Okay, just played the second session of my Swords and Sorcery Fate game… much better. As was suggested to me, I let the players handle all their math and keeping track of their own inherent and generated Aspects.
In addition, combat involved a single monster, as opposed to a dozen warriors on the previous session (huge mistake). Went really smoothly. I liked it a lot. Three warriors taking on a Demon-Ape, with one of them jumping onto the beast’s back, just like in the iconic image belowl. Very Conan, much ape. Wow.
Short and exciting combat. Hit all the right notes.
There was a short Challenge, involving stealthily stealing some gold ingots from the head priest, while he slept in the chamber. Worked out well.
The one thing that I didn’t like is that we tried social combat before that, to bribe/convince a priest to provide access into a forbidden temple. I don’t know. The mechanics didn’t shine. It seemed really disruptive and intrusive. And I say this as a guy who really likes Duel of Wits in Burning Wheel and conflict mechanics in Mouse Guard…
Still, overall, a much better experience than last time. Maybe I’m getting a better grip on Fate…
Nice! Oh man, I used to be a huge fan of The Duel of Wits. It’s still my favorite part of The Burning Wheel. For all its problems, and they are many, BW really shines at times.
Nice! Oh man, I used to be a huge fan of The Duel of Wits. It’s still my favorite part of The Burning Wheel. For all its problems, and they are many, BW really shines at times.
My issues with BW are mainly: 1. its lethality in Fight!, which de-incentivizes combat. 2. The fact that you can ‘game’ the Fight system (I seldom lose at it, because I seemed to grok it early on), plus the fact that grappling/holds/locks are INSANELY unbalanced. 3. I think monsters, with their Gray shade stats and such, are difficult to play as GM and difficult to kill as players. 4. The game is difficult to run with multiple players, as balancing play between many beliefs is very difficult.
I think BW shines for 1 GM and 1-2 players, and mainly as a humanocentric, low magic setting. But YMMV…
My issues with BW are mainly: 1. its lethality in Fight!, which de-incentivizes combat. 2. The fact that you can ‘game’ the Fight system (I seldom lose at it, because I seemed to grok it early on), plus the fact that grappling/holds/locks are INSANELY unbalanced. 3. I think monsters, with their Gray shade stats and such, are difficult to play as GM and difficult to kill as players. 4. The game is difficult to run with multiple players, as balancing play between many beliefs is very difficult.
I think BW shines for 1 GM and 1-2 players, and mainly as a humanocentric, low magic setting. But YMMV…
My main issue with BW, a game I otherwise have a lot of affection for, is its fun pyramid is completely inverted. In other words, the number of inputs required to play it are outsized compared to the amount of fun you get at the end.
My main issue with BW, a game I otherwise have a lot of affection for, is its fun pyramid is completely inverted. In other words, the number of inputs required to play it are outsized compared to the amount of fun you get at the end.
True. Even setting aside the necessary player involvement in learning the mechanics, it requires that the situation and the beliefs of each player are linked and interact in some way. If one of those cogs is in the wrong place, the machine doesn’t run well.
That’s probably why I prefer 1 or 2 players and a GM, so there are less pieces needed to make it work.
True. Even setting aside the necessary player involvement in learning the mechanics, it requires that the situation and the beliefs of each player are linked and interact in some way. If one of those cogs is in the wrong place, the machine doesn’t run well.
That’s probably why I prefer 1 or 2 players and a GM, so there are less pieces needed to make it work.