Failure is Fun

Christian wrote a great blog a little while ago about The Value of Failure. I always say that it starts with your group. Who you play with and why. You know who in your group will throw a tantrum if the dragon eats their horse or fails a save vs. a fireball and becomes a smoldering pile of ash. It happens and its a game. But we know who can take and who can't. I'm not going to cover convention gaming groups because that is usually a one shot deal and if someone is being a dick you can tell them to sit down shut their yap because you'll probably never see them again.

Our group has through the years seen its share of people who just could not handle failure. It becomes a personal issue and is no longer a game. Oh, the drama. Hopefully you have one person in the group that can smooth out these times. I tend to be that person in our group. Because they are my friends I can tell them to stop being a wank, you had a bad roll your character is dead roll up a better one next time. Hell, I'm on my third.

To me failure is the best part of the game. Recently during a game, my character being an ultra stealthy elf type rolled a '1' during a recon mission. So not only did I slip down the hillside causing a minor avalanche , I landed in the middle of the gigantic orc encampment I was supposed to be 'quietly' observing. Alone. I laughed my ass off as well as the other players. Did I survive? Well kinda sorta, but it doesn't matter because I had fun. The failure made something predictable into something I wasn't expecting. The GM also knows I'll go with anything. Failure is okay with me. If my character gets killed I'm okay with it. Its the dangers of being an adventurer.

Those who take it as a personal insult probably shouldn't be playing the game or playing a different game. You can't be heroic without having to climb out of some pool of crap and surmounting horrible odds. Failures make your characters better...if they survive. If they don't survive hopefully you have a great story about the death. If not, lie. All my character have died heroic deaths in fictional sorta way.

Take a look at the group dynamics and see where your problem areas lie with the players and even the GM. Especially the GM. Cause if he ain't happy he's gonna make sure everyone else ain't either. Players who have problems with failure need to be taught (and I do me taught) that its fine, its fun and its a game to be enjoyed. It takes time, and if you he a friend or relative then its time wells spent. Be patient and lead by example.

Is this where I say, "Thank you, Captain Obvious"?

PS. Added note. Since I am getting Black Ops after work today I am prepared to fail thousands of times and be 'owned'. I do suffer from Turrets Syndrome when I play CoD, but it's all good in the end. :)

100 Followers and Oh God, Not Another Magic System

I finally crawled my way to 100 Brilliant People. I didn't realize they were so scarce. Thanks to Chris Kutalik for being the 100th.

Yes, I am working on a magic system. Don't throw things or groan or roll your eyes at me. Just pipe down and listen up. My two favorite systems are AD&D and GURPS. Two beasts with very little in common. Here are a few quick shots I like about both.

- I like the base level and experience that AD&D has compared to GURPS where it is a point based system that often result in very powerful characters in a short amount of time.

- GURPS has options out the wazoo. I like options, but I don't like getting my wazoo involved. The magic system can be manipulated in various ways that can make each culture have their own twist. AD&D, with the Vancian system is too cartoony for me. All of a sudden at 5th level you can learn a 3rd level fireball and blow up the world. It was fun when I was 14, but not as much now.

- I like the spell point system GURPS uses. You can be a starting character and cast potent spells from the get go, but it takes time to recover. AD&D the Vancian system you cast it and forget it. Never made sense to me. I like the idea a character can cast decent level spells from the beginning.

What my system for the game I plan to eventually run is a point based Vacian system. Ha, you thought I wasn't going to use the Vancian way since I talked smack about it. Let me rewind and go back to the beginning of character creation.

Oh and before I even start this section, players start at 0-level. Why not? A magic-use starts with a number of Spell Points (SP) equal to his intelligence. Intelligence also provides the base number of spells a magic-user can learn. These spells are memorized and can be used as long as the magic-user has available spell points. So say the mage has magic missile, hold portal and sleep in his arsenal he doesn't have to choose ahead of time which he uses he can use any of them because he knows the spell it's a matter of does he have enough spell points to cast it.

The base cost of spells is 10 spell point/level of the spell and 1 point for 0-level spells. When I say level of the spells it is for figuring point cost. If a 1st level magic-user learned a 6th level spell and managed to get the required spell points to cast it he may do so. In addition, certain properties of spells may be boosted by plowing more spell points into the casting. A magic-user may need to increase a spells range or make his light spell a bit more powerful. So this gives spells a flexibility that is not normally there.

