We cruised into a second episode for our Beyond The Supernatural role playing game. It was a fun week, even if I struggled with move forward with my character. I made one spectacularly bad roll and earned a new nickname behind the scenes. I am now Mr. 114, however briefly.
If you’re into checking out the game, we’re live on Twitch when we play and then the videos get posted up to the YouTube channel. You can check out the latest episode here:
The Plymouth Meeting Meeting – The Ether Network
A few days ago I posted about how great it felt to be gearing up to be a player in a Dungeons and Dragons game again. It was a really cool feeling I haven’t had for quite some time.
About that game… turns out that less than half of us really *know* 5th Edition rules. I was digging into the PHB and working hard at catching up when there was a choice made. That choice was to switch to a different game that others had a level of comfort with. We were assured this was not a bait and switch, but a temporary move to avoid losing the momentum our game had picked up.
Suddenly I spun about and landed in a supernatural horror game set in the modern day, albeit and alternate (darker if you can believe that) version of today’s world. The twist on this game for me? We live streamed the game while we were playing. We’re on a Twitch channel. When the games are finished, they live on Twitch for a while and then are moved over to a YouTube channel. It was a new and fun thing. IF you’re at all interested, hop on over and check out the video:
I feel like I’m taking a small cue from Jack Skellington. My jaded and tired self is getting a fresh look. I’m doing something I haven’t done in a very long time, and I’m excited about it. Probably sounds odd given how much I talk about my hobbies here, but stick with me on this.
I’m going to play Dungeons & Dragons.
Yes, you read that correctly, but perhaps you didn’t understand. I’m playing Dungeons & Dragons. I’m not talking about it, writing about it, world building or lining up NPCs and monsters for the grinder. I’m not plotting, planning or otherwise looking at the machinations of evildoers in the game world at large. I’m going to be a player. I’m actually excited about it ~ and that’s refreshing! I haven’t been an active player in a campaign for probably 20 years. I’ve spent the vast majority of that time running games and teaching new players.
I was invited (totally weaseled my way in) to join a private and exclusive game. It consists of seasoned, experienced gamers (old guys). It may shock you to know that I’m not even the person that’s been playing D&D for the longest among the group. I may be like 3rd in line (holy shit are we old). I’m not sure about that as I don’t know a couple of the players yet – but there’s a LOT of years gathering around this virtual table. The person running the game is a story teller that consistently makes me think while hitting me with turns of phrase that just lodge in my lexicon and don’t leave. I’ve gotten some details on the game world and it looks like this is going to be crazy good.
Here’s the other really fun thing about this. The game is going to be 5e. That’s right, I’m going to have to up my game and move into 5th edition.
I haven’t had the disposable income to spend on D&D the way I might have wanted to over the past couple of years (crap, I guess I mean decades). I have enough source books here to continue to play any version up to D&D 3.5. I skipped 4th because it was an unholy abomination and then when 5th came out I just couldn’t give up the time and treasure to dig in the way I would have once upon a time.
I popped over to a local shop (support your local game store!) and picked up a 5e players handbook.
Yeah, the part about the treasure? Not kidding. The freaking thing cost $50. ONE BOOK! There’s a commentary to be made here about the amount of pure privilege that is expressed in the cost of picking up the materials to play this game. I would not have seen that in days gone by (clearly didn’t slow me down as I have dozens of these books from past editions – I can reach more than 40 game manuals from this seat). I am going to have to pick apart the costs, diversity and other related issues at another time. There’s a list of things to unpack and give some real thought to in there.
Now that I have said book in hand, I’m doing another thing I haven’t done since ages long gone – I’m sitting and reading the Players Handbook. From the start. I read the intro material and the basic explanations. It seemed fitting since this is a system that is close to what I have known for many years, but is changed in subtle and distracting ways. Different methods for generating ability scores. Touching on Advantage / Disadvantage rolls (something I’ve not seen or heard of before). Specific notes about rounding down, even if the resulting fraction is more than .5 (it’s a game that’s defying math, not glorifying it with the THACO! What is this world coming to?).
I’m sure that as I go I’ll have more to say about my adventure of digging into 5th edition. Now, off to create my character!