sirblastalot

joined 2 years ago
MODERATOR OF
rpg
[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I don't remember them being reformed at all in TNG, but I admit it's been awhile. I picture them as capering caricatures in TNG. But I'm thinking specifically of that moment where Quark argues with Odo that he can save them a bunch of small dangers by making one big gamble; it shows the Ferengi way of thinking about things as not just allegory, but as an actual culture that succeeds in some ways and fails in others.

Edit: Which I liked since the federation is ostensibly all about interacting with new and different cultures.

Edit edit: Not to say any of that invalidates your own feelings about it. I care about and find meaningful some stuff; you are under no obligation to feel the same way, nor are you wrong for not doing so. I only share because sometimes it's fun to hear other's perspectives, and I appreciate you sharing yours with me.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There are ways. You could, for example, set up a bbeg where that's his whole deal. The townsfolk are scared of this guy because he has the supernatural power to just kill you, straight-up. Maybe the questline leading up to their encounter involves the players finding defenses or counters or sabotaging his supply of spell components or whatever, such that, if they DO get power-word-killed, it's because they had ample opportunities to not, and failed to take them.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 1 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Not every character moment has to be climactic. You gotta mix in some slow-burn stuff there too. And also remember that early episodes like this had to do a lot of heavy lifting to reform the Ferengi from their disastrous TNG appearance.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 2 points 5 days ago

Except that's the point, they will not be having fun. Nor will you, nor will any of the other players. Because that setup is not fun. And presumably you're hosting a game for your friends with the intention of everyone having fun, so it's best if you find another tact.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 4 points 6 days ago (4 children)

To me, it felt like the episode mattered because you got character development. It's the first time we get to see exactly how Odo and Quark's relationship works, and we also get to see Quark's..."unorthodox" problem solving style, in contrast to how federation weenies go about things.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 4 points 6 days ago

Nope, no, that’s encouraging their behavior. Now your player thinks you’re giving them a quest to earn enough money to play out their brothel scene.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (3 children)

Nope, no, that's encouraging their behavior. Now your player thinks you're giving them a quest to thwart this bouncer.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 97 points 1 week ago (11 children)

You absolutely do not have to RP this. You can say "No." You can say "Ok, you go off and do that, what's everyone else doing?"

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 2 points 1 week ago

Today is a good day to die.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 2 points 1 week ago

Tell Bashir to get the cortical simulator ready, I'm going in.

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 3 points 2 weeks ago

They've all programmed their replicator profiles to include "Ethanol, 22.5ml, Chilled" in all orders they place containing the word "synthehol"

[–] sirblastalot@ttrpg.network 3 points 2 weeks ago

Definitely the worst thing that happened during those years.

 

You see something similar in the entranceway to public bathrooms that don't have doors, where it kind of zig-zags for privacy. I'm trying to figure out what this kind of architectural feature is called. Thanks!

57
submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by sirblastalot@ttrpg.network to c/rpg@ttrpg.network
 

I recently started a new campaign. Two players (one who has played in my games before and their SO, who has been begging me for a spot for years) unexpectedly dropped out, moments before our first session. Their reason was somewhat baffling; they said they didn't want to spend "all day" on this, despite the game only going from noon to 3PM. They seemed to think this was a totally unreasonable expectation on my part, despite them previously having stated they were available during that time. This puzzled me.

I've been musing on this, and the strange paradox of people that say they want to play D&D but don't actually want to play D&D, and I've had an epiphany.

A lot of people blame Critical Role or other popular D&D shows for giving prospective players misplaced perceptions, often related to things like your DM's voice acting ability or prop budget, but I don't think that's what's going on here. My realization is that, encoded in the medium of podcasts and play videos, is another expectation: New players unconsciously expect to receive D&D the way they receive D&D shows: on-demand, at their house, able to be paused and restarted at their whim, and possibly on a second-screen while they focus on something else!

I don't know as this suggests anything we as DMs could do differently to set expectations, but it did go a long ways to helping me understand my friends, and I thought it might help someone here to share.

 

I've got an unholy-water fountain, a human chessboard, and an evil hedge maze. I need 1 more thing to put in the last corner of the square courtyard/garden thing. Any suggestions?

view more: next ›