Comments on: Fear and Loathing in the Forgotten Realms http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/15/fear-and-loathing-in-the-forgotten-realms/ The Journal of Gamer Culture Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:53:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: amnuxoll http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/15/fear-and-loathing-in-the-forgotten-realms/#comment-72642 amnuxoll Sat, 26 Jun 2010 17:23:55 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13834#comment-72642 I've never been a fan of having PCs being forced to run away from fear effects. An approach I'd like to try sometime that seems inline with your essay is to take away their temporary bonuses. If you're afraid, then: 4e: Your powers can no longer grant a bonus to attack rolls. You also can't use your action point. 3e: Spells that grant a temporary bonus, including spells like Bull's Strength, don't work for you. I’ve never been a fan of having PCs being forced to run away from fear effects. An approach I’d like to try sometime that seems inline with your essay is to take away their temporary bonuses. If you’re afraid, then:

4e: Your powers can no longer grant a bonus to attack rolls. You also can’t use your action point.

3e: Spells that grant a temporary bonus, including spells like Bull’s Strength, don’t work for you.

]]> By: drbargle http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/15/fear-and-loathing-in-the-forgotten-realms/#comment-72471 drbargle Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:20:01 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13834#comment-72471 "[W]e shouldn’t trivialize mental illness" I agree, but then to the degree that combat, wounds, death etc. are entertaining components a D&D game, we shouldn't allow well intended sensitivity to prevent us from using in-game psychological effects as ways to make for an entertaining and exciting experience. WFRP (at least the first edition) has characters build up insanity points as they battle ancient horrors and the like, and after a threshold is reached the characters must use a die roll to check whether they have developed some kind of psychological disorder. I currently spend a lot of my professional life among psychiatrists, and I'm not sure what they'd make of the table the characters roll on, but it does make for interesting role-play opportunities. Of course, the idea of a WFRP character who isn't afraid of anything to start with falls outside my experience, but in D&D it can be a problem. "Fear should also cause psychic damage – it absolutely drains your will to fight and since HP is will-to-fight, fear should sap away even more than physical harm." I really do like this idea - it is something I'm going to have to incorporate into my approach to HP and damage - http://drbargle.blogspot.com/2010/06/characters-saint-sebastian.html. “[W]e shouldn’t trivialize mental illness”

I agree, but then to the degree that combat, wounds, death etc. are entertaining components a D&D game, we shouldn’t allow well intended sensitivity to prevent us from using in-game psychological effects as ways to make for an entertaining and exciting experience. WFRP (at least the first edition) has characters build up insanity points as they battle ancient horrors and the like, and after a threshold is reached the characters must use a die roll to check whether they have developed some kind of psychological disorder. I currently spend a lot of my professional life among psychiatrists, and I’m not sure what they’d make of the table the characters roll on, but it does make for interesting role-play opportunities. Of course, the idea of a WFRP character who isn’t afraid of anything to start with falls outside my experience, but in D&D it can be a problem.

“Fear should also cause psychic damage – it absolutely drains your will to fight and since HP is will-to-fight, fear should sap away even more than physical harm.”

I really do like this idea – it is something I’m going to have to incorporate into my approach to HP and damage – http://drbargle.blogspot.com/2010/06/characters-saint-sebastian.html.

]]> By: Ravenous Role Playing » Blog Archive » Friday Five: 2010-06-18 http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/15/fear-and-loathing-in-the-forgotten-realms/#comment-72459 Ravenous Role Playing » Blog Archive » Friday Five: 2010-06-18 Sat, 19 Jun 2010 05:52:32 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13834#comment-72459 [...] Fear and Loathing in the Forgotten Realms Even the mightiest adventuring warrior fears something. It’s just a matter of finding the right stimuli and having the player go with it. Role playing fear is hard when the player is sitting in a comfortable chair, eating a hamburger, drinking Mt. Dew and hanging out with his best friends. Here’s some advice on how to turn up the fear in a game and have your players still enjoy it. [...] [...] Fear and Loathing in the Forgotten Realms Even the mightiest adventuring warrior fears something. It’s just a matter of finding the right stimuli and having the player go with it. Role playing fear is hard when the player is sitting in a comfortable chair, eating a hamburger, drinking Mt. Dew and hanging out with his best friends. Here’s some advice on how to turn up the fear in a game and have your players still enjoy it. [...]

