1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
- Tribe of One
- Posts: 1208
- Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2017 9:28 am
1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
GM Poll Fourth Quarter 2017
Members of the 18th: I'm a little late getting this up, but have at it!
Tribe of One, Game Master (GM)
How to “rate” the GM, their Duties:
• Post Rate
• Notify Players via Hangouts of new posts.
• Be available to Players
☞ Maintain a GM post rate at a minimum of one adventure post per week.
☞ Have the IM contact info of each player in their group.
☞ Notify all players in the group via IM or PM of new GM posts, and other important updates.
☞ Be available for IM chat at least one day a week.
Note: Stealing this code with a hat tip to Pender
Above are the criteria for rating GMs on the site. As you have time, please vote in the above poll and let me know how I've done as your GM. Also let me know specifically what worked, fell flat or could have worked better -- good, bad or ugly I appreciate the feedback. If there are mechanics or storylines you'd like to see get more attention, let me know that, too! I'm always looking for new ideas to kill you, I mean thrill you with!Tribe of One
GM Rating Reward Table
Earn 5 EP
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Earn 3 EP
Earn 2 EP
Earn 1 EP
Fired 0 EP
GM Bennies: 7/7
- Jack 'Bullet' Jones
- Silver Patron
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:21 pm
Re: 1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
Top notch. Love the GM recap of the round's actions with some flavor. Works very well to tie 8 different posts together. Good use of theater of the mind combat when appropriate. Super cool story and twists. Different challenges added with chaotic ley lines, station ambush with everyone in separate locations, etc. Love seeing how Stella has taken on a life of her own. Precisely zero complaints or gripes. Wouldn't change a thing.
Bullet Jones
- Duncan Montana
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Thu Dec 07, 2017 3:24 am
- Orrin Truthseeker
- Bronze Patron
- Posts: 220
- Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 8:11 pm
Re: 1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
I agree. This game is going great! Loving the twists and turns its taking, and they don't feel forced at all. The rate the game is moving at is perfect, and Tribes and everyone else's storytelling is spot on.
My only potential suggestion (and I am not sure if I even agree with myself here, so I would be interested in what other people think) is maybe kicking the "difficulty" up a notch?
In general, I think we have never been at any real risk of actually "failing" something, which I think can make the game feel a little linear if that make sense. It doesn't have to be a life or death type failure, but one that has some sort of significant impact? One of the things I think that can be fun about table top RPGs is dealing with failing a method (even with good rolls, it just conceptually is an approach that doesnt work out) and going "crap, that didn't work, now how do I deal with this".
Anyone else have a thought on that? (You can totally disagree with me).
My only potential suggestion (and I am not sure if I even agree with myself here, so I would be interested in what other people think) is maybe kicking the "difficulty" up a notch?
In general, I think we have never been at any real risk of actually "failing" something, which I think can make the game feel a little linear if that make sense. It doesn't have to be a life or death type failure, but one that has some sort of significant impact? One of the things I think that can be fun about table top RPGs is dealing with failing a method (even with good rolls, it just conceptually is an approach that doesnt work out) and going "crap, that didn't work, now how do I deal with this".
Anyone else have a thought on that? (You can totally disagree with me).
Orrin Truthseeker
- Sir Blurre
- Bronze Patron
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:02 pm
- Tribe of One
- Posts: 1208
- Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2017 9:28 am
Re: 1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
Noted, and I agree. Although I'm not new to GMing, I am new to Savage Worlds, so I've been trying to dial in on power levels, but you guys just keep blowing things away. In hindsight, for example, I'd have made Marl's crazy and zapper henchmen Wild Cards, which I feared might be too much at the time, and added a few more Wild Cards to the Coalition attack. Horkathorr was scaled up from a normal Thornhead demon by ~10-15 advances, at a guess, and accompanied by 8 demons with stats equal to juicers, and a -2 penalty to pretty much all of your actions. He lasted two rounds and smashed a hovercycle, which is about as effective as I have seen a BBEG be in SR. It is certainly my intention to provide a good challenge, so I'll keep experimenting; more mid-level Wild Cards is certainly something I plan to test, and some of the other GMs have had some interesting ideas recently for making skill challenges/quick combats more interesting.Orrin Truthseeker wrote:My only potential suggestion (and I am not sure if I even agree with myself here, so I would be interested in what other people think) is maybe kicking the "difficulty" up a notch?
In general, I think we have never been at any real risk of actually "failing" something, which I think can make the game feel a little linear if that make sense. It doesn't have to be a life or death type failure, but one that has some sort of significant impact? One of the things I think that can be fun about table top RPGs is dealing with failing a method (even with good rolls, it just conceptually is an approach that doesnt work out) and going "crap, that didn't work, now how do I deal with this".
