Re: (TFT) My three rules of GMing

[lifeisfun@aol.com]

You know, I often wonder where this "strip down the characters" methodology was first employed.  Honestly, I'm a bit tired of it.  While it does take you back to the roots of the game, and allows you to really guage the baseline power of your character, I think it is exceedingly unfair to the middle of the road characters with talents that require weapons.  Oh joy, our physicker is worthless without his med kit.  If only he was a master physicker, then we might get healed for a whopping one point.  Good thing the two weapons fencing character is along.  He's a heck of a boxer with his 14 strength.  At least he can hit twice.
 
No, I think that the "strip and imprison" campaign start really favors the wizards and the very strong tanks.  Maybe it allows a thief character to shine as well.  
 
But, what really pains me about this type of start is the circumstance itself.  Many of my characters will fight to the death rather than be imprisoned in the first place.  Ok, so our gaming group tends to "party" quite a lot while we play.  And... our characters tend to drink, smoke, pop, and smear just about any magical potion, joint, mushroom, pill or ointment they find into or onto themselves.  So, I guess it is feasible that they end up jailed, passed out or robbed every so often.  But, I've been on so many missions that start with the "strip and imprison" gimik that it's wearing thin.  
 
Pardon me while I search the rulebook for a reference about chemical dependency and support groups that might help me break out of this ghetto lifestyle.
 
Good Fortune,
Rick Walters
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: pvk@oz.net
To: tft@brainiac.com
Sent: Sat, 16 Sep 2006 3:36 PM
Subject: Re: (TFT) My three rules of GMing


At 12:37 AM 9/16/06 -0700, davidgrouchy wrote: 
>My favorite angle is to start the soloist in Jail, naked, chained to a >wall, and armed with nothing but their wits. You may be surprised to see >how much enthusiasm they exhibit on acquisition of their first real weapon. 
 
I agree it really can make a huge difference to have players experience how they gain their abilities. I've seen players have a fantastic time when I assign them a character from the setting, who may have few or no adventuring skills but their outlook and place in the world make sense... Yet then when the same players designed their own fairly advanced characters and brought them into the same game, they had a much harder time getting into the game. 
 
PvK 
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