John Marvin Interviewed on New, Old, and Planned Games
Listen to the wonderful folks on the Iconic podcast ask me to talking games. Although their focus is on 13th Age games, we also got into 5E and Numenera. Listen in!
The Dread Unicorn Speaks
The Gods Have Spoken ships, The Gods and Icons Player's Companion goes on sale, and a look at games to come.
The Gods Have Spoken
We've shipped The Gods Have Spoken, a supplement for 5th Edition D&D full of new gods, new domains, new character customizations, new creatures, new magic items, a holy weapon creation system, and a brand new set of rules for using factions in your games that let your players decide what factions come into play.
What's Next?
5E
Factions and Conditions Cards Cards to track how factions feel about the PCs, plus cards that track conditions such as Blinded on PCs and NPCs. Less looking up rules, more fighting dragons! (in design)
The Gray World An introductory 5E adventure that showcases The Gods Have Spoken. Comes with pregens, and serves as an example of how to use the new faction system. (in editorial and playtest)
13th Age
Brightvarna Red
Flash fiction and epic poetry from the world of Gods and Icons. The last deliverable from the Gods and Icons Kickstarter. (in editorial)
The Gods and Icons Upgrade Pack
This supplement will include new artwork of the three pantheons, a list of saints to use in your games, and new 13th Age creatures that have ties to the gods and the icons from Gods and Icons. (in development)
Numenera
The Sun Below: That's How the Light Gets In
A transdimensional adventure focusing who, or what, is draining the power of The Sun Below. When PCs come up against adversaries that can't be hurt, and won't listen to reason, the PCs just might have to run a con game with transdimensional stakes! (in design)
On Sale Now!
The Gods and Icons Player's Companion. On sale at DriveThruRPG
Using the Numenera Ruin Mapping Engine with the Sun Below
In Jade Colossus: Ruins of the Prior Worlds, Monte Cook Games has come up with a ruin mapping system that allows you to flesh out parts of the Ninth World that you don’t have details for. Most of the book is about the Jade Colossus, but like many Numenera ruins, it’s enormous and there is no point in detailing hundreds of rooms and corridors that players will never see. The ruin mapping engine lets you roll a few dice and create weird Numenera environs on the fly.
Let’s roll some dice!
Example One: A 5m x 10m rectangular chamber with a machine that grinds small objects into drit. It has one exit sealed with a force field, and two additional exits.
Example Two: A sealed vault (seals are level 7 with level 7 defenses that do 7 points of energy damage). The interior is made of self-repairing level 8 synth. The vault is 15m x 30m and contains a vortex of energy that swirls above a raised circular platform surrounded by complex (level 8) machinery. The vortex is painfully bright and hot, and induces a sense of awe in observers. The vortex is a wormhole that leads directly to the sun.
The Sun Below
Using the ruin mapping engine to flesh out when players go “off the path” in any Sun Below adventure is perfect. You can roll dice, or use the tables for inspiration.
Then use the background of the adventures as window dressing for your on-the-fly creations. In example two above, that vortex obviously leads not to some lame sun at the center of the solar system but directly to the Sun Below!
The Sun Below: City on the Edge
Like the Jade Colossus, Urbamorr, the city on the edge, is enormous. Unlike the Jade Colossus, it’s mostly inhabited. Use the ruin mapping engine, and 50% of the time decorate the places with praithian statues, burial chambers, and enormous artwork. Above ground sections will have dh’lann features (like dream-vapor bowls), while below ground areas will feature slithik items (like floating tubes of blood).
Since the city is inhabited, 50% of the time use a creature as the main feature, the rest of the time roll as normal. If you do have a creature, 50% of the time use dh’lanns, floaters, praithians, praithian war snakes, pyronic sentries, or slithiks.
The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady
Liluna is also massive, and, like the Jade Colossus, mostly uninhabited. 50% of the time you should decorate the areas you roll up with displays that show lido automatons, Liluna in flight, gibbering murken, Lebby with her red bouncy ball, or an aspect of Storm. Depending on what's going on in the stricken moon, you could show the forces of Liluna or of Golthnor doing well or doing poorly.