Back to character creations and advancement. Magic-users gain a d10 in spell points at 1st level. This is done on odd level advancements. On even level advancements the magic-users may roll to learn a new spell or gain another d6 in spell points. It takes a number of weeks to learn the spell equal to the level of the spell. But there is always a chance the spell won't take. The chance of learning a spell is based on the player's intelligence. Spell points are gained automatically.

Available in the world are forms of raw and stored mana. There are raw forms of magic called viz. These form naturally in various magical places. A pond will form small pebbles of mana. Each of these pebbles may be used as 1spell point toward the casting of a spell. And of course larges stones may be worth more spell points. Once the viz is used it is gone. This idea I blatantly ripped off from Ars Magica.

Also there are power stones, and idea I blatantly ripped off from GURPS. I'm not proud. Anyway there are magic imbued stones, usually gems of some sort that absorb the magic out of the land. It does this passively and no effort is needed by the player. What it can do, depending on the size, is store a number of spell points to be used in casting. The charge time for these is slow usually one spell point/day, but they are reusable and helpful in a pinch.

So there is actually quick look at Oh god, not another magic system.

Sleestak (Vote for Chaka's Fate)

Yesterday a sleestak followed me home. I decided to call him Sam. Say hi Sam.

"Hi'sssss"
Like a good sleestak he keeps the house clear of Pakuni. Sam caught this one within two hours of being in his new home.

Sam doesn't like Pakuni and neither do I. He would like to sacrifice this one to his dark god. Since it is election day Sam has decided to allow all of you to decide the filthy Pakuni's fate.

Vote now. Yeah to sacrifice to the sleestak god or nah to free the Pakuni.

0-Level Spells

I've update a list of 0-level spells for download at Media Fire. I'll post a link on the side of the blog along with the Starter Adventures which is over 450 downloads. Very cool.

Cantrips Love'em or Leave'em?

I'm curious to see what others think about the no level spells or Cantrips, or sometimes called Apprentice level spells. I was working on my spell list/magic system and liked the addition of them...for now. I've never used them before and think they will add a nice dimension to the game.

My introduction to cantrips was Unearthed Arcana. For a short time our group used the hell out of them, but they were quickly forgotten. One of the things I am doing is getting rid of the redundancy where the spell creates some simple noise. I put them all under one spell, Create Sound which allows the player to create a tapping, creaking, moaning, or whistling sound. No words. I took out all the cantrips that made others do something, such as belch, giggle and sneeze as some examples. For a low level spell I don't think it is appropriate that it can control another person's action.

I did want to keep the spells useful though. Most are simple convenience of life spells, but some can really make a difference. Such as Find Water spell in the desert would come in real handy. Also Alarm will help with keeping the campsite safe on those long trips. There is also a couple of low level attack spells. Fire Finger does 1d3 damage so a magic-user won't have to waste a precious spell slot to get rid of a giant rat.

I've included a download link to the list I have right now. There are a few more cantrips I want to add, but still compiling the information. My system includes the usage of spell points (SPs) and the ability to increase a spell's potency by increasing the number of SPs.

I am curious how others have used cantrips in the past and if it worked out. Any suggestions would be helpful and if you like what I have so far that is helpful to know also.

It's Monday and I am on vacation. Don't hate me. Muhahahaha.

Forgot to add the link. 0 level Spell List

Vancian Halloween Presents

My wife and I exchange weird and cool gifts on Halloween every year. It's a lot of fun and sometimes they are better presents than gotten on Christmas. Finally, after going into my 5th decade of gaming I am going to read Jack Vance's, The Dying Earth. I've heard about it for so long I finally figured I might as well take the time to read it. So my gift this year was Tales of the Dying Earth. Includes all four books. So I am looking forward to taking the week off and indulging in a book that helped shape our obsessive hobby. Have a great Halloween and I hope you get something fun for yourself.

Those of you who already know The Happy Whisk, my wife, is dressed up for Halloween this year. Although when she spins too much in the living room she runs into things.

Killer Pumpkins

Have a great Friday before Halloween.

Driving NPCs Insane

I realized in last night's game session I've been running a very nasty elf. He is one sadistic s.o.b. I had justified some of his behaviors because of one slight or another, but last night my retribution (for a 150sp) had driven an NPC insane. The Warden, leader of a band of thugs known as the Madmen, flipped his lid. He obsessed about killing me drawing horrible little pictures on the wall and allowed himself to be possessed by a demon just to get at little old Ashling.

