That wouldn't be an issue, Elder Oblex. If you've played any d20-based RPG, you can play 13th Age. I'm happy to help with that part, as well. So far the other two interested parties sounded more interested in 13th Age than OSR, but you could always toss your hat in the ring for OSR and make me pick one to learn better.
My game-to-be is looking like 13th Age for certain, since I have a couple more interested in the weird setting. If that's of interest, we're discussing solo threads versus player interaction at present.
By all means! I've already promised others in that thread that I'll help with mechanics, and so we've been more focused on story items. I'll add you as tentative interest to the list I'm keeping over there. Feel free to weigh in on any of the conversation.
I just wanted to invite you to join the Scavenger Hunt! The festivities start tomorrow and continue until May 4th . Be sure to check out our Solo Bazaar booth!
There is still plenty of time to join a team or make one (you can create a team up until the last day of the hunt)! See you there .
P.S. Also, don't forget to vote for the Hall of Fame (today' is the last day!). And be sure to check out the HoF booth at the Scavenger Hunt, too!
Out of nostalgia, I was looking for PBP place to chill and relax with some flexible-time-frame-rpg gaming. I used to play a lot and then adulthood happened somehow...
Name's Wind. Nothing special, just an absolute casual, who is too afraid to play TTRPG irl with people, so needs to hide behind a screen and keyboard, in order to avoid anxiety attacks... o.o
Welcome to RPG Crossing, Wind! Adulthood happens to us all, shame as it may be. (I actually had to adult today, so I think I may be feeling rather sympathetic...)
Screen and keyboard can help a lot of us play. Nothing wrong with that! If you haven't already taken a peek in the New Member Introductions forum, whether you post a thread or not, you should, because there's some helpful tips and suggestions in the stickied thread at the top of the forum. If you do post a thread, you'll get welcomes and suggestions from a bunch of helpful souls who have a lot of experience with new members.
I hope you find some games to scratch that gaming itch. Welcome, again, and happy gaming!
Welcome! In addition to what we offer here, have you come across our New Player Solo Game options as well? You seem pretty clued-in on PbP already but if you felt like you needed a primer on site workings/PbP conventions, and a chance to go 1-on-1 in a system from the list, it's there for you to take up.
Just getting back into tabletop, but currently live in a country where I am not a native speaker, so finding English in-person games is even rougher than normal. So, I puttered around the web for a while and have started setting up and applying for games on pbp sites like this one.
The problem I keep running into is game death/stagnation. Even if I'm lucky enough to win the player lottery to get into games, the pace is set by the slowest poster, and teamwork is...not as good as in-person. While I get that everyone wants to be 'the hero', I think it would be easier to play a solo game and host one in return. So I found my way here!
As for what I'm willing to DM, I'm comfortable with 3.5, low-to-mid levels.
Option 1
The setting would be a generic uber-world that counts as the prime material plane, but each 'setting' is simply its own continent rather than a separate plane/planet. Most taverns and Inns have a 'request board' sometimes shortened to a more colloquially known 'quest' board. You would be free to travel and explore sandbox style, join a guild with a goal/purpose you align with (Mercenary Guild, Hunter Guild, Adventurer Guild, Merchant Guild, etc), or simply do your own thing.
Option 2
I am also up for instead providing the same setting of your choice from the two types of games I myself would prefer but with 3.5 classes instead of PF classes - an Isekai Game, or an Awakened Game (Listed in the next Spoiler).
Character Creation & Mechanics
All 3.0 & 3.5 sources allowed - if there is both a 3.0 and 3.5 version, use the 3.5 version. If there is no 3.5 equivalent, then using the original 3.0 content is fine. Gestalt is fine, Tristalt is also fine if starting at low levels. Prefer no Tome of Battle content, Mysteries, and Essentia classes though, as I am not experienced enough with them to balance properly. No 'adult' roleplaying - if you want adult content to happen off-screen or 'fade to black', that's fine, but otherwise, I'm not inclined towards that sort of interaction.
