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Satanic Math
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A friend calls it "narrative gambling", because eventually we're all throwing dice and hoping it doesn't "ruin" us.
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Clearly math is satanic
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Clearly math is satanic
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Exactly why I dislike D&D, it's more about combat and math. I prefer systems that are less math heavy and more narrative/roleplay focused.You should check out GURPS. It's a simpler system with universal campaigns (modern, fantasy, mech, dimension hopping, steampunk). The system is super easy. You start with 100 points to make your character. You can spend them on skills, spells, and perks. You can even gain more points by taking quirks. You roll 3d6 for everything. You're goal is to get *under* your skill number. Fireball of 13 needs to roll under 13. If its raining or something, your GM can choose to put a -4 on that. So now you need to roll under 9. Just simple addition and subtraction, but it works really well.
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Could you imagine doing 666 damage in one turn? I’d be riding that high for weeks.
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Good point, actually. Seems like these days, a lot of people wouldn't change their opinion after seeing what this grandma saw.
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Exactly why I dislike D&D, it's more about combat and math. I prefer systems that are less math heavy and more narrative/roleplay focused.I'm going to second the other commenter in my enthusiasm for GURPS, but for the opposite reason. Gurps has the problem of being a universal role-playing system, like Fate, which means session zero includes a long sit-down with your DM about what precisely we will be doing in this game and what mechanics we will be using to create the desired experience. You then fill out the appropriate forms in triplicate to create your character. Usually, your DM makes a template for you to use like a shopping list, but the rulebook assumes you are digging through the first 300-page volume selecting your abilities and skills over the course of a day. Then, once you start playing, *you never have to look at the rulebook again*. All the rules you will be using were written (by you) on your character sheet. You roll the dice, see if you managed to roll under your target numbers, and then either succeed or fail. The DM barely has to adjudicate anything.
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You should check out GURPS. It's a simpler system with universal campaigns (modern, fantasy, mech, dimension hopping, steampunk). The system is super easy. You start with 100 points to make your character. You can spend them on skills, spells, and perks. You can even gain more points by taking quirks. You roll 3d6 for everything. You're goal is to get *under* your skill number. Fireball of 13 needs to roll under 13. If its raining or something, your GM can choose to put a -4 on that. So now you need to roll under 9. Just simple addition and subtraction, but it works really well.
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I'm going to second the other commenter in my enthusiasm for GURPS, but for the opposite reason. Gurps has the problem of being a universal role-playing system, like Fate, which means session zero includes a long sit-down with your DM about what precisely we will be doing in this game and what mechanics we will be using to create the desired experience. You then fill out the appropriate forms in triplicate to create your character. Usually, your DM makes a template for you to use like a shopping list, but the rulebook assumes you are digging through the first 300-page volume selecting your abilities and skills over the course of a day. Then, once you start playing, *you never have to look at the rulebook again*. All the rules you will be using were written (by you) on your character sheet. You roll the dice, see if you managed to roll under your target numbers, and then either succeed or fail. The DM barely has to adjudicate anything.
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Oh wow, it sounds so much simpler and easier. Thanks for expanding on the other person's point!
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Good point, actually. Seems like these days, a lot of people wouldn't change their opinion after seeing what this grandma saw.The conspiracy and accusations must always go deeper. I'm also surprised it ended with the grandma realizing it was just math, because it could have just as easily ended with her thinking that they're obviously hiding what the real game is about, and how bad it must be be that they'd go to such great lengths to cover it up. I have to assume having a good, strong relationship with her grandchild must also be a contributing factor. If D&D remained something only anonymous ne'er-do-wells do, it'd be easy to continue buying into the satanic panic. But someone you know and trust to be responsible telling you it's no big deal might make it a bit easier to accept.
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Also, their supplemental books really helped me grow as a writer and gamemaster. Most of them tackle a genre and explore it thoroughly.
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They're using **Arabic** numerals! It's obviously all a devilish ploy to subvert our pure Christian souls!
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I'm going to second the other commenter in my enthusiasm for GURPS, but for the opposite reason. Gurps has the problem of being a universal role-playing system, like Fate, which means session zero includes a long sit-down with your DM about what precisely we will be doing in this game and what mechanics we will be using to create the desired experience. You then fill out the appropriate forms in triplicate to create your character. Usually, your DM makes a template for you to use like a shopping list, but the rulebook assumes you are digging through the first 300-page volume selecting your abilities and skills over the course of a day. Then, once you start playing, *you never have to look at the rulebook again*. All the rules you will be using were written (by you) on your character sheet. You roll the dice, see if you managed to roll under your target numbers, and then either succeed or fail. The DM barely has to adjudicate anything.I bought the Fate Accelerated Edition because it sounded fun but I've literally not found any published adventures. I've found campaign settings, yeah, but nothing explaining what an easy encounter should look like, how to structure an adventure, nothing. Fate seems fun so I'm ready to be proved wrong.
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I'm going to second the other commenter in my enthusiasm for GURPS, but for the opposite reason. Gurps has the problem of being a universal role-playing system, like Fate, which means session zero includes a long sit-down with your DM about what precisely we will be doing in this game and what mechanics we will be using to create the desired experience. You then fill out the appropriate forms in triplicate to create your character. Usually, your DM makes a template for you to use like a shopping list, but the rulebook assumes you are digging through the first 300-page volume selecting your abilities and skills over the course of a day. Then, once you start playing, *you never have to look at the rulebook again*. All the rules you will be using were written (by you) on your character sheet. You roll the dice, see if you managed to roll under your target numbers, and then either succeed or fail. The DM barely has to adjudicate anything.Thanks for this. Its been quite a while since I've played, so I was going off of fuzzy memory. I do still have all the books, but haven't opened them in a long time. That's exactly it. You choose what you want your character to do and be within the GM's world type. Then you have one or two sessions really setting everything up for world, characters, story, progression, etc. After that you're done with the hard part. Heck, even the GM is done with it. They may need to reference material occasionally, but the game almost plays itself. It's much, much more casual and focuses more on story and narrative. Its like if Choose Your Own Adventure was a game, the rolls only being there to add flavor and excitement to your adventures.
for one and 
for zero