If you roll up a creature, 50% of the time use a child of Golthnor, cultists of Golthnor, data demons, gibbering murken, lido automatons, Lebby, skratts, Storm, or synites. Look at the Orb Encounters section of the adventure for ideas.
When a Big Scene Becomes Small, Part I
Sometimes when you are GMing, scenes end quicker than you expect. The PCs enter the scene, and immediately trigger the exit. In most cases this isn't a problem. You find out what scene they want to do next and make it happen. Ripping through an adventure at warp speed can be fun.
Sometimes it is a problem.
Sometimes a big action scene turns into a yawn.
Maybe the PCs got lucky. Or the players were just that good. Which is wonderful most of the time, but this was the boss you been foreshadowing for four sessions. And the players don't look pumped, they look sad because they were expecting an exciting challenge, and found a marshmallow.
Extending Combat
A major fight that ends in one round feels anti-climatic. Some players won't mind, but many will.
There's a few tricks to keep an important fight going. The trick is to not negate the players' victory, just keep the fun going a while longer.
Reinforcements You already have the stats for your opponents, and as they are mowed down, have more of the same show up. To preserve the player's victory, use less of them, and/or have them show up at some disadvantage.
- The PCs hear the reinforcements coming, allowing them time (1 round!) to prepare.
- The reinforcements have to climb up a ladder to get to the PCs.
- The reinforcements are second stringers, and have less hit points.
- The reinforcements are quick to flee if the PCs are obviously winning. This lets you keep the fight going, but not turn it into a slog.
Fake Boss! The boss you planned for just went down, and then you have the *real* boss you just made up step in to continue the fight. To give the PCs their victory, the first boss drops an important item, something that has "made to fight the next-boss" written all over it. The anti-undead sword-cane of doom, the reveal-invisible dust of St. Silverius, the armor shattering bolt of victory...
Or the victory can be tactical. They have the "real-boss" at a disadvantage, and you give them a bonus to show them that. For example, you could give them advantage in 5E, increment the escalation die in 13th Age, or lower the difficulty for the PCs by 1 in Numenera.
Great, but what is this new boss? Who can make up a boss on the fly? Not me; even in a rules light game like Numenera, a boss should offer unique challenges.
Your choices are to find one quickly or make one quickly.
Find one from an adventure, bestiary, or other game supplement. That could work, but might take a while. What's the next boss you planned on using? Bring them on now? Or a weaker version of the next boss, just add a few weaknesses? This could be good foreshadowing. It helps if the two bosses are thematically related to each other. Cultists to the same dark god, dragons working for the same queen, and so on.
Jack in the Box This is easy and can be a lot of fun for the players. They bring down the demon, and they look at each other. "That was easy." Too easy.
Make one or more creatures get back up after they fall dead. If they are not undead, have them rise as undead. Drop their offensive and defensive powers a notch, give them typical undead features, and resume the battle.
If they are undead, you could make it obvious that a "dark ray came from the unholy altar and when it touched the creature, it jumped up, ready to continue the battle." Now the PCs know they will have to stop the altar from doing that or this could go on and on. Since you just made this up, let whatever crazy idea they come up with work.
I built a Jack in the Box into my 13th Age adventure The Tower in the Mist: Too Easy? Consider Fulvos coming back as a zombie mutant dragon the round after he goes down, with half hit points and -1 on all attacks, defenses, and damage.
13th Age is a high hit points game, so I cut the zombie Fulvos' hit points in half. He's up and undead, just long enough to scare the players and make the encounter fun. And who doesn't like a zombie mutant dragon?
Extending a Chase
Say a big exciting chase is over because your PCs caught the vampire with the horse/Mercedes/hover-bike in the first block, and you wanted it to drag the party to a major plot point that has to be outside town?
You can make the chase continue, but you need to do so in a way you don't negate their victory.