That's a first for me and I have to admit a little satisfying. I'd written what Ashling had done to this guy before in, Always Pay the Elf. This time the party had struck up deal with the powers that be and I wanted to live in the bastille where the Madmen lived. We marched in and took out all the low level thugs with sleep spells. Convinced one of the lieutenants he had a bright future with us and no future with the Madmen. Webbed the guard outside the Warden's door and this is where Ashling got a bit nasty again.

The door was locked barricaded and trapped. Since I'd been in the room before I teleported in. Don't you hate when all your preparation goes to crap in an instant? On the walls are several depictions of me being killed in various and horrible ways. His place looked clean and organized when I first was in here and now it looked a mess. This is when I realized I'd knocked this guy over the edge. A short trip to get there, but never the less he was flat out obsessed with killing me. So begins the third and final stage our encounters.

So while the Warden slept I poured oil over myself, on and around his bed. I have a Ring of Fire Resist so no worries and Rob let me play it out without getting rulesy on me. So I lit myself on fire and start shouting the Warden's real name, Mok. Mok wakes up terrified, but realizes who I am and screams, "I'm ready for you this time elf!" and pulls a sword from under his pillow. I place my burning hand on the bed and whoosh the bed is on fire. He wasn't prepared for that and scrambled away and huddled in the corner.

"I'll bet you wish you paid me that 150sp." But this wasn't about that any longer. It was about me killing the Warden and taking his place. He attacked me, but knocked himself out on my wall of force. The others came in Oelander and Syrinvald, we saw he had a demon necklace charm. Took it off and he began to transform. Oelander shoved his demon slayer sword into the Warden and killed him.

Now before we even started this I told them let me have the Warden and Oelander went ahead and killed him anyhow. Now I am not going to start drawing pictures on the wall, but I wish I was the one who killed the Warden.

Blogging is a Strange and Wonderful Thing

Sometimes this blog thing is a strange and wonderful thing. A couple days ago I wrote a short, fill in blog about medieval bathroom accessories. Actually didn't write about them just showed them. I thought it would give a few people a laugh and a few people might actually get it for a gift. Then the blog entry would drift into the ether of the blogoshpere. Not so.

In two days I have had nearly 1000 hits for that blog. By far the most hits I've ever had for any blog I've written. On a good day for me I might get 150 hits. A great day I may get 200. You know what? That's not the weirdest thing about all this fascination with medieval toiletry items. The weirdest thing is almost half of those hits came from Texas. I have no explanation. I don't even have a guess as to why Texas has bombarded my site. I would love to know what the obsession is with knights holding toilet paper or a crapper cover in the shape of a shield is with the Texans. I'm not judging. I'm just wondering.

My 15 - Guest Blog

Hi Guys,

This is Tim's wife, guest blogging with My 15.

Clue: I played with Mamam (Hungarian Gram), because she never fudged the game and she always sounded like Dracula’s wife, when she read the cards.

Othello: Loved this game. Still enjoy it.

Charlie’s Angels: Technically not a game, but it’s what we played in the school yard. I was always Kelly Garrett, and had picture ID in my pocket, to prove it.

Space Invaders: Don’t know which version just that I never played with the sound on.

D&D: Never played as a kid, but did play recently with Tim. After which, he bought me my very own pretty pink dice.


Hungry Hungry Hippo: Colored hippos eating marbles. What’s not to love?

Zuma on the 360: NOT a fan of the computer version.

Risk: I never played risk but I have played Whisk with Mamam. It’s when we’d make homemade chocolate icing and I’d hand-whisk the heavy cream until my little arms were too tired. I never won. Does that count as a game?

In the Closet with a Book: This is a single player game, I invented it when I wanted quiet. I’d hide in the closet, with a flashlight and my Nancy Drew books.

Charlie’s Angels Board Game: Check out the groovy picture.



Easy Bake Oven: Not a game but I loved baking cakes and melting Tootsie Rolls. The Tootsie Rolls always took the longest to melt, under that little oven light bulb.

Detective in a Tree: A game where I sat in the tree with my detective notebook, taking notes as to the neighbor's whereabouts and goings-on.

Ghost of a Haunted House: This is a game where I’d sneak to my neighbor's house, rig their screen door with fishing wire and hide. When they came home, I’d open the door from a remote location.

Wonder Woman: My mom says I’d spin around the living room for hours. Probably not a real game either, but I do remember eating every night at the table, dressed as Wonder Woman.

