I really think you're written comments about Dragonbane are spot on and unlike your style. Definitely looking forward to reading more about yours thoughts and that of your table
With so many fantasy games out there, I don’t feel the urge to give Dragonbane a try. My next FL game I want to try would be Coriolis or Mutant Year Zero. I still have a Gamma World itch to scratch and wonder if MYZ would satisfy it.
I suspect it would. It's an older game, so like Coriolis it has a bit of flashing to trim off I think, but it gets lots of love from people who like the genre. I would also look hard at Gen Lab Alpha and Mechatron -- two very cool spin-offs.
Love it! As an artifact and something we are no longer using! (Reminds me of the anti-piracy stuff Lucasarts was doing in the 80s and 90s with games like Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe.)
Nice post! Even though I backed the Kickstarter, I mostly dismissed Dragonbane because, while it seems just fine, I didn't see anything obvious that set it apart from the other lightweight fantasy RPGs I already enjoy. And based on the one con game I played, I'm not in love with the fact that players need to choose whether to attack or defend each round. It feels fiddly and unsatisfying to potentially waste a turn (by choosing not to attack in order to save for defense, but then never having to defend that round). But perhaps I should give it another chance.
That decision -- to attack or defend -- actually goes back as AD&D 1e, at least. (Was the same there, defending meant you had to forego your attack if I recall right.) Not sure if it was in early Runequest / BRP.
In Dragonbane, it plays into the initiative / card system, where you might actually want your foe to go first. If they do and they hit, you can defend and hope for a better draw next round. If they miss, you can attack without worrying about needing to 'save' your action. I think there's a little more to it than "wasting a turn" because the damage potential in the game is so high.
Also, you can mostly just ignore the defense option if you want and let your foes always hit you if they succeed -- like they do in 99% of other d20 games.
I really think you're written comments about Dragonbane are spot on and unlike your style. Definitely looking forward to reading more about yours thoughts and that of your table
Haven't played Dragonbane, so I appreciate this introduction to the core mechanics.
With so many fantasy games out there, I don’t feel the urge to give Dragonbane a try. My next FL game I want to try would be Coriolis or Mutant Year Zero. I still have a Gamma World itch to scratch and wonder if MYZ would satisfy it.
I suspect it would. It's an older game, so like Coriolis it has a bit of flashing to trim off I think, but it gets lots of love from people who like the genre. I would also look hard at Gen Lab Alpha and Mechatron -- two very cool spin-offs.
It was. If you were in melee your options were attack, parry, fall back or flee. Someone should have come up with a combat computer, oh wait they did. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRfIsDsAi725z5rCUOQdwoJ52tLfcrsQlpZDo5CZkH8DJAW8a-ymEZ31MJUptWv7eu9QVDQdfQZLqGRS1vdPnC37kfsOzm-hYJjpvzsT8ax8H2NrP2UrV-vlG8zLIarOvixUm-XXHrQ/s1600/Dragonmag_300dpi_upper.jpg
Love it! As an artifact and something we are no longer using! (Reminds me of the anti-piracy stuff Lucasarts was doing in the 80s and 90s with games like Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe.)
Nice post! Even though I backed the Kickstarter, I mostly dismissed Dragonbane because, while it seems just fine, I didn't see anything obvious that set it apart from the other lightweight fantasy RPGs I already enjoy. And based on the one con game I played, I'm not in love with the fact that players need to choose whether to attack or defend each round. It feels fiddly and unsatisfying to potentially waste a turn (by choosing not to attack in order to save for defense, but then never having to defend that round). But perhaps I should give it another chance.
That decision -- to attack or defend -- actually goes back as AD&D 1e, at least. (Was the same there, defending meant you had to forego your attack if I recall right.) Not sure if it was in early Runequest / BRP.
In Dragonbane, it plays into the initiative / card system, where you might actually want your foe to go first. If they do and they hit, you can defend and hope for a better draw next round. If they miss, you can attack without worrying about needing to 'save' your action. I think there's a little more to it than "wasting a turn" because the damage potential in the game is so high.
Also, you can mostly just ignore the defense option if you want and let your foes always hit you if they succeed -- like they do in 99% of other d20 games.