GM Bennies: 7/7
- Orrin Truthseeker
- Bronze Patron
- Posts: 220
- Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 8:11 pm
Re: 1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
I hear ya. I'm new to Savage Rifts, but it certainly seems like Hi powered is the name of the game for savage rifts, and we've got 8 characters in the party who are completely tricked out and designed to essentially cover all areas of potential need. So I am not exactly sure HOW to do it without making it impossible, or without practically guaranteeing that SOMEONE is going to be severely wounded.... Wild card #s I think would help. You figure we've got 8 on our side.Tribe of One wrote:
Noted, and I agree. Although I'm not new to GMing, I am new to Savage Worlds, so I've been trying to dial in on power levels, but you guys just keep blowing things away. In hindsight, for example, I'd have made Marl's crazy and zapper henchmen Wild Cards, which I feared might be too much at the time, and added a few more Wild Cards to the Coalition attack. Horkathorr was scaled up from a normal Thornhead demon by ~10-15 advances, at a guess, and accompanied by 8 demons with stats equal to juicers, and a -2 penalty to pretty much all of your actions. He lasted two rounds and smashed a hovercycle, which is about as effective as I have seen a BBEG be in SR. It is certainly my intention to provide a good challenge, so I'll keep experimenting; more mid-level Wild Cards is certainly something I plan to test, and some of the other GMs have had some interesting ideas recently for making skill challenges/quick combats more interesting.
BTW... what is BBEG? Big Bad Evil Guy?
Orrin Truthseeker
- Tribe of One
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- Sir Blurre
- Bronze Patron
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- Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 9:02 pm
Re: 1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
Yeah, I've found that the most balanced tactical fights have 1 enemy support WC per 2 PCs, plus 1 BBEG WC, plus Mooks to round out the field. (Interestingly, lots of mooks are more dangerous in this game than they are in many other SW settings, simply because of the lethality of basic weaponry anyone can carry around. They go down easy enough (armor doesn't quite keep pace, especially at the lower ends), but if they get to their Initiative card, you end up playing the odds to get a few damage Aces, simply because you're rolling a few dozen dice.)
Sir Blurre
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- Silverclaws
- Silver Patron
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- Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 1:42 pm
Re: 1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
I am pleased with the campaign. Like many, Savage Worlds is a new arena for me.
Thanks for the flexibility in allowing some unplanned narrative. I generally compose a post with an idea when it first comes to me. Then I narrate and edit it based on the direction you kind of direct.
Thanks for the flexibility in allowing some unplanned narrative. I generally compose a post with an idea when it first comes to me. Then I narrate and edit it based on the direction you kind of direct.
- Jack 'Bullet' Jones
- Silver Patron
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- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:21 pm
Re: 1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
Re: difficulty, I think the attack on the Sidewinder had the potential to be damaging. SAMAS are no joke, and firebreather rifles / grenades are nasty. If Jack hadn't been spelled up (and blown his entire stash of ISP) I might be looking at a new character. Multiple phases of combat / limited recuperation times are going to play havoc with at least my own ability to contribute. I definitely felt the crunch. Not every GM backs up a combat with a new potential-combat situation like you did here. Power / resource management isn't always a consideration in PbP, and you made it one here (much to my surprise.) That will keep me on my toes.
The thornhead and his minions were bloody tough to take down, even though it was only a couple rounds of a fight. That much armor is hard to get around and required teamwork to take down. The environmental hazard of zombies made the shadow demons really hard to hit with something that isn't a banish spell. I personally had no problem with the power levels on the enemies. It took teamwork to get through. One person didn't win the day here. We'd still be chipping away at Horkathorr if Orrin doesn't drop that armor. We'd probably have some fatalities if Rill couldn't send the demons packing.
I think, if you're not dialed in on the difficulty levels, you're close enough that I'd be satisfied with slight tweaks, not giant turns of the knob. That's just one guy talking. Of course, Bullet Jones can handle whatever you throw at him, so he's not worried.
The thornhead and his minions were bloody tough to take down, even though it was only a couple rounds of a fight. That much armor is hard to get around and required teamwork to take down. The environmental hazard of zombies made the shadow demons really hard to hit with something that isn't a banish spell. I personally had no problem with the power levels on the enemies. It took teamwork to get through. One person didn't win the day here. We'd still be chipping away at Horkathorr if Orrin doesn't drop that armor. We'd probably have some fatalities if Rill couldn't send the demons packing.
I think, if you're not dialed in on the difficulty levels, you're close enough that I'd be satisfied with slight tweaks, not giant turns of the knob. That's just one guy talking. Of course, Bullet Jones can handle whatever you throw at him, so he's not worried.
Bullet Jones
- Severianna
- Diamond Patron
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2017 10:45 am
Re: 1st Quarter 2018 GM Poll
threading the needle here seems tricky. The Bads shouldn't be able to one shot us in a round and put 3 wounds or more on us unless it's a super difficult encounter or we did something stupid to get into it. But it should be more difficult. The power creep is real.