tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954394848487110923.post3852708152934358024..comments2024-03-24T23:21:24.747-04:00Comments on Gothridge Manor: Families as a PositiveGothridge Manorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11371740532802642972noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954394848487110923.post-22727676004585999782010-04-06T16:36:09.051-04:002010-04-06T16:36:09.051-04:00I've actually had players turn those tables on...I've actually had players turn those tables on me, and <a href="http://trollsmyth.blogspot.com/2009/02/romance-sex-and-d-women-are-from-venus.html" rel="nofollow">use their family and friends as powerful resources</a> in games. I let them get away with it because it's fun and ties both the characters and the players more fully into the setting. Everyone wins.<br /><br />But yeah, I've seen the knee-jerk orphan thing as well, and it mostly just amuses me these days.trollsmythhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01895349218958093151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954394848487110923.post-59613437544537789592010-04-06T14:18:12.513-04:002010-04-06T14:18:12.513-04:00One reason family doesn't suck all the time in...One reason family doesn't suck all the time in Pendragon is one can get hep occasionally in battle from family members as most of a knights adult male relatives are knights and one gets replacement characters from children. <br /><br />In a D&D game a PC can channel exp and GP to train family members to build up replacement characters to whatever level such investment would allow. No family members, loyal henchmen, apprentices or boy Robin's hanging out around the castle? Then you get yourself a 1st level PC to replace a dead one.JDJarvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07691101939920824546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954394848487110923.post-77367449808157299692010-04-06T11:07:55.218-04:002010-04-06T11:07:55.218-04:00Having families is more fun both for threats to th...Having families is more fun both for threats to the family that can lead to adventures and the support that families can give (which can also lead to adventure). But it is a balance, they should never be all one of the other.<br /><br />The last loner sort of character I ran, classic his village was wiped out background, was actively searching for a new family and a place to live. When he found them, he retired from adventuring.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954394848487110923.post-44752082513048819602010-04-06T11:06:17.788-04:002010-04-06T11:06:17.788-04:00I too am going out my way to not use family as a t...I too am going out my way to <i>not</i> use family as a thumbscrew in my ongoing Pendragon campaign.<br /><br />I think another reason both PCs and GMs tend to prefer "loner" characters boils down to path of least resistance (aka laziness). Having an extended family makes for lots of extra NPCs - more work for the GM, takes the focus off the "unique snowflake" PC, etc. Again, from my recent Pendragon experience, it takes effort to remember to integrate cousins, uncles, parents, and siblings into a campaign backdrop.David Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04133630988557116729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954394848487110923.post-81308532832807801782010-04-06T10:59:20.880-04:002010-04-06T10:59:20.880-04:00I once looked at my group of players who's cha...I once looked at my group of players who's characters were all orphans, and said "How many people do you know that are orphans?" They all knew the same orphan. I said "One character can be an orphan."David The Archmagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11649391406526258069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1954394848487110923.post-74795093714903060962010-04-06T08:28:57.171-04:002010-04-06T08:28:57.171-04:00Families as plot devices.
I blame a lot of recent...Families as plot devices.<br /><br />I blame a lot of recent TV, especially TV from 2000 on. Families became not a source of strength but a means to screw over the hero of the tale.<br /><br />In my games I try to do things differently, even with games based on TV shows from the time. <br /><br />So thanks for the tip on Pendragon, I own the game, but have never played it.Timothy S. Brannanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02923526503305233715noreply@blogger.com