I encourage (but do not require) using specific class fixes for certain classes that I can provide a link for, as I've had players use them in the past that enjoyed them very much, and I found it easier to balance things around them (classes like Montebank and Ninja that are normally a trash Tier 5 classed are fixed to be closer to Tier 3).
If you are interested, I can share my standard 'House Rules' for character creation that help balance the 3.5 experience. It is a collection of quality-of-life things, for the most part. Minor bonuses to certain classes, feats at every odd level, some changes to spells to make them more useful or less game-breaking, etc.
I can generate rumors and local quests anywhere you find yourself, but if you provide an outline of what sort of goal or quest you'd like to work towards, I'm completely open to that as well.
I'd very much enjoy playing with all the Pathfinder classes that are technology-based, as that isn't a thing outside of Warforged in 3.5 (the system I am most familiar with). I would like to simply use the content available on the PFSRD, AonPRD, DSP-d20-SRD, and Library of Metzofitz websites for simplicity's sake and easy access for both parties.
Isekai Game
A normal fantasy setting, but with 2 minor twists. First, they are a modern-day human from Earth that found themselves in a fantasy world. Second, the world runs on weird game-like mechanics - either for everyone or just for them, allowing them to be aware of and interact with the game-like systems like leveling up, classes, class abilities, etc.
Essentially a modern human that was somehow transported into whatever fantasy world you prefer to DM around. Perhaps a glitch occurred and the character would have technology-based classes in a medieval technology world. For them (or for everyone, if it is easier - perhaps that is just how this fantasy world works), the world is gamified so that they can mentally pull up their stats screen (character sheet), select classes and abilities when they level up, get xp notifications, etc.
If you have ever watched any anime such as Black Summoner, By The Grace of the Gods, Death March to The Parallel World Rhapsody, Handyman Saitou in Another World, Skeleton Knight in Another World, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, etc, this is pretty much the type of setting and premise that I'm talking about.
In a tragic turn of events, our protagonist found themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time, crossing paths with a runaway truck hurtling down the street. With no time to react, the impact was swift and merciless, ending their life abruptly.
But instead of finding themselves in the afterlife or simply ceasing to exist, the protagonist awoke in a world unlike anything they had ever known. Surrounded by a fantastical landscape, they quickly discovered that they had been transported to another world—one filled with game-like mechanics and elements akin to the popular isekai genre.
The laws of this new world seemed to follow a set of rules, as if guided by some unseen force. The protagonist realized they had become the central character in their own extraordinary adventure. Their previous life was now but a distant memory as they embraced their new role, determined to survive and thrive in this unfamiliar realm.
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Congratulations - You have successfully transmigrated!
You are now Level 1.
You have Unassigned Attribute Points to distribute.
You have Unassigned Skill Points to distribute.
You have Unassigned Class Points to distribute.
You have Unassigned Feats to select.
You have Unassigned Traits to select.
Please Select your new Race.
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Equipped with a newfound set of abilities and powers, the protagonist realized they had been granted a second chance at life in this parallel world. Their journey would be marked by encounters with fantastical creatures, formidable foes, and a vast array of allies. They would need to level up, hone their skills, and navigate the intricacies of this game-like world to unravel its mysteries and fulfill their destiny.
But danger lurked around every corner. Whether it was challenging dungeons, treacherous quests, or rival factions vying for power, the protagonist would face countless trials and tribulations. However, with each hurdle, they would grow stronger, unlocking new abilities and gaining experience that would propel them forward.
As our protagonist embarks on this epic adventure, they must not only navigate the physical obstacles of this new world but also come to terms with their own personal growth and self-discovery. They will forge new friendships, perhaps even find love, and encounter profound moments of triumph and loss.
With every step they take, our protagonist inches closer to uncovering the secrets of their newfound existence and the purpose behind their transportation to this game-like realm. Will they conquer the challenges that lie ahead and find a way back home? Only time will tell as they embark on their incredible journey, forever changed by the fateful encounter with that runaway truck.
