tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post4571200038514336473..comments2024-03-27T22:32:17.055-05:00Comments on Jeffs Gameblog: pre-DCC zero level playJeff Rientshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-44669601098216026032011-11-01T15:13:01.844-05:002011-11-01T15:13:01.844-05:00I've run this module twice, and the second tim...I've run this module twice, and the second time I skipped the ghoul; it simply didn't fit the disaster-movie feel of the game.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-30215771468529095372011-07-12T18:06:29.879-05:002011-07-12T18:06:29.879-05:00I think I still have a copy of this. I will have t...I think I still have a copy of this. I will have to go dig it up.Tetsubohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00339621610619347842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-85036564465894816962011-07-11T23:24:59.066-05:002011-07-11T23:24:59.066-05:00Melan: For me personally, the point is definitely ...Melan: For me personally, the point is definitely the character creation through play, something others have already alluded to. I'd be fine with dumping the characters straight into level 3 or any level after the creation stage was over with, if I felt that was what was called for; I do agree that if the 0-level play takes a long time, following it with level 1 is just prolonging the PCs' opportunity to get smushed at any whim of the dice (thus discarding any benefits gained from playing through level 0, no less), but as noted, you don't have to run it that way if you don't want to. <br /><br />Does that help make sense of it?Mr. Joseph Jorkensnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-14633581542161757522011-07-11T16:23:03.393-05:002011-07-11T16:23:03.393-05:00I have had this module for years. It has inspired...I have had this module for years. It has inspired me to try and run something like it for many years. The problem I have found is that some of my players balk at the idea of starting at zero level. They quote things like Melan said about 1st lvl characters being frgile already. Yet, the thing that I see as an amazing possibility is a group of "normal" humans and demi-humans coming together, forging an alliance and becoming adventurers is an amazing idea!<br /><br />I might need new players, but this is always something that is buzzing around in the back of my head. Thank you Jeff for talking about this.<br /><br />I also agree that the ghoul thing is a little much.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01903390795990245944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-51676397193217595962011-07-11T12:40:26.780-05:002011-07-11T12:40:26.780-05:00DaveL: I'm not against the possibility of a TP...DaveL: I'm not against the possibility of a TPK in any normal adventure situation. I'm against half the party waking up dead when I've already marooned them and then given the impression they are going to sleep in the one safe place on a monster-infested island.Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-48003445150741048852011-07-11T12:27:12.205-05:002011-07-11T12:27:12.205-05:00@DaveL: I ran a PBP game on RPG.net and used the t...@DaveL: I ran a PBP game on RPG.net and used the the N4 system to start the players at 0 level for exactly that reason. I thought ti would be fun to see what PCs we ended up with if the choice developed through in-game decisions.<br /><br />I found it produced mostly fighters and clerics, to be honest. Part of that was likely due to the fact that the Dungeon adventure I used wasn't designed for the N4 system and offered little in the way of developing a potential mage. I sprinkled in a couple of scrolls, and opportunity to try some thief skills, so I'd like to think the classes all were represented.<br /><br />A fun experiment, not sure if I'd do it again though.Reese Laundryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02225208626688676372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-36872282250670822752011-07-11T12:26:16.669-05:002011-07-11T12:26:16.669-05:00@The Badger King, yes, there were 0-level rules in...@The Badger King, yes, there were 0-level rules included in the Greyhawk Adventures hardcover, although I couldn't say if they are the exact same rules.Jared Rascherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05312511493359030139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-16957108239952283902011-07-11T12:13:09.233-05:002011-07-11T12:13:09.233-05:00I have to agree with Melan; the chance of a TPK ex...I have to agree with Melan; the chance of a TPK exists at the lower levels anyway. One would have to "dumb down" the monster stats to prevent total TPK in any encounter. The attraction to level 0 play may be that character creation is an actual part of game play, rather than a separate activity that happens before play. Of course, if the players are familiar with the rules, they could make choices that would guarantee their eventual character class, use of the spell book and defending oneself with a bit of a wooden spar from the wreckage would guarantee a career in magic.DaveLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01837748113498012191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-15279304477487004932011-07-11T11:50:57.887-05:002011-07-11T11:50:57.887-05:00The zero system used here reminds me of one of the...The zero system used here reminds me of one of the earlier <i>Final Fantasy</i> games, which I'm sure had a similar system of allocating class. I think it was either <i>II</i> or <i>V</i>.