I'm the Pathfinder Game Master for Tuesdays' games and I've gotta admit that the game has certainly grown on me. I originally started running it simply to get the old gang together and get my fantasy on but it wasn't hugely my thing. As I've said before, characterisation is my big ticket item alongside how players interact with the plot.
As I'm running a campaign path, the Crimson Throne, I've found that a lot of the players have done the right thing and kept to the path in question. The only problem is that in order to do that they've had to keep to more predictable reactions (so they don't venture too far off the campaign path) and so the focus is a bit less on roleplay and a bit more on achieving the next goal.
I mean, their reactions aren't always predictable (please don't take this as a dare, my players, you're all good). Such as the time when Guenmarcus accepted lycanthropy to stop a war and when Sith mated with all the evil women despite being Chaotic Good just because he was desperate. But we all recognise that if we veer too far off the path, it won't be Crimson Throne anymore.
So that kinda damped down on my enthusiasm a bit as I kept running it but now I'm starting to get more enthusiastic again. Partly because Book 5 is waaaay cool and it's just coming up.
The current problem I'm facing in the game is the need to help ourselves get out of conversation and into the game. At the moment the start time is so diffuse that it kinda spreads out over an hour of chit-chat and half-hearted almost starts. So I'll probably be enforcing a No OOC (Out Of Character) comments for the first twenty minutes rule or else take a -2 penalty to your next roll, cumulative, per comment.
I'll let the players vote to see if they want it. If they want a more social, chit-chat and dice-rolling game, then that's cool. It's something I'm running for the players more than something I'm running for me so I'm not about to enforce seriousness if they want to muck about.
I'll let you all know later how it goes.
I had a cold and I asked the players to keep the focus to help me out so I didn't have to, so they did as much, without need for any further structure. My players are awesome!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very interesting game. I've seen a few people run the Crimson Throne but thats the first time I've ever heard of a character sleeping with one of the bad guys!
ReplyDeleteThat's my players for ya! They always like to do the unexpected.
ReplyDeleteI do my bit to keep things interesting, and hope that we can stay the line of IC for you when required.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know. It's kinda tricky. It should be better now that there aren't six players. I can only really manage five players. That's why I dragged Adam into co-STing with me for Demon.
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