Awakened Game
Essentially, a modern-day or slightly futuristic alternate Earth with some 'awakened' people granted specific game-like powers (pathfinder class levels) that go into 'Gates' (mini-dungeons) to collect loot & raw resources to carry back into Earth. Gates have to be cleared within X timeframe or they 'break' and release the monsters inside into the world, so the world's various governments have agencies 'in charge' of getting them cleared. But since only 'awakened' people can clear the gates, they just issue hunting licenses based on the perceived power level of the awakened and allow them to enter/clear gates of their tier in exchange for taxing the loot and raw materials for governmental use.
If you have read any webtoons/comics/manhua/manga/manhwa like Solo-Leveling, or anything in the 'Hunter', 'Awakened', 'System', 'Gates', etc genres, this is pretty much the type of setting I'm talking about.
What the story will be about
The world changed after 'The Awakening'. Portals into pocket dimensions people called 'Gates' began to open around the world and a percentage of the population began to manifest strange game-like abilities. Hanging in the air in front of them was a blue screen that changed the course of their lives forever.
The story would be that of a down-on-his-luck man that was not selected when people Awakened around the world. He struggled as one of the Mundanes, and has slowly lost everything. His wife died when the first Gates initially 'broke' in what was later called 'The Collapse', allowing the monsters within to escape because no one yet knew how important it was to clear them within their time limits. He lost his job because his employer abandoned the business after becoming Awakened. He lost his apartment because an Awakened criminal accidently destroyed it when attempting to rob the business below him and destabilized the foundations with their conjured explosives.
Slowly but sure, after five years of the world adjusting for the new reality, he lost everything - and it was all the fault of the Awakened in one way or another. He despised the Awakened, and the burning hatred for them was all that he had left in the world. And then everything changed when it happened...
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Congratulations, Player - You have now Awakened!
You are now Level 1.
You have Unassigned Attribute Points to distribute.
You have Unassigned Skill Points to distribute.
You have Unassigned Class Points to distribute.
You have Unassigned Perk Points to distribute.
You have Unassigned Traits to select.
You have earned the Achievement, 'Late Bloomer'.
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This would be sudden and unexpected. Either out of the blue, or from an accident that affected the character, like a chance encounter with rogue nanites or some technological experiment gone wrong (such as the Augmented Creature template), or having been caught up in some sort of magical attack that altered him from a base human in some other way (such as the Shadow-Traced Creature template) that suddenly unlocked the Awakened status.
Tell me about your character.
Newly awakened, the man who had lost everything grasps at the opportunity in front of him and struggles to navigate the life of an Awakened while trying to reconcile his hatred of the Awakened, the Gates, the System, and the fact that emulating the path he so despises is his only real opportunity to change his life.
With no money, no experience, and nothing left to lose, he decides to register as an Awakened and begin to clear the Gates - only then can he becomes strong enough to tear the System down, from the inside.
A mechanical engineer by profession, in a world where magic became the new technology and leaving him nearly obsolete. Had he been an Awakened with some form of magic, he may have found new work in the emerging 'magitech engineering' field, but he was originally left unchanged by the The Awakening.
His sudden late awakening might have happened while being affected by some piece of magitech he tried (and failed) to study and tinker with that altered him in some fundamental way.
What type of person are they?
Resentful and conflicted in reconciling their new reality with their own prejudices. Purpose-driven, but lacking means. Hopeful of the new opportunity in front of him, but holding a grudge. He lost everything, and while he harbors ill-will toward the people and organization he is now joining, he knows he has to navigate the new reality in order to change his destiny. Strong-willed and determined.
Having nothing left but this one last opportunity, he clings to it in a desperate bid to change his lot in life. After all, he has nothing else to lose and everything to gain. Once a loving husband and career man, can he find his way back to a happy life with the new path he has been given, even if it is a path he has spent years of his life cursing for taking everything away from him? He can only hope.
What setting you see them in
Modern Day earth, a few years into the future. Suddenly, Gates (Demi-Plane Dungeons) appeared across the world five years ago and people gain strange powers (Classes), and now he has Awakened to such powers himself. Countries have new organizations dedicated to facilitating and coordinating the closure of Gates before they Break (monsters within escape into our world). You have to register with your country's organization and navigate their bureaucracy in order to be given an Awakened Rating, which determines what level of Gate you are allowed to enter. They handle everything from registration, licensing, buying gate materials, selling goods made from gate materials (most normal materials from Earth do not transfer with you into the Gates, making firearms and other modern weapons worthless inside), etc.
