Some page updates and GM guidelines
almost 3 years ago
– Fri, Jun 30, 2023 at 07:54:56 AM
Good day! I've got some potentially exciting page updates to share with you on this lovely Friday, but first let's go through the stream schedule!
Yesterday was a relatively light streaming day. I joined Drew in the morning for a two-player run through of a
Gloomhaven: Second Edition scenario. We were showing off some Angry Face updates (and I was just playing a Cragheart) and a scenario that saw some more significant changes than some of the others we've played.
Did I die? You'll have to watch to find out.
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What we've got for today is
an exciting RPG play from
Pixel Circus, starring Kailey Bray as the GM and Saige Ryan, Carlos Cisco, Gina DeVivo, and Anthony Carboni as the players. That'll be going live at 11am PST and is
definitely worth a watch!And then we've also got some more miniature painting from
Tabletop Minions that goes live at 8am PST which is coming up real soon!
Not to mention the usual Friday stuff: a
fireside chat with me at 4pm PST, and a
new puzzle for the Silent Knife down at the bottom of the main page!
Okay, exciting shipping update! Price has been hard at work figuring out
better shipping rates for Asia, and the following countries are being incorporated under the existing China & Hong Kong rates to bring their rates down significantly.
- Japan - JP
- South Korea - KR
- Malaysia - MY
- Philippines - PH,
- Singapore - SG
- Taiwan - TW
- Thailand - TH
We'll have these rates updated on the main page soon, and know that Price is still working on getting better rates in other regions too!
And then I just thought I'd update you on some smaller page changes. First of all, we did an audit of all the miniatures on offer and made sure all the graphics were correct and displayed the correct counts of minis. Sorry if the previous versions confused anyone. In addition, we've given exact counts on the base rings and flight stands that come in each separate product, which should be plenty to field whatever comes in the box.
I've also added videos and a stream schedule to all the pledge level pages, so if you're looking for videos on a specific project, you can look there to find everything aired so far for it and what will air in the future. I hope that helps!
For the rest of the update, let's talk more about the RPG! Yesterday I gave some info on how a GM runs monsters, but what about how a GM should handle the rest of running a game? I figured the best way to answer this would be just to pull out a few sections of the core rulebook pertaining to the matter. Here are the two other major considerations: managing a party's stamina throughout an adventuring day, and guidelines on attribute checks.
Managing Stamina
A successful adventure comes down to the GM’s ability to present a challenge that is neither too easy nor too difficult. If the adventure is too easy, the players will feel underwhelmed. Most players enjoy a challenge, but they'll often feel frustrated if it’s too difficult, believing their choices could not change the outcome. Sometimes the trick of striking this balance is juggling their Ability Cards and Stamina.
An adventure can span a single day or multiple days, but the main key to ensuring a day of the adventure is challenging and tense is properly gauging your party’s Stamina through the number of Ability Cards they discard, ending the day just as they feel the pressure of running out of cards. Note that not every day of an adventure should be tense and leave everyone on the brink of exhaustion, but if you want a day to be tense, you should budget for your players to discard, on average 35-40 cards.
Characters typically discard their cards in the following ways:
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Attribute Check Outcomes If players are doing something strenuous, and the check doesn’t go as well as expected, a result can be that they discard cards, signifying an expenditure of stamina.
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Combat As a rough metric, 1 point of creatures at the recommended campaign level (see below) will cause one character to discard four cards. This depends on how many creatures characters face at once, but it can be used as a general rule of thumb. For instance, if four characters face 12 points of creatures in a room large enough to maneuver tactically, you can expect them to discard about 12 cards each on average (ending the combat in about 6 rounds). If you place four characters in a confined space with 36 points of creatures, however, they are likely just to get overwhelmed and exhausted.
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Other Strenuous Effort Even if something doesn’t require an attribute check, a GM can ask players to discard cards for something their character is doing if it is strenuous. It’s recommended that characters discard 1 card every 20 minutes of travel.
Let’s say you are planning a day’s adventure for your party. They will be tracking down a missing caravan wagon.
First, they need to get some initial leads, talk to the population of a small town, and look for clues. Each player is anticipated to discard 2-3 cards in the attribute checks to gather information.