Bionic Woman: A game where I pretended to have super strength in everything I did, while making cool bionic noises.

Thanks for reading My 15, and thanks for to the blogger who started it. This was a lot of fun. Happy Gaming :-)

Rocking Your Bathroom Medevial Style

You know you want it. And if you get the above ya gotta get the below.

So now you know what to put on the top of your Christmas lists. Insert all the bathroom puns here which I have resisted.

The website is here. They do have some cool stuff.

My 15 Games

These are various games that got me playing. They are not in any real order. There is a mix of RPGs, board games, video games and one card game.

1. AD&D, it started it all.

2. GURPS, more 3rd edition than 4th, but still love getting me some GURPS.

3. Atari 2600: Adventure, 1st D&D game on video.

4. Risk, pretty much everyone has this on their list.

5. Titan, I'm surprised this one is not on more lists.

6. Monopoly, are you kidding who could forget this one.

7. Cyberball, robot football, these guys are allowed knock the crap out of one another with getting fined.

8. Ultima Online, my first on-line addition. Spend way too much time on this game.

9. Cyberpunk, very cool game with a lot of great moments.

10. Swords & Wizardry and Castles & Crusades are tied here. C&C drew me in initially, but it was S&W that made me stay.

11. Pendragon, love this game and have never ran one. Something about the books that just gets my imagination churning.

12. Trouble, loved popping the little bubble over the die and first game I think I had a strategy.

13. Magic the Gathering, our group got in at the beginning and played the hell out of it, but it burned out fast.

14. OSRIC, definitely a great game that doesn't seem to get as much play as some of the retro clones.

15. Madden 93, first Madden game I think, may have been 92. Finally a football game that I always wanted.

Guard Greetings

So the party is strolling or riding to some city, town or backwood village and usually there is a wall, where there is usually a gate, where there is usually a guard or guards in various stages of boredom. Standing all day guarding a hole in the wall can test the limits of your sanity. How many times have the players approached and the guards shout "Halt, state your business." Then the player smartass replies fly. Well here is a mix of things the guards can greet the players with. Some are more serious and some are very smartass. Why let the players have all the fun?

1. Halt, state your business. (Why reinvent the wheel. This is always the tried and true greeting.)

2. Good day sirs (and ladies) what brings you to our quiet little town? (Same as above, but more polite.)

3. Guards don't say a thing. They don't care.

4. One gold per person, per cart, per horse and per comment I don't like.

5. Adventures, welcome to (insert name here), we have many fine taverns and shops within, but I need to ask you to behave. The guard points to the two bodies hanging from the walls. The lord will not tolerate chaos here so please act accordingly.

6. Name. Place of birth. List of arms.

7. It's been a long time since I've seen a group as ugly as this. I don't think they can pass through my pretty gate. That is unless they pay an ugly tax and by the looks of you it's gonna be high.

8. Archers aim at that one (the guard points at the most annoying person in the party. If the guards are going to kill someone it might as well be the annoying one). If he moves kill him. Kill them all. I don't like this group. Only one of you can go in while the others wait outside. And that one (the annoying player) is not allowed to be the one to go in.

9. I like meat.

10. The guard seems to wake up even though he was standing. Halt. Halt I say. Halt in the name of Lord...ummm.

11. Stop. You need a writ of passage to enter. The Lord requires all travelers to have a stamped writ of passage. Don't have one? You can buy one over there for 50gp.

12. It's raining again and I always get stuck doing the shit duty. I don't know why they hate me. They all hate me. I didn't do a damn thing to them.

13. Good day to you and welcome to our town. Is there anything I can assist you with?

14. All weapons need to be secured. Magic items must be checked in with the mage guild. If this is a problem turn around and go home. This is not an option and I am not interested in arguing about it.

15. Did you see any trolls out there? I heard them the other night growling and hooting in the woods over yonder.

16. By the gods you've arrived at last the lord is waiting for you. (Insert very annoying adventure here.)

17. The guards surround the party and a group of men ride out. This town is not accepting visitors this day.

18. Hey, doesn't that guy look like Harold? Hey buddy can you take off your helmet? Other guard comes walking around. He don't look nothing like him. Yes he does. No he don't. (You get the picture.)

19. A very short guard says, I smell something funny. Smells like trouble. Are you trouble? He points at a party member. (Little guard syndrome.)

20. You may pass. (I'm already running late for work so that's all I got.)