It would be a dual-existence - Navigating not only 'real life' as someone suddenly becoming one of the Awakened with powers and dealing with the Mundanes where he has been one of their number for years and suddenly was not anymore, as well as dealing with fantastical creatures within the Gates, corrupt governmental agencies, and other Awakened people with powers (many of which exploit or abuse their powers and push for a class system because only they are 'special').
The Awakening - The world event about five years ago that caused Gates to appear around the world and simultaneously caused people to become Awakened as announced by The System. The System - The game-like prompts that the Awakened see as Announcements, similar to their Status screen. Announcements - Blue Windows that only The Awakened can see that provides information such as their Status, Gate Clear Rewards, Level Up Notifications, and when someone first Awakens. The Awakened - The fraction of the population over 24 years old that gained a PF class and went though The Awakening. After the Awakening, when a human reaches around 24 they have a tiny fractional percent chance to also Awaken. Scientists believe that only someone whose brain is fully developed can become Awakened, but do not know what the other criteria might be if it is not a random selection. The Awakened Agency (or 'The Federal Bureau of Gate Management' or other name you feel is appropriate) - The newly formed government branch that handles the registration, documentation, and general handling of The Awakened. While some other businesses deal in Gate Rewards and Awakened Equipment, a majority of the 'common' stock is often bought and sold here because if not, they tax you on any Gate Rewards that you do not sell to them directly. There is always an Agent of the agency stationed at every (known) Gate to handle authorized entry to the Gate, as well as documenting the Gate Rewards to ensure they get their cut one way or another. Once your loot is documented, you either sell to them at the local branch, or go there to pay taxes on what you keep before they can authorize you to enter a new Gate appropriate to your Awakened Rank. Awakened Rank - Essentially a tiered system of Awakened that accounts for your Level, and perceived abilities (Class). The lowest ranking would be something like F Fank, Copper Rank, and the highest rank would be SS Rank, or Platinum Rank - the ranking system would depend on the country you are in, as every similar agency uses their own system. Gates - Portals to demi-planes or pocket dimensions that appear in random places are essentially dungeons that need to be cleared before an arbitrary time limit. The contain monsters, puzzles, or other challenges that ends with a 'Boss Monster' that needs to be defeated in order to clear the gate. Once cleared, the gate closes in an arbitrary time limit. If someone fails to leave within that time, no one knows what becomes of them. All gates have a 'Theme' that is the most accurate indicator to not only what monsters will likely inhabit it, but also what type of loot they will likely drop. Every gate has a maximum number of people that can be inside it at any given time (usually 1-5), so most people tend to enter with the maximum number, as governmental guidelines recommend, even though the difficulty scales to the number of people because it is not in a 1-to-1 ratio because. While there might be 10 monsters if a single person enters, it might only be 12 is two people were to enter, 14 for three, etc. The rewards also scale in a similar manner, so general consensus is that the more people, the safer it is, even if slightly less profitable for the individual (the government takes its tax cut, so of course they push for full teams). Status - All Awakened can call up a type of character sheet that only they can see by simply mentally pushing ta the word 'Status'. This shows them their awakened abilities, as well as allows them to spend 'points'. Mundane Equipment - Things created from materials found in the real world. This type of equipment is nonfunctional in the Gates. Electronics will not turn on, gunpowder will not ignite, steel will not act as protection against monster claws, etc. Awakened Equipment - Things created from materials given as rewards in the Gates. All Awakened can instinctively tell the difference between mundane and awakened equipment. Machitech - A classification of Awakened Equipment that incorporates both magic or psionics into science-based technology. Usually Technology that has been crafted by an appropriate skilled Awakened, but sometimes found in Gates as loot. Things like futuristic nanobots, AI, effective laser weapons, psibertech, clockwork machines, futuristic weaponry or other similar technology that wouldn't normally exist in the real world, but does now thanks to The