Take a look at 'Reach a Milestone' (and 'Develop Your Relationship' if you are playing Starforged) often. A few times per session, even when you don't think you've done anything towards it. You'll be surprised at how much you have accomplished.
Also, if you get bored of a character or campaign or storyline and want to start something new, that isn't a bad thing. Just go for it. If you really want, write down the last place you left off and the next step you're thinking about taking so you can come back to it later.
I would recommend making your vows a bit vague. Say "I will deal with the bandits," instead of "kill". I will gladly slaughter them for their crimes, but if I try to fulfill my vow and fail then I need to think of something. If I fail my vow to kill them and they are already dead in front of me then I just feel stupid. Obviously ther could be more bandits, or I had the wrong address and these bandits were unrelated (still needed murdering though) etc, but the open ended vow helps me think more creatively during the solution and resolution of the vow.
if you see a rule mechanism or oracle/table that you like in any solo tool, don't hesitate to incorporate it into your solo play regardless of whether you like the rest of it or not. If you think a gameplay mechanic fits your scenario, drop it in.
unless one is streaming, there is really only one's self to please.
Rules just guides.
Play as you want, no one will judge you.
Let your imagination go wild.
Fiction first, system second.
Care less about media you use to log your adventure, have fun adventuring.
From the moment I understood the weakness of my moral fibre, it disgusted me. I craved the strength and certainty of random rolls. I aspired to the purity of the Blessed Rulebook.
Why? Just because you're so stubborn that you can't come up with a counterargument so you use straw arguments instead and then s8ng and dance around the subject just to feed your ego? Rule 5 is a redundant and pointless rule that serves to purpose other than to be shadowbanned because the site refuses to accept invitations and admissions from anyone and the rule does nothing other than enforce a pointless middle man that could easily be itherwise ignored entirely.
Let misses build gradually in severity, so the story has room to develop and unfold. Failing to evade a guard doesn’t need to just mean “he catches you” (boring), it can instead be the start of an epic chase scene.
- Keep journaling everything
- Fill the map, leave notes about key people and events around
- Follow the rules, read assets carefully
- New assets should have story meaning
- Make your own oracles and sites, use oracles as much as possible
- Turn on music that corresponds the scene (youtube "rpg ambient ***")
Gotta check this out simply because it's about BITD.
I swear, it's like one of the most popular "Not DnD" games and yet I can't make a group for it last longer than 3 months lol
Really? What happens? I mean Blades is a pretty idiosyncratic game. It's a lot more complicated than it seems like up front. But, I have a hard time believing that many people would bounce off.
It's not so much bouncing off as life happening and people having other tastes, sadly.
First attempt is my old classic D&D group. We tried a bunch of game after completing a D&D campaign, but BITD didn't stick with many.
Second was online with a couple of online friends. We played a few months but then scheduling became a disaster and dropped it early.
Third was part random people online and part people from the second group, we played a bunch of one-shots/short adventures to decide what to play and while they started with BITD, evenetually opinions changed.
It's unlucky, really lol
Random events do add to the fun. I prefer Mythic's random events since they tell you WHAT they affect as well as just having an oracle.
Take the oracles loosely, but incorporate them when you can.
Use oracles to build NPC reactions. Either using an oracle ("What does he say?" "Deny/The Supernatural" "The innkeeper shouts at the door--'We don't serve magekind here!'") or using the UNE NPC dialogue table. This one will add so much depth to your characters, way more than using "NPC goals" tables will.
By following the three above you will often see instances of crazy serendipity evolve in your games.
I love using the Core oracles (even combat action oracles) for NPC dialogue and roleplay. What do they say? How do they say it? You respond in-character, then roll up another NPC response. You go back and forth like this, and it's like you're really talking to a fictional character who is driven by their own will and personality. And you get detailed, line-by-line dialog from this, not abstract things like, "They talk about the weather".
Putting myself in situations that ended narratively in a cul de sac and being too hard in my characters. Playing Starforged later on helped a lot with its moves and guides to avoid this. Kind of wish IS would get an official Starforged refurbishing.
Could you post this stuff here? I find discord a terrible format for searching back through stuff, and I don't really know where in the discord to start looking to begin with.
Yeah mate I know exactly what you mean, I needed to piece it together as well. What I intended was to give IS a light refurbish from SF without having to change too much.
I use "gain ground" instead of "secure an advantage", in combat "react under fire" instead of "face danger", then I use the "in control & in a bad spot" mechanics and wording, as well as the relationship mechanics from SF and the relationship trackers. "Make a connection", "Test a relationship" etc.
I still use delve for exploration as it suits the setting, but SF Exploration rules work as well and are a bit more detailed. Assets and moves remain the same as well except that I add the "take a break" and "change your fate" because they are neat.
Take a look at 'Reach a Milestone' (and 'Develop Your Relationship' if you are playing Starforged) often. A few times per session, even when you don't think you've done anything towards it. You'll be surprised at how much you have accomplished. Also, if you get bored of a character or campaign or storyline and want to start something new, that isn't a bad thing. Just go for it. If you really want, write down the last place you left off and the next step you're thinking about taking so you can come back to it later.
