What's Next?

[dmw71]

First, congratulations! That was quite possibly the most prolonged and interesting battle I've been a part of on these boards, if not anywhere. At least that I can remember.


Now for the news:

My plan is to end this game. At least in its current form. My plans for this were massive, and it is extremely unlikely we would have "finished" it. Potentially ever. I have been excited to run it, and this battle was exciting, but it has been a rough home stretch. At least for me.

I am definitely willing unlock the last action thread to allow Zhym and/or Storm11 have Roderick and/or Nexus play out the conclusion. Whatever they want to do. Maybe they seek out the sounds from the horses (the noises that initially led to the failed trap, and ultimately led to this battle).

Maybe they just return to town?

Or, we can simply hand-wave the conclusion and just call it.


That said --

Depending on interest, I might be willing to restart the game. But it would need to be a full restart. I am definitely going to want to reflect on the part of this game that ran well (and leave those parts alone), but also try to identify the parts that were challenging, or confusing, and figure out ways to make those parts less problematic.

I'm open to feedback as far as that is concerned.


It would also not be a continuation of the plans I originally had for this one.

For the record, I was running a slightly modified version of a fairly popular published adventure for this one. Anyone have any ideas?

I'm thinking, if the game continues, the plans will consist of a shorter one-off; which could then lead to another one-off; etc... Smaller chunks that will be much easier to manage. And logical breaking points if the game ever bogs down.

Finally, at least for now (it's late!), I do not think I can manage another party of eight PCs again. I mean, I could, I just don't want to. It's just too much work. It became abundantly clear, as the battle wore on and the number of characters remaining progressively shrank, the game became a lot easier to run. When it was down to just Roderick and Nexus, it was simple enough where it was almost relaxing. And fun. No, I'm not going to enforce a party of two, but I'm thinking four or five, max.


So, I leave it up to you guys.


Discuss.

[Storm11]

I would definitely be interested in continuing. But only if you are also wanting to as DM.

[GreyWolfVT]

I would be interested in continuing granted I'm knocked out but not dead, however currently unable to help or act.

[onlyme]

I concur. Ardium would certainly like to be sent to town to recover a few days and then continue.

I will attempt to read through and see what the challenges were focused around. I agree that too many pcs are hard to corral in a pbp game, unless all but one or two become silent followers.

Thanks again, Dave, for DM'ing.

[ravenn4544]

I'd be interested in continuing as well.

[Zhym]

I'm definitely up for continuing, too.

I have no idea what published module this is. Either I haven't seen it or we didn't get far enough into it to recognize it.

Oh, and I'd appreciate at least a temporary thread unlock for a denouement.

[Darklin2]

Alexa

I would be willing to leave. I am starting back to work full time next week so will be limited on time. It was a good game, but I should have let them leave and everyone may still be alive to carry on. I enjoyed playing 2nd edition again after several years of 1st. Maybe if you have room again later on I will join back up but for now it is best if I bow out.

[Rex]

I would like to continue on but with a max of 4 or 5 someone needs to step out so I will Join Darklin2 and not continue. I am already in a lot of games so I have plenty to keep me busy. Thanks for a really cool battle.

[Zhym]

Thanks for reopening the thread, Dave. I have some questions about resolving the current situation.

First, 50 feet seems like an awfully short distance—close enough that fleeing orcs could have run much farther than that in the several minutes they've had, assuming they were really fleeing and not just going back to the horse. Plus, if they did go back to the horse, they'd have had time to ride off by now, right? But that's my logic and not necessarily yours. How far would Roderick have to move to see what's still there 50 feet away?

Second, do we have options for bringing the injured back to town without a cart or horse? Could Roderick carry someone for half an hour? Or are we in a situation where we're basically stuck here unless we abandon the injured or find some way to transport them? If we can't move the injured without at least a horse, that kind of forces our hand as to the horse we hear nearby and the possibility that there are still orcs to fight.

[dmw71]

It seems there's more than enough interest in continuing with a 2e game. I was kind of thinking it would be a brand new game (with reworked rules and new characters), but let me think on this.

I also notice that Roderick and Nexus are looking to continue. The outcome of their efforts may change things as well.



I'll have more later.

[GreyWolfVT]

Alright personally I am fine just going back to a regular dwarven cleric from the PHB rather than the specialized version if that would help.