]]> By: Shilling http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/15/fear-and-loathing-in-the-forgotten-realms/#comment-72379 Shilling Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:58:43 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13834#comment-72379 Good post Vanir. I also fall into both those groups, although I'm glad to say that I no longer need pharmaceutical aid. But I know how these ailments can completely warp reality for a person. The Nazgul's aura of terror is also one of my favourite things about Lord of the Rings, and something that couldn't quite be captured on film. One of my favourite little touches in WOrld of Warcraft was the effect of alchahol. if you were intoxicated, monsters would appear to be a few levels lower than they actually were - an excellent simulation of Dutch courage. Fear should have similar effects, making everything seem much more dangerous than it actually is. Someone attacking a monster that they fear should be told how their blow appears to do no harm at all (when actually it took a hefty chunk of XP). Fear should also cause psychic damage - it absolutely drains your will to fight and since HP is will-to-fight, fear should sap away even more than physical harm. Skill checks - if something is feared, tell the player that they need to roll a very hard DC and the consequences of failure are dire. If they decide to actually take the roll, then the DC and fallout is more reasonable. Phobias and fears make excellent story hooks too. How can you escort the famous mage to the college of magic if he refuses to leave his house? Emotions are at the heart of all human storytelling. Some people think it is plot, but if plot fails to cause emotional change then it is just a bunch of stuff that happens. Good post Vanir. I also fall into both those groups, although I’m glad to say that I no longer need pharmaceutical aid. But I know how these ailments can completely warp reality for a person. The Nazgul’s aura of terror is also one of my favourite things about Lord of the Rings, and something that couldn’t quite be captured on film.

One of my favourite little touches in WOrld of Warcraft was the effect of alchahol. if you were intoxicated, monsters would appear to be a few levels lower than they actually were – an excellent simulation of Dutch courage.

Fear should have similar effects, making everything seem much more dangerous than it actually is. Someone attacking a monster that they fear should be told how their blow appears to do no harm at all (when actually it took a hefty chunk of XP). Fear should also cause psychic damage – it absolutely drains your will to fight and since HP is will-to-fight, fear should sap away even more than physical harm.

Skill checks – if something is feared, tell the player that they need to roll a very hard DC and the consequences of failure are dire. If they decide to actually take the roll, then the DC and fallout is more reasonable.

Phobias and fears make excellent story hooks too. How can you escort the famous mage to the college of magic if he refuses to leave his house?

Emotions are at the heart of all human storytelling. Some people think it is plot, but if plot fails to cause emotional change then it is just a bunch of stuff that happens.

]]> By: Andy http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/15/fear-and-loathing-in-the-forgotten-realms/#comment-72366 Andy Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:33:12 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13834#comment-72366 You know, I do like this. It's an aspect what we don't think about...and it makes me wonder exactly what else there is in gaming that we overlook. You know, I do like this. It’s an aspect what we don’t think about…and it makes me wonder exactly what else there is in gaming that we overlook.

]]> By: Noumenon http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/15/fear-and-loathing-in-the-forgotten-realms/#comment-72353 Noumenon Tue, 15 Jun 2010 11:27:05 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13834#comment-72353 I just sent an e-mail to my DM telling him I'm going to make Wisdom my dump stat so he can target me with all kinds of fun fear and confusion effects. I just sent an e-mail to my DM telling him I’m going to make Wisdom my dump stat so he can target me with all kinds of fun fear and confusion effects.

]]> By: Tourq http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/15/fear-and-loathing-in-the-forgotten-realms/#comment-72350 Tourq Tue, 15 Jun 2010 11:16:31 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13834#comment-72350 Thank you. This is perfect. My group is heading into a "fear zone" in the next session, and now I have a better way of making that happen. -Tourq Thank you. This is perfect. My group is heading into a “fear zone” in the next session, and now I have a better way of making that happen.

-Tourq

]]> By: Neuroglyph http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/15/fear-and-loathing-in-the-forgotten-realms/#comment-72349 Neuroglyph Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:58:56 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13834#comment-72349 I like where you're going with this! Makes me want to pull out a DSM IV and start looking for the symptoms of stress disorders, anxiety attacks, and other disorders, and see how many powers I can make for some nightmarish critter But I do agree, we shouldn't trivialize mental illness, but there's definitely something to be said for your line of thinking, Vanir. I like where you’re going with this! Makes me want to pull out a DSM IV and start looking for the symptoms of stress disorders, anxiety attacks, and other disorders, and see how many powers I can make for some nightmarish critter

But I do agree, we shouldn’t trivialize mental illness, but there’s definitely something to be said for your line of thinking, Vanir.

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