I can't believe channels like this aren't at least as popular as all the click bait roleplaying channels out there. In a way it makes me want to hoard all this secret knowledge for myself 😂 But been serious, the information one can destile from every Runehammer video I have watched so far is pure gold and the inviting way is presented makes it even more compelling!!

@Grimlore82

3 ай бұрын

It's up to us to share and bend that algorithm! 🛡️

I love that statement of "Sweeping the steps", it shows so much strength of character as a person.

Another Gem of inspiration, thank you Hank. (As I sweep the steps)

EZD6 was the eye-opener for me on how little stats were needed in an rpg. I thought I wouldn't be able to get past not having them and now I don't even miss them a little bit.

As GMs, we tend to spend too much time worrying about the math behind DCs and creatures instead of just focusing on excellent moments in roleplay or something cool in combat. Tiny Dungeon and Dungeon World are both great recommendations and an easy way to morph the math matters most mindset into memorable movie moment matters more mindset.

Hey Hank I just listen to your Podcast on my Telly and I wonder if the wallpaper is available somewhere without the Runehammer logo!? I would like to use it as a wallpaper on my laptop 😊

Apply vehicle rules to Dragons! Yes!

I like the idea of leaving "white space" in the monster designs as an invitation to homebrewers. Much like white space on a map. But if you strip it down too much then what value are you providing as a game designer?

I think the target audience for this approach is very niche. I homebrew when it suits me, I don't want to be forced to homebrew everything. But it is a fascinating idea to think about

I do that same thing, I have most of the weapons list memorized so if I want to give a creature a different weapon boost the hp by 10 and call it a general, decide a AC equal to DC difficulty, most times I have my players character details memorised too so if I know the team of 4 all hav like +6's and +7s for attacks, I could give the monster a 16 armor, making it a 50-50 chance to hit. More often I just use the stat block provided in Roll20.

Always a good day with a new Runehammer video! 🛡️

This is some amazing advice. Will relisten to this one.

this was a good one

Brilliant and thought provoking, as always

We are banned from doing trust falls at my work… it didn’t go well the one time they did that years ago.

Can we get more Blood and Snow content?

Hmm. If I bought a "bestiary" and it was filled with entries like ... Redcap: 10 hp, stompy boots Hydra: 50hp, seven heads ... I would want my money back

@Runehammer1

2 ай бұрын

publishers obv need to be more rigorous

@davidholman6709

2 ай бұрын

@@Runehammer1 ah maybe I misunderstood. I thought this was from game designer POV. Yeah if you're home brewing for your own table then a bare sketch is all you need, improv the rest

@nimlouth

2 ай бұрын

I think this depends heavily on what the game is trying to do. For example the Hydra in dungeon world is just this: Solitary; Large Stats/Tags: - Bite (d10+3 damage); 16 HP; 2 Armor; Close, Reach - Special Qualities: Many heads, Only killed by a blow to the heart Moves: - Attack many enemies at once - Regenerate a body part (especially a head) That's it, and a block of flavor/lore to establish some seeds on how to think about it. This is PLENTY for how that game works.

Doesn't this risk becoming 'I know best. I know how to do the hobby properly. If you need or want extra information or guidance, you are doing the hobby wrong and are failing at being a true game master.' This came off as rather judgemental, Hankerin. If you make products with fuller representation of mechanics and suggestions for world building content, then you are making content for noobs and 7-year olds? Really?

@covuhain

3 ай бұрын

Imo there's two things being conflated here. 1. What info is in a book and how it's presented. 2. How that info is applied/used during a session. I don't have every monster page out in front of me when I GM. I've read it beforehand and made simple notes if I thought it'd help or run them from memory if they're simple. But I sometimes have the stats as a screen shot or, rarely, a little print out for beefier ones. Just for reference if I feel it's absolutely necessary. It doesn't slow things down much at all, definitely not to the point of distraction at the table. And I've created monsters on the fly using the accumulated knowledge of the system or the lore (the intuition you refer to), but I can do that because I've read and absorbed a lot of written content over time leading up to that point. That's why I don't agree that ttrpg products have to be as brutally streamlined as you laid out in this vid. The content is there for people to build up *their own* background of knowledge and intuition that *you already have*. I bet your expertise in this hobby was at least in part gained by absorbing a lot of content that was written in the way you are criticising here.

@covuhain

3 ай бұрын

And as a final point 😅, I do agree that 5e info can be bloated sometimes, but there's a happy medium to be found between their word count and the almost-no-content 'trusting' product you've described.

@OwlCatStudios

3 ай бұрын

​@@covuhainIsn't part of Hank's point that the as-written mechanics often don't matter in the heat of gameplay? Playing a creature exactly as specified works fine but I've run and played many combats where they were rendered less interesting because I stuck to the stat block instead of letting a player just kill a wolf with an epic hit or having a villain do something truly unexpected. I think part of it comes down to whether you're playing the game as a game (stats and luck and strategy) or if your table is a collective storytelling exercise within a rules framework

@TookyG

3 ай бұрын

He said he was looking for something different. He said it might be appropriate (the more verbose presentation) depending on what you're going for. Doesn't sound judgmental.

@covuhain

3 ай бұрын

​​@@TookyG I believe he said those products are appropriate for children, newbies, and gms without homebrewing skill. I think that is harsh and untrue. I am not against the whole OSR design philosophy, I understand it and see the benefits, but it is just one way to do the hobby. I don't think other approaches should be put down. That's not to say that bloated and overly verbose products don't exist out there, of course they do. But I think 'trusting' your reader doesn't require cutting a product down to the absolute minimum.