<br /><br /><i>Can you write something up about Alston's Strike Force? I can't find a copy and want to know how hard I should try.</i><br />Ditto. With that build-up, Jeff, you've got to give us more detail!thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-71174397652548296822011-07-11T11:47:21.285-05:002011-07-11T11:47:21.285-05:00Zak: Sure. Maybe in a day or two.Zak: Sure. Maybe in a day or two.Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-32636978029351149712011-07-11T11:43:06.929-05:002011-07-11T11:43:06.929-05:00I do not understand the zero level thing. 1st leve...I do not understand the zero level thing. 1st level PCs are already damn fragile, they already know little enough to be nobodies etc ("One spell / One wound / One saving throw"). They are initiates. Real adventurers - the kind who could be considered semi-powerful protagonists and might be found in an adventure fantasy story - start around level three. So what I am not seeing is why go through the extra motions of yet another degree below being a mook?<br /><br />(This does not imply the module is bad; rather, I am not understanding some of the online love this concept gets.)Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-59159989309784318232011-07-11T11:28:01.606-05:002011-07-11T11:28:01.606-05:00Can you write something up about Alston's Stri...Can you write something up about Alston's Strike Force? I can't find a copy and want to know how hard I should try.Zak Sabbathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08812410680077034917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-25003701190781853722011-07-11T11:21:19.078-05:002011-07-11T11:21:19.078-05:00The Badger King is correct; a zero-level system ex...The Badger King is correct; a zero-level system exists in Greyhawk Adventures also. I've eyeballed it, but it never seemed to grab me. The sample adventures that were provided for 0-level characters in GA were not compelling to me. It looks like Treasure Hunt is significantly more compelling, what with slavers and other coolness.Allandaroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01046079318999891967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-18758583104009539272011-07-11T11:17:32.453-05:002011-07-11T11:17:32.453-05:00I don't have my books handy, but I'm prett...I don't have my books handy, but I'm pretty sure a similar idea for zero-level characters starting out this way appeared in.... was it GREYHAWK ADVENTURES hardcover? I never owned TREASURE HUNT, but I remember seeing a similar system in something I owned.The Badger Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09020950272210873449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-49753812884580477652011-07-11T11:04:32.204-05:002011-07-11T11:04:32.204-05:00You know, I had a GM run a CoC game where we all s...You know, I had a GM run a CoC game where we all started as amnesiacs, and the GM handed us character sheets based on a series of early decisions. It was an interesting, if occasionally problematic, approach in that game, and it's cool to hear that it worked out well in The Treasure Hunt module.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13333781524640845035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-60349496241374424472011-07-11T10:48:20.230-05:002011-07-11T10:48:20.230-05:00THANKS for telling me about this invaluable soundi...THANKS for telling me about this invaluable sounding resource!Carter Soleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01286436801953647693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-86962646385519479712011-07-11T10:41:25.686-05:002011-07-11T10:41:25.686-05:00I don't recall ever needing to take out some o...I don't recall ever needing to take out some of the more egregiously railroady sections. But yeah, I would have readily ignored, for example, the advice that stealing one of the pirate ships was impossible.Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-68440933990407479762011-07-11T10:24:13.318-05:002011-07-11T10:24:13.318-05:00The inspiration for doing my own zero-level rules ...The inspiration for doing my own zero-level rules on ye old blog came from reading this module. <br /><br />Glad to see that it works in practice. When I read the ghoul ambush, I instantly thought TPK myself.<br /><br />Besides downgrading to a zombie, did you run it pretty straight? Or did you take some of the railroad elements out? The advice for GMs in the back seemed like some of the heaviest handed advice I've ever read.Chris Kutalikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01414743509426875792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-62124867505179897052011-07-11T10:18:12.005-05:002011-07-11T10:18:12.005-05:00I want to track that module down now :)I want to track that module down now :)Simon Forsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01243845335993440168noreply@blogger.com