If it's not the vampire itself that's the goal, you could have the creature throw the magic item/deed/holo-chip to a confederate who carries it away. The party still has a high value prisoner, who may have other valuables, and they can follow the confederate.
If the vampire is the goal, you could have it escape at great cost. The PCs might be annoyed they haven't caught it yet, but they've wounded it terribly, and made it drop something valuable. It's keeping its distance, but the PCs know they are winning.
Part II: When Social Scenes End Too Quickly
Surprise!
Almost every roleplaying game that supports combat scenes has a rule for surprise. The surprised side gets some disadvantage, usually for the first round. Today I’m talking about when the player characters get surprised by the GM’s characters (NPCs or GMCs depending on your system), not the other way around.
Why bother with surprise? How does it translate into fun at your table?
- The default kind of fun is a more challenging combat. This is a great way to stress the PCs, and is particularly fun if the players are getting just a little too cocky. How long has it been since the players sweated the outcome of a combat? Standing there with targets on their faces while the opposition gets free shots is sure to get their attention.
- Surprise can help in world building. Maybe here in drow territory, drow have ambush points set up all over the place. You can tilt the odds of whatever surprise mechanics your system has to make it favor the drow in these encounters. As the players venture deep underground, drow ambushes become part of their world. “We go north, we need to be extra careful for drow surprises.”
- Surprise can help in shared world building. If the dice dictate the PCs are surprised, you can ask the players “Why are you surprised?” They can come up with all sorts of explanations you would never think of: “I’m so tired. Henrik’s ghost stories didn’t let me sleep last night.”
- Surprise can help build story. An antagonist might run ahead of the PCs, helping potential adversaries set up ambushes. Maybe it’s because they feel the PCs have cheated them. The GM can leave clues such as “this is the third ambush in a row that has the hallmarks of a Dr. Wild setup. The doctor sure seems to have it in for you.”
- Avoiding surprise by roleplaying can be rewarding. The players may meet someone who knows about the ambush ahead. If the players make friends, they find out about it. If the players are all murder-hobos, they’ll never learn that information.
- Avoiding surprise can be a good use of resources. Maybe use of a magic spell can reveal the ambush ahead. In a game like 13th Age, spending an icon boon could have icon send a message about the ambush. In a 5E type of game, a PC that is part of a faction may get the info as a faction favore. In a GUMSHOE game, players can spend their Sense Trouble points. The players can feel very good that they avoided walking into that trap, by spending a resource wisely to avoid it.
- In some systems, surprising the PCs can end up giving them resources. In Numenera and other Cypher System games, the GM can just declare the party is surprised as part of a group-wide GM Intrusion. Each PC then gets an experience point.
How have you used combat surprises to make your game more fun?
Intriguing Play
My home group recently finished a campaign. I asked for comments, and everyone agreed, I liked the previous campaign, but this was better. Well, that’s great, it must be I just keep getting awesomer. Or not.
People had many reasons, but a big thing for all the players is they felt more connected to the world. Like what they did mattered. Specifically, they connected to the world through intrigue.
At the end of the Numenera campaign (which people liked), I asked what they wanted more of next campaign. “Intrigue,” they said. (And more visual props, but that’s another post.)
Intrigue. How do I do that? It really helped that the 13th Age RPG has leaders of factions ready to intrigue against each other, the icons. I use the icons from Gods and Icons, but you can intrigue among any group of icons.
The Game of Icons
One thing we know is that in 13th Age, when one age ends and the next begins, some icons survive into the next, and some get replaced. That struggle for iconic survival turned out be the axis around which we spun the campaign. To keep everyone guessing I made morally ambiguous versions of some heroic and villainous icons. More gray--less black and white.
While I took advantage of a 13th Age feature, I’m sure most 13th Age campaigns don’t focus on intrigue. You don’t need a system with icons to do this. In pretty much every rpg setting you can find organizations or factions. Find out which ones would be fun for your players to defend or attack, and set them off against each other.
You can bring in agents of one faction who bad-mouth other factions, and drop hints such as, “as the age ends, all bets are off.” I used 13th Age icon agents for this.