An initial lead sends them to an abandoned fort on the edge of town where some local ruffians are holed up. Next, they must climb over the fort’s walls, a significantly strenuous effort that requires discarding 4-5 cards in movement and attribute checks.
Once inside the fort, the players must fight a group of ruffians to get answers. Four characters face 12 points of creatures, resulting in about 12 cards being discarded.
The players discover that those in league with the ruffians took the wagon south to another hideout. They must travel for 2 hours, discarding another 6 cards.
Arriving at the hideout, the characters are tired but have enough gumption to fight another 12 points of creatures, discarding a final 12 cards. This brings the total to 36-38 cards, putting the characters on the edge of exhaustion.
Testing Attributes
Part of being a GM is determining when an attribute check is called for. If a character is attempting something mundane that they could do with ease as part of their class skill set, they can generally perform that attempt without needing a check. However, even the simplest actions may require an attribute check if they are attempting the same thing under duress or in high-stress situations, like under a flurry of arrows or while being attacked in combat.
Occasionally, the players will ask to do something strenuous that requires an Attribute Check. They will describe what actions they are trying to take and what they are trying to accomplish, and it is up to you to decide which trait should be tested for that check. Remember, you decide on any disagreements as the GM. Still, if a player has a compelling argument or gameplay circumstance for why a particular trait should be allowed, it should be worth considering.
Other times, it is up to you as the GM to request a passive attribute check. This is used when you want to test a character’s abilities for more passive circumstances. For example, you can ask for a focus check to see if the character is paying close enough attention to notice something. You can ask for a Finesse check to see if the character can keep their footing on a crumbling path. You can ask for a knowledge check to see if a character recalls a specific bit of information.
The main difference between active and passive attribute checks is that passive skill checks do not require an action in combat.
On either type of check, it is up to you to determine the target difficulty of that check. You can start by determining the level of challenge for each character. Use this table to determine what the base difficulty rating should be.
Skill Check Difficulty Ratings
- Very Easy: 1-2
- Easy: 3-5
- Moderate: 6-8
- Hard: 9-11
- Very Hard: 12+
Some characters may be better suited to a particular attribute check based on their size, strength, class, background, or other elements. An easy check for some may be moderate or even difficult for others. An attribute check may also sometimes be easier or harder based on external elements such as weather, terrain, or other circumstances surrounding the check. What might be an easy check on most days can turn into a moderate or difficult check during a storm. A sight-based focus check will be harder on a foggy day, but a hide check might be easier.
Explain the difficulty to the player and allow them to perform the attribute check. It is also up to you to determine what happens if the character misses or hits the target number. The non-binary success system means checks are not simply passed/fail. If the character comes close to hitting the target number, they succeed with a complication. Common complications are taking damage, discarding cards, or requiring additional attribute checks. If they surpass the target number by a healthy margin, they succeed with benefits. If they miss by too wide of a margin, failure is, of course, still an option. Whenever a check is outright failed, the character gains a luck token, which, when expended, gives them advantage on a check.
Do not be afraid to challenge players with passive checks or raise the difficulty of attribute checks to pressure them during an encounter. Attribute checks can be used to provide challenges just like combat encounters.
If all of that sounds a little strenuous, worry not!
The core rulebook also features a 20-hour adventure full of helpful guides and tips and can act as a great example for you to ease into the role of GM with. I hope that provided you with some useful insight, and you can see some of these principles in action today with the
Pixel Circus stream (at 11am PST), and episode 2 of my Old School campaign, which will air tomorrow at 10am PST. Next, I'll be talking about loot and character progression.
I hope you have a great weekend, and
I'll catch you tomorrow!
Great streams and the second edition faction narrative
almost 3 years ago
– Tue, Jun 27, 2023 at 09:50:27 AM
Good day! Yesterday was pretty eventful, and I may not have gotten a lot of sleep, but here we are, a full week into the campaign, looking at close to $2.5 million raise, which is
fabulous!So in the few weeks leading up to the campaign, I got to travel down to LA and up to Seattle to oversee some game plays of the RPG and the board games from some heavy hitters like
Penny Arcade and
Good Time Society, and we finally got to show some of them off yesterday!