Awakening. Gate Rewards - The rewards for defeating challenges in the Gates are always experience and 'loot'. Clearing the entire Gate by defeating the Boss provides additional rewards that are generally better experience and loot, but can also include something unique to that Gate. Generally, rewards have something to do with the 'theme' of the Gate itself. If the monsters filling the Gate were magical beasts, raw leather and leatherwork items would be the expected rewards, whereas clockwork beetles would likely produce small mechanical items and raw metals as rewards. Gate Monsters - Gate Monsters always follow the general 'theme' of the Gate. That can be anything from fantasy Kobolds in a mine, futuristic robots in a factory, magical beasts in a forest, slimes in a magical laboratory complex, and anything in between. Any 'Loot' they drop is also in line with the Gate's theme. Kobolds would drop metal ores, ingots, and mining tools, robots would drop tech items, weapons, or parts, beasts would drop leather or worked leather goods, slimes would drop alchemical goods like potions, thrown splash weapons, and alchemical ingredients, etc. Leveling Up - When an awakened gains enough experience to level up, The System announces that you have Points to spend. These can be saved or spent at any time. The points are Class Points (Gain the class features of the next level in your class), Attribute Points (your attribute increases ever 4th level), Skill Points (Same as normal every level), Perk Points (Feats at every odd level), etc. Awakened Laws - Laws in the real world that restrict or prohibit the use of Awakened powers. While America allows for some use of offensive and defensive powers for self-defense, and powers in general on one's own private property as long as it isn't used in an illegal manner, and most production and crafting abilities, not all countries have the same freedoms (or restrictions). Mundanes - Common but derogatory name used for people who are not Awakened. The Collapse - The devastating aftermath of having the first Gates started breaking around the world, causing unimaginable destruction, where the human race lost more than 60% of the population before the monsters were finally dealt with and new mandates world-wide about clearing the Gates on time no matter what were issued. Agencies were formed to oversee that this never happened again.
What their motivations are
Complicated. On one hand, he wants revenge on the entire system for what it took from him. On the other, he knows he has to use it in order to regain any semblance of a life. With nothing else to lose except his life, he resolves himself to success, at all costs. While he accumulates power from using the System, he seeks for ways to bring it down from the inside.
Above all, he can't afford not to. He has almost nothing and needs to be able to use this opportunity to make money 'in the real world' and start building his life back into something worth living.
Keep his status as a 'Dual-Awakened' a secret, while going through the Awakened License Registration testing.
Earn money just to solve his immediate living situation and quality of life problems.
Rise in rank as an Awakened in order to gain access to better, more lucrative Gates.
Actively undermine and sabotage the Awakened and associated government Officials/Agencies he sees as corrupt.
Come to grips with the reality that not all Awakened are terrible people, and some that are can be redeemed.
Learn more about 'The System' that caused The Awakening, and look for clues to take it or its creator down.
Learn more about how The System actually works, and attempt to exploit it to further any and all other goals.
Try not to die in the process.
What Mechanics do you want to use
PF1 gestalt, starting at level 1 - a dual-class (gestalt) being something that is at least rare, or possibly completely unheard of so must be kept secret in order to not get too involved with the governmental agency regulating the 'Awakened'. Though, some form of special Achievement reward that grants additional experience given for awakening five years 'late' would certainly not go amiss (Congratulations, you've earned an Achievement - 'Late Bloomer'), as it might help with pacing so things don't become stale or too slow (the focus is the story around him gaining power and status, but we don't need to spend an undue amount of our time focused 'the grind' to gain that power - it is more about storytelling than hack-and slash, but getting to use and gaining a true understanding of newly gained power is always a fun break). Certainly not necessary, but an idea to consider. Either way, the character would need decent up-front survivability in order to survive the Gates by himself until he can not only find trustworthy Awakened to group with, but also learn to actually trust any Awakened at all.