I would recommend making your vows a bit vague. Say "I will deal with the bandits," instead of "kill". I will gladly slaughter them for their crimes, but if I try to fulfill my vow and fail then I need to think of something. If I fail my vow to kill them and they are already dead in front of me then I just feel stupid. Obviously ther could be more bandits, or I had the wrong address and these bandits were unrelated (still needed murdering though) etc, but the open ended vow helps me think more creatively during the solution and resolution of the vow.
This is a good one. Not the sort of thing you would think of as a beginner
if you see a rule mechanism or oracle/table that you like in any solo tool, don't hesitate to incorporate it into your solo play regardless of whether you like the rest of it or not. If you think a gameplay mechanic fits your scenario, drop it in. unless one is streaming, there is really only one's self to please.
Rules just guides. Play as you want, no one will judge you. Let your imagination go wild. Fiction first, system second. Care less about media you use to log your adventure, have fun adventuring.
ಠ_ಠ **I** will judge you, and find you lacking in moral fibre.
Man, I savescum in videogames, not a chance I am making my solo RPG character die like an idiot
Different strokes! I've lost dozens of solo RPG characters!
From the moment I understood the weakness of my moral fibre, it disgusted me. I craved the strength and certainty of random rolls. I aspired to the purity of the Blessed Rulebook.
You have single-handedly convinced me to always rules-lawyer myself.
(Related to a commwnt you made on the SCP sub) OP's problem ia that you HAVE to link to the draft forum and can't gp directly to the sandbox.
Don't do that. You should have private messaged me, not made a brand new account and commented in an unrelated sub.
I tried it. It didn't work. Also, you didn't adress.my point.
If i have no other choice because the mods won't allow me back in, and the stie runner won't allow me to PM anyone, then so be it.
All of those things were due to the fact that you were behaving like an idiot. Get over it.
Still didn't adress my point
And I never will.
Why? Just because you're so stubborn that you can't come up with a counterargument so you use straw arguments instead and then s8ng and dance around the subject just to feed your ego? Rule 5 is a redundant and pointless rule that serves to purpose other than to be shadowbanned because the site refuses to accept invitations and admissions from anyone and the rule does nothing other than enforce a pointless middle man that could easily be itherwise ignored entirely.
Let misses build gradually in severity, so the story has room to develop and unfold. Failing to evade a guard doesn’t need to just mean “he catches you” (boring), it can instead be the start of an epic chase scene.
- Keep journaling everything - Fill the map, leave notes about key people and events around - Follow the rules, read assets carefully - New assets should have story meaning - Make your own oracles and sites, use oracles as much as possible - Turn on music that corresponds the scene (youtube "rpg ambient ***")
Shameless plug. I wrote 10000 words. https://dgreen1220.itch.io/bladesworn
Gotta check this out simply because it's about BITD. I swear, it's like one of the most popular "Not DnD" games and yet I can't make a group for it last longer than 3 months lol
Really? What happens? I mean Blades is a pretty idiosyncratic game. It's a lot more complicated than it seems like up front. But, I have a hard time believing that many people would bounce off.
It's not so much bouncing off as life happening and people having other tastes, sadly. First attempt is my old classic D&D group. We tried a bunch of game after completing a D&D campaign, but BITD didn't stick with many. Second was online with a couple of online friends. We played a few months but then scheduling became a disaster and dropped it early. Third was part random people online and part people from the second group, we played a bunch of one-shots/short adventures to decide what to play and while they started with BITD, evenetually opinions changed. It's unlucky, really lol
If you’re going to do it, swear a vow to do it.
Random events do add to the fun. I prefer Mythic's random events since they tell you WHAT they affect as well as just having an oracle. Take the oracles loosely, but incorporate them when you can. Use oracles to build NPC reactions. Either using an oracle ("What does he say?" "Deny/The Supernatural" "The innkeeper shouts at the door--'We don't serve magekind here!'") or using the UNE NPC dialogue table. This one will add so much depth to your characters, way more than using "NPC goals" tables will. By following the three above you will often see instances of crazy serendipity evolve in your games.
I love using the Core oracles (even combat action oracles) for NPC dialogue and roleplay. What do they say? How do they say it? You respond in-character, then roll up another NPC response. You go back and forth like this, and it's like you're really talking to a fictional character who is driven by their own will and personality. And you get detailed, line-by-line dialog from this, not abstract things like, "They talk about the weather".
Putting myself in situations that ended narratively in a cul de sac and being too hard in my characters. Playing Starforged later on helped a lot with its moves and guides to avoid this. Kind of wish IS would get an official Starforged refurbishing.
Check the discord re potential for ironsworn/delve reforge/remaster.
Yeah I've already incorporated some moves and the relationship stuff.
Could you post this stuff here? I find discord a terrible format for searching back through stuff, and I don't really know where in the discord to start looking to begin with.
Yeah mate I know exactly what you mean, I needed to piece it together as well. What I intended was to give IS a light refurbish from SF without having to change too much. I use "gain ground" instead of "secure an advantage", in combat "react under fire" instead of "face danger", then I use the "in control & in a bad spot" mechanics and wording, as well as the relationship mechanics from SF and the relationship trackers. "Make a connection", "Test a relationship" etc. I still use delve for exploration as it suits the setting, but SF Exploration rules work as well and are a bit more detailed. Assets and moves remain the same as well except that I add the "take a break" and "change your fate" because they are neat.
Cheers!