First off, we had a play of the RPG with
Penny Arcade that I thought went very well. I'm biased of course, but
I had a lot of fun both participating in it and watching it later, and I feel like it gives you a very good idea of how the game plays, in addition to all the ridiculous shenanigans we got up to.
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We then followed that up by playing a custom
Gloomhaven: Second Edition scenario with
Good Time Society. This is a scenario that isn't actually included in the game -
I made it special for this playthrough, and you can find
a PDF of it here. Since the only enemies are Living Bones and Living Spirits, you could actually play it with the first edition of
Gloomhaven or
Frosthaven.
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And that was enough streaming for the day, right?
No, I guess not, because we also had
Tabletop Minions painting more miniatures!
Uncle Atom is finishing up the Algox Guard he started in the previous stream.
So what are we up to today? Well, we've got a panel discussion starting at 10am PST (very soon!) with myself, Price, and Liz and Richard from
Folded Space to talk about design and producing foam inserts for big games like
Frosthaven and
Gloomhaven: Second Edition. If you have any questions for us or just want to listen to the chat, be sure to stop by!
We'll also be sharing a playthrough of the first scenario of
Gloomhaven: Second Edition shot by
Rage Badger Gaming, and featuring some of the
star play testers from the game's development. That'll be at 2pm PST, and you can expect some great gameplay here, especially since I wasn't there to screw things up.
And finally! It wouldn't be Tuesday without a
Fireside Chat! Join me at 4pm PST where I will have on some special guests who just came back from Origins - Chris Kessler, our booth manager; Alisandra Livingston, one of our RPG GMs; and Monica and Bill Paprocki, who head up the cosplay for Cephalofair.
We'll get the scoop on everything that went down at Origins, and I'm sure my baby will interrupt at some point as well.
Oh, and of course, if you're looking for discussion on the latest Spellweaver puzzle,
here's the BGG link for you.
For the rest of this update, we invited Joe Homes from Satire - the teamed that helped with narrative and development on Jaws of the Lion and Frosthaven - to provide a summary of the main difference in the narrative between the two editions of Gloomhaven: the factions on the edge of war. Here's Joe:
One of the biggest new features in Gloomhaven: Second Edition is the revised Reputation system that underpins the power struggle bubbling beneath Gloomhaven’s surface. Instead of a single reputation track representing the party’s fame or infamy within the city, we now have three tracks, one for each of the main factions vying for domination in Gloomhaven. This isn’t just a rewrite: the scenario trees have been re-woven into a brand-new story that supports this new mechanic, adding exciting choices for players to forge alliances alongside a fun, engaging plot. The faction narrative in Gloomhaven: Second Edition is brand new content that will bring surprises even if you’ve already played through the first edition.
Isaac gave an overview of the new system
here, but we think it’s worth expanding on how the new story’s focus on Gloomhaven’s factions makes the world—and the game—better. Along the way, we’ll answer some questions you’ve asked throughout this campaign.
An Uneasy Peace
Of the 60-plus scenarios for you to explore in the main campaign, almost half invite the heroes to make alliances, sabotage enemies, and support their friends in gaining control of Gloomhaven.
In the first edition, the map begins with a sticker reading “City Rule: Militaristic”. Gloomhaven is under the control of the Gloomhaven Council and its stalwart military, and that doesn’t change unless you do something about it.
In the second edition, however, we replaced that sticker with “An Uneasy Peace”. The Military, led by newly-introduced First Shield Harmon, is in control for now, but their grip on Gloomhaven is slipping, and the Merchants and Demons prepare to strike at the first sign of weakness. The storm clouds are gathering from the moment you start your campaign, and it will be up to our mercenary heroes to decide which faction will ultimately control Gloomhaven’s future.
Befriending the Bad Guys
“Why would I want to ally with Demons, again?” Fair question.
Let’s be real for a second: the factions in the first edition of Gloomhaven were pretty black and white. The Military were gleaming defenders of the walls, and the Merchants and Demons were Capital-B Bad-Guys.