I stole some conspiracy ideas from Night’s Black Agents, even coming up with a conspiracy pyramid (they call it the “conspyramid”) of a drow house controlled by Demogorgon who wanted to replace the current icon of hell. (Those of you who subscribe to the Dread Unicorn Games newsletter already have our version of Demogorgon, 13th Age style.)
Lower level nodes in the pyramid don’t know much, but (mostly) follow orders from above. The top of the pyramid was Demogorgon, trying to replace the current icon of hell. The PCs engage the bottom levels first, and climb up the pyramid. The final showdown with the big D was in the abyss, as traditional.
Intrigue games have a lot of NPCs, and I’m too lazy to make up tons of NPCs that never get used.
I stole a trick from some GUMSHOE improv campaigns (The Armitage Files and the Dracula Dossier). I came up with a bunch of NPCs, but did not decide if they were allies, enemies, or interested neutrals until the players met them. Instead of making 10 allies, 10 antagonists, and 10 neutrals, I made up names, descriptions, and quirks for 10 NPCs, and made 1 – 3 bullet points for each about how they would be played if they were self-interested, a house loyalist unaware of the demons pulling the strings, or knowingly working for Demogorgon.
For example:
Jandril: Female Drow Knight
- White scar on left side of face over dark blue skin
- Wears a red cape
Self-Interested
- One day I’ll be captain. Can I use the PCs to further my goal?
- Some sort of deadly political infighting going on among the other knights. Best to keep out of it.
House Loyalist
- All these demons and devils should make our house invincible. Time to move on the other houses!
Working for Demogorgon
- Honor guard for the demonic dragons when they hatch.
When the players were investigating the drow house, trying to stop Demogorgon's plan, they met Jandril. On the spot, I chose Self Interested and she became a possible ally and source of information for the PCs.
I’m not the only 13th Age GM thinking this way. Check out the Heavy Metal GM’s take on this.
PS
Our current campaign is the Dracula Dossier. Great fun for an intrigue loving group.
Numenera Celebration Sale!
Did someone say 24 Hour Sale on Numenera Print Books?
OK then!
$12.49 for The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady
$9.20 for The Sun Below: City on the Edge
Buy both and save on shipping!
Both include the PDF for free!!!
Gods and Icons Comes Together
We've got some great playtesting feedback, which really helps. The art is rolling in, the writing is almost done, and editing is underway. Next up: layout!
I wanted to share this lovely picture of Lady Akuma by Jeshields. People say terrible things about the Lady, but they don't know the half of it. Maybe she's just misunderstood. ;)
We were so lucky to find some great artists for Gods and Icons. Since I both love art and fail at the basics, I'm in awe of what people can turn my art specs into.
And let's not forget Supreme Commander Tyrvek! I'm pretty sure he's not misunderstood. ;)
James did a great job on Tyrvek standing alone, but I wanted to show him as leading an army. So James added the background and I love it!
Now that's it's August, our Christmas in July sale is over, but the savings don't stop! We lowered the price for both The Sun Below: City on the Edge to $2.49 and The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady to $6.49.
Keep on gaming!
John
Roll20Con!
Roll20Con is upon us! June 3rd, 24 hours of non-stop gaming. 5E, 13th Age, Numenera, and more! The first game convention held on Roll20. Watch, game, and help support Cybersmile, the international non-profit supporting victims of cyberbullying.
I'm running ColdSnap a 13th Age adventure at 1:30 (after the 13th Age WolfSamurai Twitch Actual Play). Join in!
More information from Darcy Ross on Roll20Con can be found on GnomeStew.
Roll 20 Curious? Check out our 2 part intro.
Who Wants a Cypher-Kiss?
Good News! CypherCaster issue 5 is Out!
Cypher Caster Magazine, issue 5. With ton of great content, including and interview with Bruce R. Cordell, Shanna Germain, and Dennis Detwiller.
