Gaming Style

Style of Play

My style is about letting the players shape the story. I consider the larger story arcs to be chapters. Once a story arc is finished it will spawn the next chapter in the game. Adventures may include smaller story arcs that span one or two adventures. A lot of the character background stories will be small story arcs interwoven and depending on how it goes may evolve into a larger arc.

The actions taken by the players can spawn new arcs, goals, and adventures. The story will evolve and change based on what the players come up with. If the players figure out a different angle regarding the plot which works with the world it may become canon so long as it doesn’t upset the balance and is compatible with the campaign.

Plot trumps rules. If a player comes up with a clever idea or is doing something dramatic then a secret GM roll will fail vs succeed or a player’s roll meets the unknown DC for the situation because it would be better for the story. I adjust combats to make sure things are challenging and not deadly and interesting instead of too easy. This is a heroic fantasy and my goal is to help weave the story as your characters take on things no commoner ever imagined facing. I want the PCs to win yet be challenged. Tension should come from the story, conflicting goals of characters, and sometimes character conflict. As long as it is an in character thing and not something personal I am all for it. 

There is a phrase me and my friends have used in regards to roleplaying “roll role play to screw the character.” Your character will have encounters where the player will need to choose what is right for the character rather than what is a sensible choice. A player sees outside the context of the character. For example in a play the actor and audience know this is not the right thing to do, solving things and focuses on what their character would do even if it is to their detriment. This is rewarded either through inspiration or something else else at the GM’s discretion.

I have a good imagination and still I will take elements of other pieces of fiction or previous games to put into my world to give it more character. For example I have used theNac Mac Feegles from Discworld for a plot.

Inspiration and other rewards are given for good role-playing, humorous moments, and thinking outside the box to resolve something. Players are encouraged to nominate others for inspiration and even themselves if they think it is appropriate though the GM has the final say in these matters. A reward can extend beyond inspiration and may be a slight boon such as rolling advantage the next time a specific situation comes up.

Mug on the Table

Mug on the table means you don’t always have to ask the GM if something is readily available so long as it makes sense and is not unbalanced. The term comes from a typical bar fight where a player asks the GM if there is a mug on a table they can grab and hit someone with. This keeps the game flowing. If the GM feels this is uncommon or takes extra effort it is at their discretion how to resolve it. 

Examples:

• You’re in a bar so mugs, chairs, plates, etc. are readily available for you to grab and swing at someone. If you say “I grab the dagger on the table” vs. a knife or a fork that is less likely and at the GM’s discretion. 
• “I toss my hat on the head of the game mounted on the wall” which is reasonable in an establishment where hunters are around, but probably not in a smithy.
• You are in a forest where it is not unreasonable to find a branch on the ground or one where you can break off a tree to swing at someone. If you want a large or heavy branch that may require GM approval or additional time to acquire.