HyveMynd
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Dirty hippie, PbtA, Fate, & Cortex Prime <3er
Posts: 2,273
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Post by HyveMynd on Feb 10, 2015 17:43:22 GMT -8
Many people are who have been exposed to Systems Jesus. I pity those who have not yet embraced the loving light of System Jesus. Also, if there was one mechanic to port over from one system to another, why in the holy name of System Jesus would you choose Bennies? Gah!
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tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
Currently Running: Dungeon World, hippie games, Fallout Shelter RPG hack
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Post by tomes on Feb 13, 2015 7:51:06 GMT -8
if there was one mechanic to port over from one system to another, why in the holy name of System Jesus would you choose Bennies? Gah! Because they're like holy wafers
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Post by archmagezemoc on Feb 13, 2015 8:40:30 GMT -8
if there was one mechanic to port over from one system to another, why in the holy name of System Jesus would you choose Bennies? Gah! Because they're like holy wafers Yup, cus every time you eat one it's figurative cannibalism!
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tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
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Post by tomes on Mar 5, 2015 12:50:38 GMT -8
OK, just had an epic mechanic steal last night, on GM day no less, in our Dungeon World game... I stole: JENGA!
Basically after playing in more than few Dread games in the last years worth of cons, I feel like I have an appreciation for Jenga mechanics... want to do something? Pull a block or two. Drop the tower? Bad shit is gonna happen, maybe death.
So... we were in a situation where the party had just pulled out of a long, dark period of cave spelunking and monsters, everyone was low on spells, HP and whatnot, and everyone decided to simultaneously rest... like, noone on guard. I was smiling like a motherfucker.
The thing is, everyone had just leveled to one extent or another, and a few of PCs now had magic ability... the Fighter took a multiclass of Cleric spells with his newfound Phoenix god (despite his low windows of 8), and the Bard took a multiclass of Wizard spells, his spellbook being objects around him talking to him (like rocks, plants, animals, etc.). The other Cleric and Ranger also had to commune with their respective gods.
This made a perfect opportunity for introspection and transformation! And I pulled out the Jenga tower. They started communing in various ways, and for them to come out of it unscathed (and spelled-up) they needed to pull blocks. It was perfect because it gave a level of tenseness to the whole episode.
I also decided that for this session if anyone wanted to cast a spell, they could... after they pulled a block. So pull a block = opportunity to roll dice (which may still fail). It was awesome... suddenly using a simple rote to cleanse your food was a lot riskier.
I think if you want a really gritty "magic is super bad and dangerous" type game, this mechanic would be very very appropriate... Jenga + (whatever the normal game mechanic is). Or you could introduce it just in sessions where there is an extra level of badness. Maybe instead of the PCs being in a normal place, they have found themselves in an extra dangerous place (e.g. another plane, a location where magic is unpredictable, etc.) and this amps up the danger (much more so than "everyone gets a -2 modifier".
But for us I think it was appropriate and perfect for this session, quite epic. But I don't think it'll be necessary for other sessions per se.
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Post by CreativeCowboy on Mar 5, 2015 13:20:43 GMT -8
The spirit of Gygax is truly upon you, tomes.... keep keeping the wonder in the game.
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D.T. Pints
Instigator
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Post by D.T. Pints on Mar 6, 2015 8:04:00 GMT -8
Yeah I'm reading a history of ancient Egypt right now gaining inspiration for my Desert King campaign and there is much discussion of how the ceilings were supported...much like a Jenga tower. Perhaps when it comes time to escape the collapsing pyramid...
I really do love this community.