Plus an instant adventure by yours truly, Kiss of Death! Kiss of Death, a Numenera adventure, which takes place in Branu's Kiss, a watery world floating in space found in Into the Night from Monte Cook Games.
You see Numenera fans, I haven't forgotten you.
Plus an article on cypher limits by Marc Plourde, another Into the Night instant adventure, this one by James Walls, and a Strange recursion by Rustin Coones & Scott Robinson.
Check it out at DriveThruRPG.
Sale Ends Leap Day and Kiss of Death for Numenera
A little Numenera love before the Gods and Icons Kickstarter eats my soul.
40% Off, Sale Ends Leapday
The post-valentine's day sale is ending soon. The PDF versions of The Sun Below: City on the Edge and The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady are still 40% off for the rest of February.
Kiss of Death
Numenera in Space! Into the Night from Monte Cook Games is an inspiring setting book that teleports the game into space. I wrote an instant adventure set in one of those space worlds, Kiss of Death.
Liskal the AI needs a mind-gem from Zalkezia of Branu’s Kiss. Liskal tells the PCs that Zalkezia will spit the gem out after leaving the Kiss. They must grasp the gem to be teleported home.
Look for the upcoming release of CypherCaster Issue 5, which will include Kiss of Death. This adventure is set in in the watery worldlet of Branu's Kiss from Into the Night.
CypherCaster magazine can be found at DriveThruRPG.com. CypherCaster 5 should be out in mid March.
Speaking of CypherCaster magazine, check out the bundle for issues 1 - 4. www.drivethrurpg.com/product/171996/CypherCaster-Issues-001004-BUNDLE
Art for Art's Sake
A little preview of the icon Baron Von Vorlatch for Gods and Icons. The baron rules the barony of Borgostnya for Emperor Roland. He likes the night.
And here's the new art for The Sun Below Bundle: City on the Edge and Sleeping Lady. Eventually That's How the Light Gets In will be there as well.
Spotlight Cards
Index cards are a GM's best friend. Remember the Hipster PDA?
I hate forgetting to give each player time in the spotlight. Therefore, I love having an index card for each player. I shuffle them before the game, and then flip the deck so I can see the top PC card.
On the left I put the information from the game system I need to be able to improv, things from the player's character sheet. I don't need numbers, just the background bits that help in roleplaying.
On the right side of the card I put the stuff the player loves to do in game with this PC. Play with his pet bear, drink at her regular watering hole, flirt with their favorite NPC, and so on.
I finish the left side with a question to myself. Has this PC gotten the spotlight yet? If not, I give them the spotlight ASAP, then put this card on the bottom of the deck and make sure the next PC gets a spotlight moment.
What's a spotlight moment? When you let the PC shine, make them the star of a scene. If they have a favorite action, like pick pocketing, flirting, or flying, I let them go for it. Action scene or pure roleplay, I make sure the character gets center stage.
Here's some examples. You can probably improve on these because no one knows your players better than you.
This is the Cypher System card. I have another question to myself: Has the PC had a GMI (Game Master Intrusion) yet? I'm talking a GM Intrustion that gives them experience points. The card helps me remember. GM Instrusions are fun, and players love the XP that comes with them.
This is the 13th Age card. When I'm working on a spotlight moment, I need the PC's One Unique Thing, their Icon Relationships, and their Backgrounds. Under the notes I might include favorite icon spirits and agents from past icon relationship rolls.
Here's the 5E card. What's important for spotlighting a 5E character might include the PC's background, trait, ideal, bond, and flaw.
Here's a generic GUMSHOE card. Drive and Occupation give me a handle for spotlight scenes.
I thought about doing a card for each GUMSHOE game, but realistically, I'd do them as needed for the games I'm running. On the right side I'd definitely list any sources of stability if they are used in this system, species for Ashen Stars, and so on...
It's easy enough to make your own for your favorite game system. They help me, maybe they'll help you.
OrcaCon
Had an amazing time at OrcaCon. Attended amazing panels and played amazing games. The organizers made everyone feel included. Ran some great 13th Age demos. Jonathan Tweet even stopped by during one. Bumped into old friends and made new ones. Shanna Germain congratulated me on my success. I melted.
