The Unseen Servant forums

I wanted to offer my thoughts on transitioning into Level 1 play and beyond. One of my favorite aspects of DCC is that supernatural and magical powers come with a catch. Deities and patrons often demand things of their followers, and the relationship between the PC and their higher power can and does influence play. Similarly, thieves, warriors, dwarves, and elves often have obligations due to their race or profession. Lawful thieves often belong to a guild, for instance, and chaotic thieves can be targeted by guilds that see them encroaching on their territory. These roleplaying opportunities will present many (hopefully) interesting plot hooks.

Alignment is also an important aspect of a PC. For instance, lawful clerics will find their god unhappy if they channel their powers to heal chaotic PCs under normal circumstances. But they can also find themselves the subject of divine favors if they please their gods.

All this is to say that I envision surviving PCs forming more than one adventuring party to pursue aligned interest. It may also set up PC rivalries if they have opposed interests. I am not going to seek out opportunities for PC versus PC conflict, but it may arise from time to time through roleplaying and the course of adventures. We all need to be OK with this possibility, but it cannot spill over into player versus player conflict. One of the best ways to deal with this is for players to explain controversial actions in OOC. I've seen many games on this board deal with this well, and am hoping you all will do the same.

Thoughts and feedback are welcome, and we can get more specific as the Level 1 game comes into focus.

Edited in May 2024: Since most of you likely don't have a copy of the rules, I'll start laying out class/race attributes for Level 1 in this thread.

I am fine with that. I generally don't seek out PvP situations but am not entirely opposed to them, particularly when they come up naturally in play vs 100% out of the blue for no reason or lead in.

To be clear, I anticipate little PC conflict. More that clerics aren't healbots, wizards aren't magic machines, etc and this could cause friction if a cleric serving Ulesh can't/won't help a warrior serving a chaotic entity. To me the most successful game would be one where the PCs form good interpersonal relationships, help them achieve goals together, etc. So, it may end up working out that several different parties end up forming that tend to adventure together.

One other thing I am leaning towards is having no more than one Level 1 PC in each party to avoid a player with 2 PCs having undue influence over those with 1. To keep things balanced. Would be willing to bend on this one if the players form distinct personae with PCs, etc.

I am fine with the other stuff as well. I prefer to play based on character actions not what someones alignment is since I am of the school of thought that that is a meta game stat not something characters would know. I am 100% on board with clerics having to adhere to their faith, as it should be. One PC per player per group makes sense as well.

You could limit (via funnel fates) that no player has more than one character in any future advanced party.

Rex, I agree with alignment (by the way, no alignment languages in this game). Chaotic doesn't always mean evil, lawful not always good. But it sets the frame of mind of the character (abides by hierarchical structures, etc). I would think of it as a PCs alignment will shade the NPCs and organizations they deal with, rather than acting as a stricture on how the PC must act.

Stirling, do you mean only allow one PC to survive? I won't do that...here's why. I'm not going to deliberately put parties in impossible positions, but they will be expected to scout out potential adventures and retreat if things are too tough. So, there will be areas in the world that exist and encounters to be had. Something that could be easy for 7-8 PCs could be deadly for 3, and I don't do the later D&D thing of adjusting due to challenge levels. Players should not expect that they can fight their way thorough every encounter. I also expect they can make alliances with outside groups that will change the course of events on a larger scale. So back to the question, I think some parties may need to be large, and with 10 players we could still get 6-8 PCs across two parties if more than one PC is allowed. Does that make sense?

So... if the funnel killed all/most of your PCs, what's the process for introducing another one? Do we enter the next sequential funnel, or can we propose a 1st level PC?

I can't really say that I have any opinion on it. All of the times I have played DCC I never made it through the funnel with any character alive/intact. So ask me again if any of my characters survive.

Marullus wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 7:51 pm So... if the funnel killed all/most of your PCs, what's the process for introducing another one? Do we enter the next sequential funnel, or can we propose a 1st level PC?

There are ways to deal with running out of 0-levels in game, but I'll not say too much more about it as it will depend on circumstances. Once a player runs out of level 1 PCs or above, they will need to roll up 0-level characters and "do a funnel" again, but this could be as a cadre of adventurers traveling with higher level parties. But I wouldn't worry too much about getting all your 0-level PCs killed off during a funnel unless the actions of the 0-levels are completely reckless (which I haven't seen at all from anyone yet).

I am down to just 1 of my 4 left so I could easily be the first. LOL

AleBelly wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 6:21 am

Marullus wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 7:51 pm So... if the funnel killed all/most of your PCs, what's the process for introducing another one? Do we enter the next sequential funnel, or can we propose a 1st level PC?

There are ways to deal with running out of 0-levels in game, but I'll not say too much more about it as it will depend on circumstances. Once a player runs out of level 1 PCs or above, they will need to roll up 0-level characters and "do a funnel" again, but this could be as a cadre of adventurers traveling with higher level parties. But I wouldn't worry too much about getting all your 0-level PCs killed off during a funnel unless the actions of the 0-levels are completely reckless (which I haven't seen at all from anyone yet).

I would say everyone choosing to travel down the main road right toward the obvious location of enemies in Chapter 2 feels pretty reckless

Although in 0 level funnels there is safety in numbers too. Mobbing enemies with 0 lvl meat walls seems to be effective.

True, true.

Rex wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 3:01 pm I am down to just 1 of my 4 left so I could easily be the first. LOL

Me too, bud.

About to get interesting again I think.