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tomes
Supporter
Hello madness
Posts: 1,438
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Post by tomes on Mar 6, 2015 9:55:37 GMT -8
Yeah I'm reading a history of ancient Egypt right now gaining inspiration for my Desert King campaign and there is much discussion of how the ceilings were supported...much like a Jenga tower. Perhaps when it comes time to escape the collapsing pyramid... YES x 100 One of my seminal Dread moments, the first game we played, was towards the end of the game when 3 of us were running from the mummy we unleashed from the Peruvian jungle ruins, and effectively it was a pull-to-the-death. We went round after round pulling blocks on a shaky tower to see who would be caught. It was intense. But the best part was we each pulled 3 blocks, and the GM decided that we all 3 of us escaped (thus far), went back to the fourth player, who was until then safe, and now confronted by the creature. And instead of pulling, he decided to push the tower over, sacrificing himself for his secretary (who he had been having an illicit affair with) to save her life instead. Since then there have been a number of PvP pull sessions in Dread games, and they're usually great. I like these main rules for Jenga/Dread, and specifically like to review it with everyone so they're all bought into the same place and there aren't disagreements (and it also starts setting the gravity of the session): - As in Dread, we setup the tower and then everyone does pre-pulls (depending on number of PCs, we had 4 players and took 3 pulls each), and once that is done, the tower is then declared live.
- Once the tower is live, it's live. Whomever is responsible for it (the last person who pulled from it) is still, ongoingly, responsible, even if someone else knocks it over. BE CAREFUL WITH THE TOWER AND THE TABLE.
- Only use one hand at a time. You can change hands during a pull, but only one can tough the tower at a time.
- You can decide to pull a different block if you don't like the one you've been working on.
- Remember that pulling the center block is easier at times, HOWEVER it means that overall less blocks will be pullable... once the center is out, both side blocks can't be touched... whereas a side block lets you pull the other side's block.
- At any time you can decide to back out and not pull the blocks. It will mean you fail the action (think of 'fumble' or failing a DC), however it doesn't necessarily mean death... Death should be reserved for dropping the tower.
- The GM may request more than one block, depending on the severity of the action, or your PCs weaknesses (e.g. a low Dex, low combat PC trying to defend a colleague). Also, you can always pull MORE blocks than you are asked for... the GM says pull one to get a clue, and you decide to pull 2 or 3... you should get a much better clue!
- You can also sacrifice yourself for the party or in other epic ways by pushing the tower over... always give the PC lots of agency in their actions and some story control here, since they are sacrificing themselves (note that this is when they consciously push the tower over... if they drop it accidently, that's on them)
- If the tower drops early, just set it up again, take a number of pre-pulls to get it where you want (more than a normal setup depending on where you are in the session), and remember that the one who dropped the tower is on the chopping block. You don't need to kill them outright, but as the GM, you can take their life wherever narratively appropriate from this point forward.
Oh man, if you use this I'd really like to know how it goes.
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Post by Munchkin Chisler on Mar 6, 2015 11:13:27 GMT -8
Just be careful of the system player who says "play skill in Jenga does not equal character skill in Jenga" (or words to that affect) and demands a DC skill check number instead.
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oldnemrod
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Post by oldnemrod on Mar 6, 2015 12:40:15 GMT -8
You have me tempted on using Jenga for magic casting. Instead of taking blocks, you build a tower. Each level of vertical blocks adds to spell power. Maybe each block is a spell point? If the tower fails, the spell backfires. So you could be risky by standing 3 blocks on top of each other, or you can use up 5 instead to make sure the spell doesn't go off in your face.
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fredrix
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Post by fredrix on Mar 6, 2015 23:22:23 GMT -8
Just be careful of the system player who says " play skill in Jenga does not equal character skill in Jenga" (or words to that affect) and demands a DC skill check number instead. A serious point made in jest
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Post by Kainguru on Mar 7, 2015 5:54:34 GMT -8
Just be careful of the system player who says " play skill in Jenga does not equal character skill in Jenga" (or words to that affect) and demands a DC skill check number instead. A serious point made in jest Or the wrench thrower who, like, actually throws a wrench - cause I'm led to believe flying wrenches are jenga tower kryptonite Aaron
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D.T. Pints
Instigator
JACKERCON 2018: WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY June 22-July 1st
Posts: 2,857
Currently Playing: D&D 5e, Pathfinder, DUNGEONWORLD, Star Wars Edge of the Empire
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Post by D.T. Pints on Mar 7, 2015 8:03:21 GMT -8
Again a short coming of only getting to play with you Merry Fools online. A game of Dread & The Drinking Dragon would be rather epic with you bunch.
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