Great time.
Did you know that 13th Age has undead owlbear archaeologists?
13th Age tip: I made up the monsters to match the PCs one unique things (magical archaeologist), backgrounds (Red Wastes explorer, which is close to the Owl Barrens), and icon relationships (lich king). Undead owlbear archaeologists power!
Happy New Year from Dread Unicorn Games!!!
Dread Unicorn Games in 2016
Are you going to OrcaCon? I am, please say hi! I'll be running a few 13th Age games for Fire Opal and attending as much gaming goodness as I can.
Our first products are sister titles: Gods and Icons for 13th Age and The Gods Have Spoken: Deities and Domains for 5E. Why two? It turns out most of the writing and art will work in both products, so why not?
Here's where we are now with Gods and Icons and The Gods Have Spoken:
- The writing is 75.09% done (+ or -). Vanessa has done a great job with three pantheons, and I'm excited to plug in their relationship to the icons for Gods and Icons. There will be holy swords for paladins and religious items for all the divine classes.
- I've been playtesting Gods and Icons for a few months now. Soon I'll give it to the real playtesters to try out.
- We're going to Kickstart the gods! You'll be able to pick either or both titles as your rewards.
- Since this is our first kickstarter, we're going to be cautious. We don't want to promise what we can't deliver! For example, we're not going to do our own printing and shipping. For physical copies, we'll use Drive Thru's Print on Demand and let them do the shipping.
- But we will have lots of great stretch goals: more content and more art!
- Speaking of art, we have a great cover artist! Justin Wyatt has agreed to do our cover art, which will include three gods and three icons. Yay! Gaming art fans will recognize Justin from The Sun Below: City on the Edge where he did interior art and The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady, where he did the amazing cover and interior art.
- Some of Justin's work:
After the Kickstarter, our next title will be a return to Numenera with another adventure: The Sun Below: That's How the Light Gets In. There the players will confront what happens to the underground world when The Sun Below starts to fail!
After that? We're not telling! There is so much going on in roleplaying right now. We've got a lot of great ideas, but first, let's get these three products out the door.
Happy New Year!
John
A Plague of Ones, Part II The Bad and the Ugly
Now it Gets Bad.
Now it Gets Ugly.
In Numenera, The Strange, and all other Cypher System games, the rule is: roll a one, the GM gets a "free" GM Intrusion with no experience point award. Ones are supposed to happen. 5% of the time.
But if you game enough, you'll be sure to run into the dreaded plague of ones. So many ones, what's a GM to do? A lot depends on what's going on in an encounter.
Last time we talked about the good side, when everyone is still having fun, despite the plague of ones. Now let's look at the harder problem, where the ones are wrecking your game.
A Plague of Ones in an Encounter that is No Longer Interesting
Combat
The cypher system is made for fast, exciting combat. But if the PCs just keep missing and are running out of pool points, what do you do? (For a more general solution, see End With a Bang.)
Adding typical combat intrusions (creature/artifact/environment) will slow down combat. But there's yet another one sitting there on the table, taunting you. We're assuming the combat is not spiraling down the TPK drain (see below), so why not try a different kind of intrusion?
If the foes flee, combat ends, and you can move to a more interesting scene. Next time the NPCs will be better prepared for the PCs (+1 level for attacks? Return in greater numbers? Find a higher level friend?). An iron door or a force screen could stop the party from pursuing and prolonging the pain. The foes might jump through a secret door and lock it behind them. Perhaps the foes can wave some treasure, say a cypher or artifact, at the PCs as they vanish. So long, suckers!
Or, give a typical combat intrusion a silver lining that helps bring the dragging combat to a close. The artifact sword slipped out of the PC's hand and flew across the room, but it also cleaved through a statue revealing hidden cyphers (that are perfect for ending the fight) within. A creature careens into the PC, knocking them both across the floor, but put itself in a vulnerable position for a different PC. Thanks Nojo! And sorry about the concussion...
