=== ANCHOR POEM === ══════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────── @user-1292 You don't have to come up with the WHY for why a character does something - only that it happened. if the "WHY" leaps out at you, sure, yeah, go for it, until of course your players sitting around the table say something like "I bet they did this thing because of this reason" and you're like "shit that's better than what I got, okay that's how it's gonna be" ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════────────────────────┴───────────┘ === SIMILARITY RANKED === --- #1 messages/1540 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──── Cheating at a game is cruelty. The DM fudging the dice is social lubricant. Dishonorable still. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╧════════───┘ --- #2 fediverse/126 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────────────────────── @user-126 think about other things in your life that you like and are good at. If you enjoy telling stories, and are comfortable being the center of attention among groups of 4+ people you know and trust, then you'll do fine with the in-session part. And if you like worldbuilding or character creating or spreadsheets or even map making, then those are useful skills. But really the only thing that's important is imagination, because you can apply it wherever and however you'd like. Most of my sessions are almost entirely improv, when I've tried writing down my ideas I just throw them out the window, and if I use someone else's I get distracted by trying to page through it during combat. So I mostly just try and explain what happens and let the players guide the story. Everyone has a different style and each style requires different skills, but after you try it you'll better understand how you perform best for a group. I say try it, if you don't like it then ask someone in the group to take over. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #3 fediverse/3703 --- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────┐ │ CW: D&D-mentioned │ └──────────────────────┘ if the map you present to the players in session 0 had a mountain range on the OTHER SIDE of another mountain range, you need to zoooooom in. Unless your characters are all dwarves, a game should start in a valley or on an island. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #4 fediverse/5553 --- ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────┐ ║ consensus rule is when everyone believes what they're told. │ ║ │ ║ decisionmaking via working through the problem for permanent solutions. But, │ ║ just like the DM saying "I'll rule it this way, but let's write that down and │ ║ check the rules for it later." │ ║ │ ║ because consensus takes a while. Most people don't have any time. But some, │ ║ those who dedicate themselves to it, are philosophers who spend all their time │ ║ developing valid truths. │ ║ │ ║ act first, ask questions later. Show who you are, and you will be judged by │ ║ your superiors. "is this something we need? something we want? how do we │ ║ better enable their performance? is something holding them back? how are they │ ║ feeling about their progress? are they working hard or cutting back?" etc. │ ║ │ ║ I'd rather have 5 captains and 10 workers than 50 workers and no captains. │ ║ │ ║ if there's no captains, then they'll self-organize right? and develop better │ ║ ways to be? │ ║ │ ║ no, they'll just separate the leadership-oriented and focus their efforts on │ ║ domineering. │ ║ │ ║ ... great... dictatorship of the pr │ ╠═════════╗ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar ║ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╩═════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────┴───────────┘ --- #5 messages/1066 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────── "alright everyone, you're now an adventuring party and your DM is the DJ. Your stat blocks are whatever you feel internally. Your skills are written on your character sheet, which is stored in your memories. Your bank will store gold notes for you, and you can find most things at the store or barge." ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╧───────────┘ --- #6 fediverse/4676 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────── ... but I needed to choose lawful-good at character creation in order to play a paladin. *the guard looks at you with confusion, decides you're hallucinating and dangerous (because of the sword) and forcibly detains you* wait, what did you think I was going to say? Did you think I was going to *advocate* for *crimes* on a *public forum*?? what am I a gopher? do you take me for a lemur in jamaica? am I truly so triceratops to you that you'd think I'd do something so washing machine? Get real, I'd never byzantium my way into such a utterly coherent and clearly intentional and not at all arcane situation. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════────────────┴───────────┘ --- #7 fediverse_boost/104 --- ◀═╦═══════════════════[BOOST]═════════════════════───────────────────────────────┐ ║ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ ║ │ Your characters realise they have been working for the bad guy all │ │ ║ │ along. │ │ ║ │ │ │ ║ │ #WritingPrompt #AmWriting #writing #ttrpg #dnd #authodons │ │ ║ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ ╠─────────┐ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╧═════════════════════════════════════───────────────────┴───────────┴─▶ --- #8 fediverse/2180 --- ═════════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────── @user-1056 heh true - my roots in role-playing games are directly from the playground, so it makes sense that I'd gravitate away from dice that are hard to roll when you're on a hike or bike ride. Can only really play D&D on a bike when you're in the country though, otherwise the sounds of a city are too noisy. Also, systems that are so simple you can keep a character sheet in your mind. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧══════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #9 fediverse/2999 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────────── I'm so accustomed to my narrative primarily consisting of "staring at the walls" that I'm not even concerned that my narrative primarily consists of "staring at the walls" because like, what else is important? it's all a bunch of solvable problems. I want to apply myself to something *unsolvable* - it's the only true way to measure your resolve. like... if you're gonna be the most dedicated you can be, why not try don quixote? ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #10 fediverse/4843 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────── just because someone did something one way and it worked, doesn't mean you have to do it that way again. but you should have a reason why you aren't doing it that way. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────┴───────────┘ --- #11 fediverse/5227 --- ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────┐ ║ why the heck would partners need each other for anything │ ║ │ ║ if you a ren't instable on your own, then it'll cause harm if your partner │ ║ leaves you. which technically qualifies as abuse, so you should assert efforts │ ║ to disengage that hold you have on them by workong on your long struggles and │ ║ love struggles and longing struggles so that they can make moves of their own │ ║ and you can orbit each other in life. │ ║ │ ║ IT SHOULD BE NORMAL TO LIVE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. The more space the │ ║ better, but still with nothing inbetween. │ ║ │ ║ yeah, sure, let's build more houses. │ ║ │ ║ why don't we build habitat around them? it'd cut down on the necessary space │ ║ required if places which were natural but not really all that sacred were │ ║ converted into mixed-species homing grounds │ ║ │ ║ ... don't humans leave like, trash on the street once a week? sounds like a │ ║ bad idea if you got pandas and raccoons rifling through each other's baggage. │ ║ │ ║ there are people who have been fighting bosses their whole lives. I personally │ ║ play a Paladin, though also a wit │ ╠═════════╗ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar ║ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╩═══════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────┴───────────┘ --- #12 fediverse/2816 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────── one difference between fantasy and reality is that in fantasy, when you fail, you try again. in reality, when you fail, you are promoted so your boss doesn't have to deal with your shit. in fantasy, when you succeed, you are tasked with greater trials in reality, when you do well, you are given more of the same. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #13 fediverse/418 --- ═════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────────────── sometimes the best way to understand why things are the way they are is to ask why they aren't the way that seems logical to you. usually someone will correct you and say "oh it's because X Y and Z" and you say "cool" and change your direction but sometimes their answers "unlock" part of your past understandings, thus creating new questions. Sorta like in a video game when you level up a certain building/research path/ milestone / whatever and it finishes a "tier", thus giving you a larger bonus. ??? yeah so anyway more questions are good because they give you more perspectives on what's going on around you. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧══════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #14 fediverse/1485 --- ═════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────────── ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CW: re: more D&D/Pathfinder venting │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ @user-1005 If you'd like, I can try and explain "killer instict". Though I get the impression you would prefer to play games that don't emphasize combat, which is 100% okay and valid and should be encouraged. My understanding of the rules of D&D is that combat is a contest between two or more entities. Contests need rules, and combat being based on physical prowess (or magical, or spiritual, or w/e) can be defined. Other kinds of contests, like "how well did the ranger do at the archery competition" or "did the rogue manage to convince the diplomat to share the plans" are impossible to genericize because they are based on situational factors, rather than physical (or magical, or spiritual, or w/e) ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧══════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #15 fediverse/1829 --- ═════════════════════════════════════════════════────────────────────────────────── why would you NOT admit weakness? It's a tactical error! You have less accurate information! It literally makes your team worse off! ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧══════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #16 messages/1474 --- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────── "hey, will you promise never to tell this to anyone?" If I say yes... I won't remember what you're about to say. It'll get excused from my memory because it resets to what they want it to be every night. Something something retro causality - to ensure that I never lie, the future corrects for me. Fake it until you make it. I'm trying to use fewer value judgements but perfect is hard. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╧═════──────┘ --- #17 fediverse/1349 --- ════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────────────── @user-950 ah yes but how could anyone hurt me if I don't make myself vulnerable. It'd simply be unfair to play a game without any stakes. But if you insist... ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #18 fediverse/4850 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────── people: "you need to be more direct!" me: "I'm hiding from our enemies" people: "who are they?" me: "y'know, the bad guys." ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────┴───────────┘ --- #19 messages/1226 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────── an excuse is just a reason viewed from another angle. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╧════───────┘ --- #20 fediverse/3357 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────────── bad people are *cursed* with evil. a person cannot be evil. they can deal with such evil in their lives that twists them, and causes them to spike out and harm others, but they are not evil themselves. some twists are too hard to mend. some healings leave people a shadow of what they once were, or might have been. but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. deprive power, supply kindness, in that order. if you cannot deprive power, then reduce harm. if you cannot reduce harm, then contest, defeat, or overcome. A twisted person may be slain if death is on the line. You get what you wish for, but you don't always get to choose who. Don't let them choose. They will choose poorly. ... I find that death is very rarely on the table, though. Generally they'll make their intentions apparent. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #21 fediverse/905 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────────────────── having trouble naming things? just name it after it's inevitable logical conclusion! AKA the message you're trying to get across. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #22 fediverse/3540 --- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────────── High Fantasy is absurd ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═════════════════════════════════════════──────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #23 fediverse/6129 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────── I believe in character rights ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════┴───────────┘ --- #24 fediverse/2687 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────── *never trust your heroes* they are not meant to be trusted. but they are still valuable and important. learn from them, apply what you can, and cherish the best parts of them when they inevitably fall and let you down. if they betray you, fucking burn them. if they let you down, accept their apology but don't give them responsibility until you can trust them again. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #25 fediverse/4026 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────── why is everyone so confused about how I turned out? I literally spent my whole childhood telling stories to myself (inspired by the world, and stories I had read, with mechanics like games I had played) ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #26 fediverse/5169 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────── if you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to describe everything that you do, leave that situation ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════────────┴───────────┘ --- #27 fediverse/4656 --- ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────────────────────────┐ ║ ┌──────────────────────┐ │ ║ │ CW: psycherwaul │ │ ║ └──────────────────────┘ │ ║ │ ║ │ ║ everyone's all like "what is all this" and gestures at the everything like │ ║ "what are we even doing here" as if the benefits of civilization are not self │ ║ evident and they ask "what even is the point" as if the struggle for warmth in │ ║ a cold world or cold in a warm world is not enough │ ║ │ ║ I guess we're all a little ennuid. │ ║ │ ║ if your goal is to liberate all those enslaved, and part of that is to free │ ║ those who are locked in prisons of metal and stone, then surely you'd wish to │ ║ free the djinni, correct? but, like, if you schrodingers cat a nuclear │ ║ armageddon (except, magic themed because you're a witch I guess) then you │ ║ absolutely should bear the guilt and shame of flipping a coin on the life of │ ║ your world. │ ║ │ ║ who the fuck falls for psyops in this day and age, surely not I, surely I can │ ║ resist hypnosis, surely I who trust freely and absolutely would be the perfect │ ║ one to manipulate. │ ║ │ ║ which is, like, how 90% of magic works I've heard. Finding someone to usher │ ║ around who believes in butterfly souls or whatever. │ ╠═════════╗ ┌───────────┤ ║ similar ║ chronological │ different │ ╚═════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════════──────────────┴───────────┘ --- #28 fediverse/6262 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════──────────── don't ever sacrifice a creature to a fate that is unknown. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╧───────────┘ --- #29 fediverse/97 --- ═══════════════════════════════════════──────────────────────────────────────────── @user-110 Exactly! I play games to practice strategy and empathy, not to stand triumphant over a virtual foe. Why should I care for the lessons of others when mine so often go unlearnt? ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #30 fediverse/4719 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────── "oh, you want some power in order to save your people? You seem to keep asking for it again and again. Well, here's some power! Go do it!" oh, um... I meant like, magic or something. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════────────────┴───────────┘ --- #31 fediverse/2957 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────┐ │ CW: re: capitalism │ └──────────────────────┘ @user-883 right, like the games the rest of us play aren't good enough for you? need to toy with our lives a bit to really get into the flow? yikes ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════────────────────────┴───────────┘ --- #32 messages/1377 --- ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════─────── I'm fine, actually. I'm just a mage class, so I act a little odd sometimes. Comes with the territory. ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╧═════──────┘ --- #33 fediverse/5031 --- ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════───────────────────── it blows my mind when I say things like "I can teach you magic" and people are like "meh, I'm not interested in learning" ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │ similar │ chronological │ different │ ╘═════════╧═══════════════════════════════════════════════════────────┴───────────┘ |