With the new campaign’s focus on the power struggle within Gloomhaven, though, we have more time to get to know each faction—the good and the bad. As you strengthen your relationship with one faction, you’ll hear more about their side of the story—but the other two factions will also show up from time to time to warn you about your new allies’ dark side as well. For example:
- How sure are you that the Military are the heroes they make themselves out to be? They keep monsters out of the city, certainly, but their political power extends far beyond that of mere defenders. What have they done to gain that power—and what have they sacrificed to keep it?
- The merchant Jekserah’s methods are brutal, but her motivations might resonate with the mercenaries—assuming they can uncover the mysterious merchant’s true goals.
- The Prime Demon has his own reasons to conquer Gloomhaven, but he’s not working alone. He’s assisted from within the city walls by the Sect: a new secret society of Gloomhaven citizens pledged in service to the Prime Demon, who they believe will deliver the city from disaster. Even if the mercenaries don’t like the idea of an alliance with demons or their servants, they might discover that their own goals align with those of the Sect—at least for now.
Do I Have to Choose?
No!
If you don’t feel like getting embroiled in political intrigue, that’s cool. Working with the factions grants you special bonuses that might make your life easier, but you can complete the main campaign without ever dirtying your hands with Gloomhaven’s internal struggles.
And if you change your mind later, you can even return to resolve the conflict between the factions once your ultimate goal is complete. Gloomhaven’s problems don’t go away just because you saved the world.
Can I do Everything/Ally with Every Faction?
Almost. You will have a long time to explore your options for alliances. Each faction grants your party benefits as they grow to trust you more. A mercenary with friends tends to live longer, and you can make nice with everyone... For a while.
But there are many heads, and only one “crown”. Ultimately the goal of each faction is to secure control of Gloomhaven, and eventually it will be up to you to tip the balance of power in one direction or another. When that happens, some paths will close forever, and others will open. (Don’t worry about accidentally making the choice before you’re ready; your allies will warn you before you reach the point of no return.)
How much does this really change things?
For the city of Gloomhaven? A lot. For the rest of the world? We’ll have to wait and see.
Although almost half of the main campaign addresses the turmoil within the city, there’s more going on in Casskia (and in Gloomhaven itself) than the struggle for power. The mercenaries will travel all over the wilds that surround Gloomhaven, and many of those places don’t know or care what’s happening behind Gloomhaven’s walls.
But once one faction succeeds in seizing power, you’ll see some permanent changes to your campaign, both mechanically and within the narrative. You’ll learn things about the world that become clear only in the aftermath of war, and you’ll find that your allies reserve their greatest rewards for only their most trusted friends. Eagle-eyed backers may have noticed there are three new envelopes included in Second Edition—one labeled for each faction. Wonder what that could be…
The mercenaries’ main objective lies beyond the politics in Gloomhaven, but making friends is never a bad thing—and if you help your allies achieve their ambitions, they will help you out in turn as you approach your own final trials.
The Final Word
This isn’t the only change to the narrative in Gloomhaven: Second Edition. There’s much more to learn about the true nature of your enemies, all-new events, and plenty of discoveries for your scrappy group of mercenaries.
But those who loved the original campaign narrative don’t need to worry; all your favorite characters are back, but better, deeper, and with more to offer the story as your adventure goes on. Our goal when re-working the narrative was to use a scalpel, not a sledgehammer—we wanted to preserve the spirit and tone that made the world of Gloomhaven so immersive in the first place. So even though this still resulted in significant changes in some places, others were left mostly untouched.
And, of course, the main campaign is only half of the content in the box. Dozens of other scenarios sprawl across the map (including several never-before-seen), unconnected to the main plot but offering no less opportunity for adventure (and treasure!).
At the end of the day, we understand that some Gloomhaven fans are interested mostly in the second edition because of the re-balanced classes or the expertly updated minis. But for those fans who want to sink their teeth into a fresh campaign story, who love to play not just on the map tiles but in the world around them, we think the updated narrative in Gloomhaven: Second Edition will let you look on Gloomhaven with new eyes as you journey through the wilds of Casskia.
Marvelous! I think that's enough info for one day, so I'll leave you there. Have a great day!
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