Environmental (climbing, crafting, and so on...)
It's not any fun anymore, so end it. Maybe give some damage for doing something dangerous like climbing, then narrate how the rest of the party got the PC over the wall. The item in the workshop broke, the PC needs new parts, so try again another session. End it and jump to an exciting scene. The workshop's doors fly off their hinges and in comes a hulking steam powered automaton!
Social
Same thing, wrap it up and move on. Give the PC one last insult, and show the party the door. If this is a critical plot point, an NPC can whisper to a different PC to arrange a private meeting later. "The king will never listen to you now, but the prisoners in the vineyards still need you. Meet me in the park at midnight..."
A Plague of Ones in an Encounter that Threatens to Ruin the Session
Oh noes. Too many sessions like this can kill a campaign. At least you can blame the dice.
Combat
All these ones are pointing in one direction: TPK. Move to capture or let the PCs retreat. An intrusion could set off a trap that imprisons the PC, followed by an ultimatum for a party surrender. The PC could be mind controlled. A larger trap is sprung, and the way out is blocked while more foes join in the battle. "Surrender!"
Or nudge the party into fleeing. Describe how the tide has turned against them, and the foes are trying to encircle the PCs. A friendly NPC could try and hold off the foes. "Fly, you fools!" Drop the PC down the damage track and just let them know "You still have time to flee."
Dropping a PC down the damage track encourages them to flee as it makes the player feel vulnerable.
Environmental (climbing, crafting, and so on...)
It's hard to see how this kind of failure would kill a session, but if the players keep hitting their head on the wall, help them move on. Leave the scene and narrate to something fun. The wall collapsed, the workshop blew up, and a week later the party reaches the baron's tower (or whatever the next fun scene is).
Social
It's sad their social strategies have failed, but they did. So move on and narrate them to something exciting. If you succeed here at the tower, those back home might change their minds. But first things first. Like those giant clockwork worms heading your way. What do you do?
Move On
You see a common thread in all of these suggestions? If it's not fun, cut the scene and move on. Sometimes groups will get stuck trying the same thing over and over again, waiting for the dice to save them. Help the players move on, and everyone will benefit.
It's a game. It's supposed to be fun. So when it's not, move on.
A Plague of Ones, Part I
Too many Ones in a Cypher System Game? -- It's All Good
In Numenera, The Strange, and all other Cypher System games, the rule is: roll a one, and the GM gets a "free" GM Intrusion with no experience point award. Ones are supposed to happen. 5% of the time.
But if you game enough, you'll be sure to run into the dreaded plague of ones. So many ones, what's a GM to do? A lot depends on what's going on in an encounter.
Subjectively, more ones than is normal feels like a lot more. If the group's been rolling 10% ones instead of 5%, they're sure to notice. And claim that 25% of their rolls are ones! And since rpgs are entertainment, it's the perception that counts.
A Plague of Ones in a Fun Encounter
This is the easy case. Everyone's having a good time. People are laughing at all the ones showing up. (For when the Fun-O-Meter flatlines, see Part II: The Bad and the Ugly). The biggest problem is coming up with new and entertaining GM Intrusions.
Go with, or against, the theme of the game. Numenera intrusions should be high-weird. Intrusions in The Strange often work with the theme of the recursion. Playing a horror game? More horror!
Combat
OMG, another GM Intrusion, what can I do? Try another kind of GM Intrusion. You've been using creature intrusions? Great, now try a cypher or artifact intrusion. Or have the floor fall in, gravity reverse, objects turn into bubbles. Another foe shows up. A dead foe gets back up, always a table-pleaser. Or have the PC spring a trap.
There's nothing wrong with going back to creature intrusions, just sprinkle some other types in between.
Environmental (climbing, crafting, and so on...)
The poor nano has rolled three ones in a row trying to climb that wall? OK, falling is good to start with, but then think outside the box. Itchy insects have a hive right where the nano puts his hand. A passerby spots them, and wants to talk. The PC gets to the top, but falls over the other side. At least they're with the party now.
