC has anger management issues."
"Crit knowledge: How do they know this?" "Well, let's say their mother was a teacher." And so on, so forth, until you've got a fairly unique individual, whose chaoticness by traits being decided over time I think more accurately reflects a human's growth and gained traits over their own lives.
A fun way to annoy PCs.
As for backstories? I like going the "whim" route: Whenever a situation would come up that is unexplained in current BG, something is added, and that becomes canon. So you start with a fairly blank slate, just a loose personality and stats, then...
"why geology?" "PC was a miner".
"Frustrated by an NPC?" "I think PC has anger management issues."
"Crit knowledge: How do they know this?" "Well, let's say their mother was a teacher." And so on, so forth, until you've got a fairly unique individual, whose chaoticness by traits being decided over time I think more accurately reflects a human's growth and gained traits over their own lives.
We've encountered annoying traps before, though they were more conventional and less Grimtooth-y.
Exploring a sorceress's ruined tower in the flooded remains of Roman London^W^Wthe Thyrian city of Talimar. Find a jewellery box in her bedroom. The mage opens it.
*FWOOM*. Fire trap.
He survives, though he isn't happy. Figuring he'd sprung the trap, he picks up the box again, and examines the interior.
*BOOM*. Exploding runes.
He's since started to employ the services of someone who's good at disarming such things. We had a fair number of conventional traps to deal with as well (poison needle locks and the like).
Thankfully, the plot token in the jewellery box survived (fancy library card).
(Exploding Runes has no casting cost, so it's awfully tempting to go all Varsuvius with it and put it *everywhere*, for laughs. Glyph of Warding is also handy for the cleric side of things, though that isn't free.)
Exploring a sorceress's ruined tower in the flooded remains of Roman London^W^Wthe Thyrian city of Talimar. Find a jewellery box in her bedroom. The mage opens it.
*FWOOM*. Fire trap.
He survives, though he isn't happy. Figuring he'd sprung the trap, he picks up the box again, and examines the interior.
*BOOM*. Exploding runes.
He's since started to employ the services of someone who's good at disarming such things. We had a fair number of conventional traps to deal with as well (poison needle locks and the like).
Thankfully, the plot token in the jewellery box survived (fancy library card).
(Exploding Runes has no casting cost, so it's awfully tempting to go all Varsuvius with it and put it *everywhere*, for laughs. Glyph of Warding is also handy for the cleric side of things, though that isn't free.)
We even once folded one of them in two, wrote an incomplete taunting note on it and hinting that the rest of the sentence was written inside(where there was only a rune) and left it in the empty loot vault of the local thieves' guild that we had just stealthily pillaged.
The muffled explosion we heard a few hours later was priceless.
Come to think of it, one of our characters is terrified of fire. Unfortunately I have Burning Hands and a liking for close-quarters. Let's just say that "is there anything flammable in the room" is an afterthought every single time.
Of course, she was a witch obsessed with time travel so she could back in time to prevent the bakery fire that consumed her family.
She was also chaotic evil, but all she cared about aside from the time thingie was being the best (read: only) pastry chef in the world. Mysterious deaths of chefs followed her wherever she went.
She was useless in combat, aside from her hexes. All my spells were food-related.
damn she was tons of fun.
It seems Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's players are the only ones who didn't make family for themselves. Ironically fitting given Shy is new to this whole thing and Rainbow Dash is just here for the action.
Of course, they think that Twilight's big brother is too ex machina when they first meet him.
Of course, they think that Twilight's big brother is too ex machina when they first meet him.
Backstory is important to make for your character, as I discovered in a recent Pathfinder campaign which ended prematurely when the DM moved out of the province. I was playing a young cleric of Sarenrae, but I hadn't bothered to make any backstory for him just yet, aside from "he was in a the temple training or something". The DM noticed I hadn't made any family for him, and thus decided that my character never HAD a family: he was actually just a flesh vessel to incubate the newest Avatar of the evil god Zon-Kuthon... as we discovered when the Evil began to manifest, turning a "hold person" spell into "Finger of Death". It was a neat twist to me, and it added a cool extra quest to the campaign, and I really wish we could have resolved it.
Everything you make, everything you become attached to in the world, is something that the DM can manipulate you with. Sometimes you want that to happen, because you want an interesting plot to come out of the stuff you made, and you want the stuff you're interested in to have more time in the spotlight. But other times...