Comments on: Alignment and Experience for D&D http://robertsongames.com/role-playing-games/dungeons-dragons/alignment-and-experience-for-dd Board Games, Role-playing Games, Miniature War Games Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:14:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Oddysey http://robertsongames.com/role-playing-games/dungeons-dragons/alignment-and-experience-for-dd/comment-page-1/#comment-1007 Oddysey Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:55:25 +0000 http://robertsongames.com/?p=524#comment-1007 Oh, yeah -- in a really strongly drawn, Chaos = the forces of evil kind of game, that wouldn't work at all. But that's what I like about the idea, you can extend it in different ways by changing how you handle alignment. Right tools, right job, and all that. And I've been backing off of the "pure" sandbox model myself, after experimenting with it some in play and finding that players really do need some direction, but I don't think you need to go all the way over to adventure path to get that direction. Though I'll certainly credit that there are some players who'd be happier with an adventure path than with something more sandbox-y. Oh, yeah — in a really strongly drawn, Chaos = the forces of evil kind of game, that wouldn’t work at all. But that’s what I like about the idea, you can extend it in different ways by changing how you handle alignment. Right tools, right job, and all that.

And I’ve been backing off of the “pure” sandbox model myself, after experimenting with it some in play and finding that players really do need some direction, but I don’t think you need to go all the way over to adventure path to get that direction. Though I’ll certainly credit that there are some players who’d be happier with an adventure path than with something more sandbox-y.

]]> By: Stuart http://robertsongames.com/role-playing-games/dungeons-dragons/alignment-and-experience-for-dd/comment-page-1/#comment-1005 Stuart Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:20:29 +0000 http://robertsongames.com/?p=524#comment-1005 It really depends on the style of game and how you view alignments whether you let players have Chaotic PCs. From the previous article I defined Chaotics as "black hats" and "kill someone who’s lawful but an enemy in a least-worst-alternative kind of deal" would still be Neutral (or maybe even Lawful depending on the specifics). I agree with you about not wanting it to get too complex... but I've recently started warming up to the idea of adventure path / 80s style modules over the 70s style sand-box. It depends on the players you have in your group, and I think some of the guys from past games and the ones I'm likely to get at my next game night will respond a lot better to solid plot hooks than just a well stocked sandbox. :) It really depends on the style of game and how you view alignments whether you let players have Chaotic PCs. From the previous article I defined Chaotics as “black hats” and “kill someone who’s lawful but an enemy in a least-worst-alternative kind of deal” would still be Neutral (or maybe even Lawful depending on the specifics).

I agree with you about not wanting it to get too complex… but I’ve recently started warming up to the idea of adventure path / 80s style modules over the 70s style sand-box. It depends on the players you have in your group, and I think some of the guys from past games and the ones I’m likely to get at my next game night will respond a lot better to solid plot hooks than just a well stocked sandbox. :)

]]> By: Oddysey http://robertsongames.com/role-playing-games/dungeons-dragons/alignment-and-experience-for-dd/comment-page-1/#comment-1004 Oddysey Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:06:56 +0000 http://robertsongames.com/?p=524#comment-1004 Very interesting. I don't think I'd make it as complicated as you start to get towards the end, plot points and so on, but for a game where alignment was a big deal and a number of spells depended on it, this looks like a really elegant way to decide what alignment characters ought to be. I'd also be tempted to drop the "chaotic = bad guy only" thing and float the temptation for players swap their alignments to chaotic -- say, if they kill someone who's lawful but an enemy in a least-worst-alternative kind of deal, and then they have the opportunity to get a little more out of it, if they're willing to show up as Chaotic on people's alignment sensors for a while. ;) Very interesting. I don’t think I’d make it as complicated as you start to get towards the end, plot points and so on, but for a game where alignment was a big deal and a number of spells depended on it, this looks like a really elegant way to decide what alignment characters ought to be.

I’d also be tempted to drop the “chaotic = bad guy only” thing and float the temptation for players swap their alignments to chaotic — say, if they kill someone who’s lawful but an enemy in a least-worst-alternative kind of deal, and then they have the opportunity to get a little more out of it, if they’re willing to show up as Chaotic on people’s alignment sensors for a while. ;)

]]>