I also imagine rewards for gate clearing being not only always being experience and 'loot' that drops from defeated encounters (monsters, puzzles, other obstacles, etc), but also special 'point' rewards for rare Achievements (notably interesting or unique solution to a problem, or accomplishing something unexpected, etc) now and then that would grant an additional Attribute/Skill/Perk(Feat) Point in rare occasions.
If the story started moments before he 'Awakens' and the process of character creation can actually be role-played - not something that normally gets to happen, I think that would be incredibly fun.
Level 1
2 Class Points to spend (Gestalt - this is not normal, most if not all people only get 1 per level)
30 Ability Points to spend (30 Point Buy, all ability sores having just been forcibly set to 10 as a base + any Human bonus to Ability scores)
2 Perk Points to spend (level 1 feat & Human feat)
X+Int Skill Points to spend (Skill Points per Class)
3 Traits to Assign
1 Drawback from real life that was already present but is not listed in the Status
Maximum Hit Points per level, for survivability's sake, as well as simplicity
This is, essentially, the character I'd like to play. If you think you can cram him into a different setting, I'll take it. It uses mostly 3pp, and draws heavily from the Library of Metzofitz for its material. I can provide links to all OGL content used if you don't want to have to search the LoMW for it.
Warren Murdock
Male C/N Human Soulgunner // Integrator, Level 1, Init 4, HP 12/12, Speed 30' AC 23, Touch 13, Flat-footed 20, CMD 15, Fort 4, Ref 6, Will 5, CMB +2, Base Attack Bonus 1, Power Points 7/7 Mind Gun: Nagant M1895 Revolver +8 (2d6+1, 20x4) Called Weaponry: Rapier +6 (1d6+2, 18-20/x2) Veil: Machinist's Powered Armor (+9 Armor, +3 Dex, +1 Natural) Abilities Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 11 Condition None Bound Veils: Chef's Armory (Feat - 1 Essence Invested), Machinist's Powered Armor (Customization)
Last edited by Myriad; Jun 11th, 2023 at 05:49 PM.
Hello everyone, I have come to this site in search of a way to better get my D&D fix since my former group members are all of the married w/ kids variety and I recently moved to the boonies where finding an RL group seems to be quite hard.
I have been a D&D DM for almost 20 years now, running almost entirely 3.5e with some limited pathfinder in there. I recently ran three sessions with 5e and am slowly transitioning to that system. I don't play as a PC very often, I don't really enjoy it although I have never played 1 on 1 before so who knows.
I am hoping to pick up a game or two here with a focus on short and focused adventures to try out this whole PbP thing and get an idea of best practices.
Hi, CC! I remember you from the general Introductions thread! Welcome to the Solo Bazaar section of the site.
So are you interested in giving 5e solo a shot here, or were you looking for a different system. This is a great way to learn a system as you play with someone, and I think your approach of doing some one shots is great. What type of adventures would you like to try out?
I am looking for 5e or 3.5e, I actually wrote out a description for 3 potential adventures over in the matchmaking thread. Some relatively simple concepts that can have a lot of depth to them and can be adjusted to the character that a potential player wants to play. A race/defend the innocent style adventure, a good old fashioned missing person mystery, and a dungeon delve with some very fun potential twists with the right character.
Another I am noodling but won't commit to being willing to run is a heist adventure, one where a criminal or criminal adjacent character is working to steal back an old artifact from a criminal organization that is going to auction it off soon. The adventure would focus on the recon and planning of the heist, with the end goal that the actual heist would occur as a cinematic style series of posts at the end similar to one of the ocean's movies.
So we would roleplay and play through the recon, the planning, the hitting a roadblock and changing plans, etc. And then on "the night" we would dramatically simplify the rolls/turns to glide through the plan and fall backs like a montage ending with the conclusion and hopefully a good solid outsmarting of the villain.
I love the concept but the mechanics of doing it would need the right player and Player character, since the fun would be to figure out exactly how to do it as opposed to using things like disable device checks or search checks.
Im looking to dm a 5e game. Hoping for a every 3 day pace. Anyone interested? I've dmed a couple 1 year adventures and have been on the site for many years.
Apr 23rd, 2023, 08:14 PM