[Zhym]

BTW, I don't know that I'm necessarily looking to "continue" so much as at least wanting to tie up some ends that are still loose after the combat. If you'd rather do that by wandwaving some things we'd otherwise have to play out, like how we get people back to town, I'm fine with that. But I'm also happy to keep playing, too.

And if possible, I'd like to use Roderick in whatever the next phase of this game is. I'm really fond of this character concept.

[dmw71]

Alright personally I am fine just going back to a regular dwarven cleric from the PHB rather than the specialized version if that would help.

All the previously allowed customizations are one driving force behind my wanting a restart.

That, plus a few players had their characters killed and will need new ones anyway.

And if possible, I'd like to use Roderick in whatever the next phase of this game is. I'm really fond of this character concept.

I'm more inclined to allow standard characters to continue as-is.


Either way, I'm going to need some time to take an inventory of things.

[GreyWolfVT]

Personally I can understand how it can get with all the added splat books sure it opens PC's up to all new levels of character capabilities but I am fine going back to the basics of just the PHB style character. Honestly my PC hasn't been able to do much in the way of the specialty priest anyway.

[Darklin2]

If you are OK with it Dave I would like to be in the mix if you need more characters. I just noticed you stated you wanted to have only 4 or 5 players. I enjoyed the game but since you wanted to cut down it would be easier if I bowed out. 2E is probably my favorite but so few running it with 5E out there and I haven't quite picked up on 5E yet. Trying in your other game but the Mechanics are so different.

[dmw71]

2E is probably my favorite but so few running it with 5E out there and I haven't quite picked up on 5E yet. Trying in your other game but the Mechanics are so different.

If this game does resume (I'm still wavering on this), I don't see a way where I can kick a current player out. If you want in, you're in.

If there's a game.


You mention 5e, which is the only reason I'm bringing it up, but most of my frustrations with this game stem from the 2e rules. Which are far more clunky (and complicated) than the 5e rules are. Much like 2e and all its splatbooks, 5e is starting to expand far beyond what I'm comfortable with --

This Tweet sums up my feelings exactly:

• 

  I can't D&D.jpg (77.62 KiB) Viewed 1530 times

  [/url]

-- but at it's core, 5e is actually far more simplified (in my opinion) than AD&D.

• The rules, I feel, are much better organized.
  The advantage/disadvantage mechanics in 5e are so much easier than consulting multiple tables to compile a list of both positive and negative modifiers to adjust different rolls.

It's just simple.

And kind of great, for that reason.

In fact, any house rule modifications I previously mentioned wanting to incorporate would be aspects of 5e that I'd want to bring into this 2e game. Nothing game-breaking; more game-simplifying.

I'm already running two 5e games, so if I'm going to also run a third, there's a decent chance it will be something else (2e, or maybe BX which I was re-reading last night), but we'll see.

[Darklin2]

I am more familiar with 2E so it is easier for me. I started in 1978 with the AD&D books when they came out and have purchased and played 1st and 2nd since then but just recently got a 5e handbook and started. The Aberdeen Game is only my second 5E game counting the Solo I did when I first started here.

Well if you go 2E then I'm in Cleric/Ranger Half Elf straight from the book is good for me.

[GreyWolfVT]

My lack of still engaging in 5e is that it feels far too much like a video game. I feel more like a superpower than a D&D adventurer. Though I do admit I like 5e I still have far better an understanding and familiarity with 2e. Probably due to my own fault.

[Darklin2]

I just haven't really gotten to play and understand it. I have played hundreds of face to face games at a table with 2E but I live in the Mountains of North Carolina now so no one around to play 5E. Tried to join a
game on Roll20 but it never really got going. DM disappeared account and all Poof.

[dmw71]

My lack of still engaging in 5e is that it feels far too much like a video game. I feel more like a superpower than a D&D adventurer.

There is something to that. Characters have class features that give them more powers. With short and long rests it's a lot easier to heal in 5e, which keeps characters alive longer.

That said...

I guarantee you, despite all the extra features characters can get, 5e can be plenty deadly (and a DM doesn't even need Hardcore mode to do it). If monsters were played to their maximum capability, and monsters were controlled as strategically as players do their characters, I can guarantee you your opinion might change.