So, I just started running DW at my flgs for 5 people, 4 of whom I don’t know at all.

So, I just started running DW at my flgs for 5 people, 4 of whom I don’t know at all.

So, I just started running DW at my flgs for 5 people, 4 of whom I don’t know at all. I’m pretty stoked for it, as I’ll be using Perilous Wilds to improvise a lot of the encounters but running the over arching plot line of the Kingmaker adventure path from Paizo (which I’ve wanted to play forever, but not at the expense of actually playing Pathfinder…).

2 of the players joined after the first session and have yet to pick classes, and what they are interested in I have heard weird things about.

The actual questions are these: I’ve heard people on the podcasts say the Bard is terrible, so what’s so bad about it? The Playbooks I printed out include two that aren’t in core DW – Barbarian and Immolator. Where did those come from, and how do they mesh with the regular classes?

Last, I feel like I’ve heard that there is advice on converting existing modules to DW. Some of the encounters in Kingmaker seem like gratuitous combats with no actual context for the plot, just random stuff to encounter on the party’s exploration. I think Perilous Wilds should solve that on its own, but what are good resources for converting the root plot line?

Thx!

20 thoughts on “So, I just started running DW at my flgs for 5 people, 4 of whom I don’t know at all.”

  1. Both the Barbarian and the Immolator and by Adam & Sage (the authors). The Barbarian rocks. I’ve never played the Immolator.

    The bard gets a lot of grief from Jason on Discern Realities, but mechanically, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them… I think the beef is basically with the flavor. If you’re okay with someone singing their allies’ HP back, or singing allies into a rage, or just singing in a fight in general (especially with It Goes to 11), then the class is fine.

  2. Both the Barbarian and the Immolator and by Adam & Sage (the authors). The Barbarian rocks. I’ve never played the Immolator.

    The bard gets a lot of grief from Jason on Discern Realities, but mechanically, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them… I think the beef is basically with the flavor. If you’re okay with someone singing their allies’ HP back, or singing allies into a rage, or just singing in a fight in general (especially with It Goes to 11), then the class is fine.

  5. Bard is challenging because they are 100% a buffer, no real role in the party on their own – unless the GM gives them some. That said, they can be totally awesome – my younger son plays the bard and he brings his ukelele to game and will bust out some doggerel, or come up with awesome poetry right on the spot.

    What I need to do with the bard is give him more opportunities to use CHA. As Jason is also fond of doing – throw Charisma challenges at the party. Gives the Bard a good opportunity to shine.

    Finally, my same son in a different DW game (a con game) played the Immolator, and had a great time. In fact, he prefers the Immolator to the Bard, simply because the Immolator’s flavor is obvious, and the actions/moves are very clear. He’s probably going to compendium class some Immolator moves for his bard…

    Barbarian – in my game, he’s played like a Northern Wastes Conan; but he could be played in a variety of ways. The move (I forget the name) where every session, GM asks him something about his homeland and he tells you, and then gets XP is great. Really has fleshed out the northern wastes in our party. (example: Since his people only use drums for music, he has a natural suspicion of the Bard and his eerie twangings…)

  6. Bard is challenging because they are 100% a buffer, no real role in the party on their own – unless the GM gives them some. That said, they can be totally awesome – my younger son plays the bard and he brings his ukelele to game and will bust out some doggerel, or come up with awesome poetry right on the spot.

    What I need to do with the bard is give him more opportunities to use CHA. As Jason is also fond of doing – throw Charisma challenges at the party. Gives the Bard a good opportunity to shine.

    Finally, my same son in a different DW game (a con game) played the Immolator, and had a great time. In fact, he prefers the Immolator to the Bard, simply because the Immolator’s flavor is obvious, and the actions/moves are very clear. He’s probably going to compendium class some Immolator moves for his bard…

    Barbarian – in my game, he’s played like a Northern Wastes Conan; but he could be played in a variety of ways. The move (I forget the name) where every session, GM asks him something about his homeland and he tells you, and then gets XP is great. Really has fleshed out the northern wastes in our party. (example: Since his people only use drums for music, he has a natural suspicion of the Bard and his eerie twangings…)

  7. It seems like one player is leaning toward druid, which sounds very cool, but I’m apprehensive about making up moves on the fly for the animal forms. Is there a nice list somewhere that has already been brainstormed?

  8. It seems like one player is leaning toward druid, which sounds very cool, but I’m apprehensive about making up moves on the fly for the animal forms. Is there a nice list somewhere that has already been brainstormed?

  9. I love the Barbarian, probably my second favorite core playbook. I’ve had two Immolators, and that playbook seems pretty fun as well, even though it doesn’t fit my (admittedly restrictive) view of what a D&D-style fantasy game should be.

    Jeremy Strandberg is correct – my grief with the Bard is almost entirely about flavor. Honestly, if the Arcane Art move was re-written to restrict its use to downtime or Make Camp, and not usable in the middle of combat, I wouldn’t have an issue with the Bard. I happen to think the lore-based Bard moves are pretty cool.

    Also: 2EBard4Life!

  10. I love the Barbarian, probably my second favorite core playbook. I’ve had two Immolators, and that playbook seems pretty fun as well, even though it doesn’t fit my (admittedly restrictive) view of what a D&D-style fantasy game should be.

    Jeremy Strandberg is correct – my grief with the Bard is almost entirely about flavor. Honestly, if the Arcane Art move was re-written to restrict its use to downtime or Make Camp, and not usable in the middle of combat, I wouldn’t have an issue with the Bard. I happen to think the lore-based Bard moves are pretty cool.

    Also: 2EBard4Life!

  11. Taejas Kudva As it turns out, Timothy Bennett’s Druid in our DW game has a running list of possible animal transformations and potential moves on the character sheet we’re using. It’s a small resource, and focused on woodland creatures, but it’s solid.

  12. Taejas Kudva As it turns out, Timothy Bennett’s Druid in our DW game has a running list of possible animal transformations and potential moves on the character sheet we’re using. It’s a small resource, and focused on woodland creatures, but it’s solid.

  13. Taejas Kudva That can be a challenge with the Druid, but don’t let it put you off. Ask the table to suggest some moves; encourage the player to jot them down.

    Often they are sort of obvious. Our Druid is from the rugged northern mountains and is fond of turning into a wolf (Go For the Throat, Walk on Padded Feet, Catch the Scent) and a mountain ram (Bowl them Over, Scale a Sheer Surface, Lock Horns).

  14. Taejas Kudva That can be a challenge with the Druid, but don’t let it put you off. Ask the table to suggest some moves; encourage the player to jot them down.

    Often they are sort of obvious. Our Druid is from the rugged northern mountains and is fond of turning into a wolf (Go For the Throat, Walk on Padded Feet, Catch the Scent) and a mountain ram (Bowl them Over, Scale a Sheer Surface, Lock Horns).

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