Crafting? They made something, but not what they set out to make. Perhaps it will work as intended, but have side effects, like being loud when the PCs want to be stealthy, or dripping oil on the Prince's favorite carpet, and so on.
Social
Perhaps you started with a social faux pas or two, now what? The PC is already looking like an idiot, move on. The PC could convince an NPC to do something, but not at all what the character intended. Communication breakdown! Has the slip of the tongue implied a marriage proposal? Was the party trying to hide their true motives? Oops, they just gave them away.
Next Time
Next time we'll look at the harder problem when people are rolling ones and the players are not having fun. Attention is flagging or maybe even people are no longer willing to engage. What will you do?
Cypher System Creature: Child of Golthnor
The Child of Golthnor is found in The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady. For more on this horror, and it's parents, see the adventure. Without the adventure, just gloss over it's parentage.
This eldritch horror is designed as an extreme challenge to any tier party, from tier one to tier six. Need a transdimensional boss fight? The child is here to help. Stats are presented in three groups, separated by /s. The first stat is for tiers 1 and 2. The second for tiers 3 and 4. The last for tiers 5 and 6.
Child of Golthnor 6/8/10 (18/24/30)
This transdimensional child of a synite and Golthnor is a sanity-blasting monstrosity. It usually stays invisible, but once it attacks, it shows its true form: a 16 foot (5 m) synite saucer covered in weeping red eyes and lipless drooling mouths. Atop the saucer is a writhing mass of purple trunks and tendrils, some ending in eyes, others in fanged maws.
The first Child of Golthnor the PCs meet has a lumpy humanoid face that stares out in horror from this mass of corruption, whispering, “Help me,” in a dozen languages, including Truth. Perhaps this is a face the PCs have met before in happier circumstances.
Motive: Open the door between worlds and let Golthnor in. Seek out esoteries that deal with transdimensional entities. Eat mass quantities of fresh meat.
Environment: Any, especially near a portal to other dimensions.
Health: 18/30/42
Damage Inflicted: 6/8/10
Armor: 3/10/25 vs. normal physical weapons; 1/3/6 vs. numenera weapons and esoteries.
Movement: Short (flying)
Modifications: Speed defense 8/10/10 when invisible; 5/7/9 when visible. Those in thrall to Golthnor are immune to the Child’s sanity blasting attacks.
Combat: When invisible, approaching within 100 feet (30 m) causes an Intellect attack that does 3/4/5 points of Intellect damage if not resisted. To physically attack, the Child must become visible.
When visible, looking at it the first time causes an Intellect attack that does 6/12/18 points of Intellect damage.
A Child of Golthnor attacks twice per round, with a bite and a constricting trunk.
Bite: 7/9/11 points of damage
Twisted jaws clamp down on your flesh and grind back and forth. Will the pain ever stop?
Trunk: 11/15/19 points of damage from crushing and blood drain. Target must escape the next round to avoid automatic crushing and blood drain.
You can’t breath and it feels like your ribcage is about to pop. Dozens of mouths burrow into your wounds and suck. Your head spins as your blood is drained. The trunk holds on, obviously unsated.
Interaction: Will only assist those in thrall to Golthnor.
Use: This creature is great for defending a portal that Golthnor is trying to open.
Loot: The saucer yields 1d6 squirming bio-mechanical cyphers.
GM Intrusion: A mass of tendrils reaches for the face of someone in immediate range, level 8/10/10. If it hits, it forces the target’s mouth open, and a wriggling mass of pus with worm-like appendages slides down the victim’s throat. Move down one step on the damage track and gain the Gibbering descriptor until Golthnor is defeated (use Mad if you don't have The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady).
Options: In a Cypher System horror game where you are using shock levels, the Child of Golthnor counts as mind-bending. Any encounter that ends up with a Child of Golthnor is a great excuse for using Horror Mode.
In a recursion of The Strange, a Child of Golthnor may be a mad-science child of a robot and a planetovore.
More: Follow the link for more information on The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady.