THRA

 
 

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THRA

 
 

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Tips for running and playing the game

Player tips

So you have a character and you’ve read the rules. Now it’s time to start playing! The GM will be running your adventures, telling you what you see and the outcomes of your actions. When on your adventure it helps to remember these tips and you’ll be fine!  

Be Creative

Often the answer to a problem will not be obvious and sometimes may seem impossible. In Thra, as in real life, there is very little that you cannot work through by using your wits and skills. This game does not have a set number of actions you can take, but instead lets you come up with many solutions to your problems. So get creative and try think outside the box.

Wait your turn

Each player says what they want to do when they want to do it, and most of the time this works. Sometimes shyer members of the group may have trouble getting a word in. After saying what you want to do, it might be nice to ask your friends’ opinion and give everyone else a chance to respond and help out. Oh, and try not to interrupt another player’s actions.

Failing is Fun!

Sometimes you will roll a one at the most important time. Don’t feel down, because every story needs a darkest hour. Sometimes you’ll be unlucky, and if you keep failing, it may be time to solve problems in a different way.

Death

It is possible that your soul will be returned to Thra, but it does not mean the end of your story… To fear death is to become like a Skeksis.

Work Together

There are many difficulties that you will face in Thra, and you can’t face them alone, but together you can achieve anything. When trying to solve problems, always think of your friends and their abilities as much as your own.

It's not a Competition

Don’t worry about who is doing the best or who is in charge, because if anyone is doing well, you’re all doing well. The only winners of this game are those who are having fun!  

GM tips

The rules in the book show general case ways of dealing with most situations, but in the adventure there will be a lot of situations that break these rules. Whenever there is a rules conflict between the general rules and an adventure scene or a character trait, go by the rules of the adventure scene or character trait.

Discretion

Many of the traits, gear, and scenes in this game rely on the GM and players working together to interpret an effect, for example the Alchemy trait which allows players to “double” the effect of a herb. Doubling the effect of a herb is something that is up to you
  • it could mean simply doubling the uses of the
  • herb, or it could mean coming up with a new more powerful version of the effect, don’t ever be afraid to come up with a ruling.

    Is there a Manual?

    When Gelfling find gear, it is assumed that they know what it does, and their player writes it down onto their character sheet. Sometimes it can be fun to withhold this information, forcing a Gelfling to experiment, find someone knowledgeable, or study the item before working out what it does. How much you want to do this is completely up to you as a GM - try it out and see if you and your players like the mystery.

    You are their eyes

    This one seems obvious at first but it can be difficult to see exactly why it is important. You will tell the players what their characters see, smell, hear, where things are, and how NPCs react. You are the only way that they will know these things and it is imperative that you tell them enough about the situation to answer their questions. It may seem at times like the players act irrationally or even a little foolishly. These are your opportunities to ask them why they are acting like that and either give them information they were misunderstanding or perhaps even find out that they are doing something you hadn’t even thought of.

    Games are Fun

    Your goal as a group is to make your games as entertaining as possible. This applies to all of the players and you. If anybody isn’t having fun, work out why that is and change it. Sometimes that will mean changing or ignoring rules in this book, and to that we say: GO FOR IT! It may sound strange but we mean it: if a rule isn’t helping you have fun then you should do away with it, change it, or make up a new rule.

    Combat is Dangerous

    Thra is a dangerous place. Part of your job is to get across the dangers of the world and to reward out-of-the-box solutions. The party will learn quickly that fighting is a risky endeavour (a few rolls on those injury tables can sober up even the most punch-drunk Stonewood warrior). Violence is something to be planned for and around, not as a catch-all solution to problems. When fighting with sentient creatures, surrender (of either side) is always an option. When fighting non-darkened wildlife, they will rarely chase a retreating party, especially if they’re more dangerous than yummy.

    Run with Mistakes

    Mistakes happen. Try to roll with the mistakes and make sure that they don’t interfere with the game too much. Only in the most gamebreaking scenarios should you ‘roll back’ what happened.

    Don't "Read Aloud"

    Try not to read directly from the book. Instead use it to inform you of what is going on and then describe it to the players in your own words, modifying the content as you please. This allows you to get the information across more easily and reinforces the fact that this is your version of the Thra, not ours.

    A Fan of the Players

    It can be easy to think that this game has two teams, the players and the GM. When you are the GM you must not think of the players as the enemy. Roleplaying is not a competition, and the only winners are those having fun. Put the players in situations where they will shine, try not to shut them down. At the end of the day, the best stories are those in which the villain is thwarted and the heroes get to cheer their victory at the end.

    Make it up

    There will be a point where you will be asked a question that is not covered in this book. What do you do? Make it up! It is always better to keep the pace going than to make everyone wait while you look up a small detail. This book is filled with fantastic ideas, but we are sure you have some fantastic ideas of your own. When reading a scene feel free to use some of it for inspiration or use it all as is.

    Have Fun

    Some groups get invested the story, others get lost playing their characters, some enjoy the problem solving and most groups are a mix of these elements and more. Every group is different and you are in a unique position to tailor the game however your group likes.
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