Gauging interest in a play-by-post Swords & Wizardry game ...

[nikolokolus]

Just a bit of housekeeping: When I was copying and compiling the religion section in the gazetteer, I somehow neglected to include the section on Illryia. Not a real big deal since nobody picked that race/culture, but it adds a little bit of background to the campaign world for those that might be interested.

In a nutshell: Illyrians as proto-Hellenes worshipped the Greek pantheon before they were conquered by the Hyperboreans several thousand years ago. Under the iron fist of their new masters, their temples were cast down, their gods were outlawed and the Imperial Cult's "Seekers of Truth and Penitence" ruthlessly hunted down heretics in the Imperial City or wherever their reach allowed. Based on the fact that small shrines to the Illyrian gods still pop up from time to time at the fringes of the Imperium and the Seekers still hunt and find heretics, it's safe to say the religion is not completely dead.

 

[nikolokolus]

bert ERYFKRAD Siveon Smashing Axe Helly Grimgravy

I'm tossing around the idea of a rules change after the current combat is over, but I'd like to get your thoughts on it.

The normal combat sequence in PnP usually goes a helluva lot faster, but I'm noticing that it's sort of cumbersome for play-by-post play. So here is my proposal: We condense the missiles, movement, melee and spells phase into one. Highest initiative still goes first, spells still get declared before initiative (which gives spells casters an opportunity to think about counterspelling, or whom folks want to target during combat) but I think it will speed things up and make it less of a hassle for people because of the asynchronous nature of play.

My hope is, this way you all can roll your initiative, move, make attacks and cast spells all in a single post instead of having to wait for others quite as much. You can let me know what you think below.

(Here's an updated Cheat Sheet with the proposed changes to the combat sequence section)

 

[Grimgravy]

My concern is not being able to disrupt casters with missile fire. In general, I'm ok with the changes if it speeds things up. Although casting and missile attacks are already generally mutually exclusive with moving. Plus, it looked like our melee specialists were already putting their intentions in one post for the most part.

 

[nikolokolus]

Not being able to affect spells with missile fire is my biggest concern too; the changes I'm thinking about could have a pretty noticeable effect exactly the way you describe it.

Like I said, I definitely want feedback. My goal is to make things easier and flow a little bit better, but not to remove the tactical elements. Maybe one solution is to say spells conclude at the end of the round? (though I'm not too sure about that approach either ...)

 

[Grimgravy]

Would it be too easy to disrupt casters if spell resolution was a step after movement/combat?

 

[nikolokolus]

It would make casters statistically a little more vulnerable (currently if a spell caster wins initiative they can get their spell off before a melee attack). The other alternative is that I ditch individual initiative (which is a house rule) and each side gets one roll and people would have to elect who rolls for the group. This would speed things up, but it does have a very different "feel."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Roughly what I'm doing anyway, I think?

 

[nikolokolus]

Roughly what I'm doing anyway, I think?

Maybe? I guess it depends on what bit you are referring to.

Honestly, maybe I'm thinking there's a problem where none exists. Is everybody OK with the pace of the game so far? Is there anything I'm not doing you wished I was? My own feeling is that things are a little sluggish and disjointed, but maybe that's just the nature of the beast with this format?

 

[Grimgravy]

7 people likely in 7 timezones is bound be be disjointed at time. I'd be cool with outlining what we want to do and adjusting from there. Case in point, are we just waiting for attacks of opportunity to proceed?

 

[nikolokolus]

Yeah, more or less.

 

[nikolokolus]

Just figured I'd put it out there for any who might be interested. There's a spot or two open if anybody doesn't mind joining a game in progress. No PnP experience required, just a willingness to try. Party is still 1st level and unfortunately nobody has died yet, so bad job by me

PM me.

Game thread starts here, if you want to know what you'd be getting yourself into before making a commitment.

 

[Grimgravy]

Paging Nevill. I seem to recall seeing that you were interested somewhere.

 

[Grimgravy]

Have you had any hits on the open spot?

 

[nikolokolus]

Yeah. somebody who had expressed interest is going to hopefully roll up a character this weekend. It shouldn't be too hard to integrate them in the city . . . that is, if you manage to escape the guards and don't bring a whole company down on top of your heads

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Yeah. somebody who had expressed interest is going to hopefully roll up a character this weekend. It shouldn't be too hard to integrate them in the city . . . that is, if you manage to escape the guards and don't bring a whole company down on top of your heads

Looks like we should have kidnapped that dude after all.

 

[Helly]

Yeah. somebody who had expressed interest is going to hopefully roll up a character this weekend. It shouldn't be too hard to integrate them in the city . . . that is, if you manage to escape the guards and don't bring a whole company down on top of your heads

Looks like we should have kidnapped that dude after all.

We should have thrown the girl at the guards and run. I still can't believe we're working with that too kawaii for you tsundere little sister thief.

 

[nikolokolus]

 

[Grimgravy]

We should have just paid them off. Ferryman's stepson gave us money for that EXACT purpose!

 

[ERYFKRAD]

We should have just paid them off. Ferryman's stepson gave us money for that EXACT purpose!

Bah, barbarians do not bribe guards.
They can't count the money.

 

[Grimgravy]

Bah, barbarians do not bribe guards.
They can't count the money.

Perhaps that's why the bard was given the money?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Ah, yes, what self-respecting bard would bribe a guard if there was an option to sing his way in?

Oh wait, I started the singing.

 

[nikolokolus]

You guys are killing me (In a good way)

 

[ERYFKRAD]

No, srsly. My post got eaten by a grue. I wanted to be a halfling theif with the chosen one stats (looking at you, half the players here..), I even rolled dem stats, all 13 and 19 dex. Or does teh party need a mage/cleric? What is the target level, around 5? Do thieves have pickpocket? Will their skills ever be useful at an acceptable rate? I mean, lvl1 halfling thief has 20 in hide in the shadows...

We do have a druid, so I suppose a thief would be handy.
Then we can leave the teenage thief girl alone, who's totally not a trap planted on us by a machiavellian DM Hyperborean.

 

[nikolokolus]

No, srsly. My post got eaten by a grue. I wanted to be a halfling theif with the chosen one stats (looking at you, half the players here..), I even rolled dem stats, all 13 and 19 dex. Or does teh party need a mage/cleric? What is the target level, around 5? Do thieves have pickpocket? Will their skills ever be useful at an acceptable rate? I mean, lvl1 halfling thief has 20 in hide in the shadows...

Oh? Wait, you want to join the game? OK. PM me and I'll get you set up.

Right now everybody is still first level, so whatever mook you make will be the same. Read over the House Rules document in the game thread; you might have second thoughts about halflings. But in general there are some changes between the S&W Complete rules that make thiefly types a bit more competent at low level. As for how useful picking pockets is is mostly on you and the kind of people you target

And pick whatever class you like. I don't run games with party balance in mind.

 

[nikolokolus]

The ebb and flow of Play-by-Post being what it is, there's a couple of openings in the game if anybody wants to play in an OD&D style game - using Swords & Wizardry Complete rules. It's a sandbox game set in an alternate antediluvian Earth. Hit me up with a PM if interested.

You don't need any experience, just a willingness to role-play and post semi-regularly.

Cheers