Hi, guys, I was wondering about running MH in some sort of Nightmare Mode. As in any hard moves would be really insanely hard, dangerous, punitive and agressive. Any thoughts on that?
Hi, guys, I was wondering about running MH in some sort of Nightmare Mode.
Hi, guys, I was wondering about running MH in some sort of Nightmare Mode.
Sounds bleak.
I could get behind it if it was in a specially designed scenario or if it was in a specific ‘dark zone’ or limited to a particular time ‘witching hour’. Basically if the setting had a clear opt-in for harder, more rewarding play so I could choose to go to the place or go out during the time.
Could you explain what prompts the question? Monsterhearts is (arguably) about the constant melodrama of seeking forgiveness or acceptance after committing transgressive acts. A nightmare mode would change the focus of the game completely which I’m not saying is a good thing or a bad thing but it would be a ‘different’ thing’. What’s the goal?
Kill those that support them.
Twist those they love against them.
The cops are corrupt.
The teachers are sinister.
The church is out to get them.
Violence leads to lasting scars.
Other, bigger monsters want to hurt them.
Society is backwards (homosexuality is a crime, expensive healthcare, women have it even harder than real life, the 50s basically).
Im running the second season finale in a few weeks. Right now, my players are really confident, and since they learned the odds of the game (60%+), they are not much afraid of anything. Since they are fighting a wizard, I was thinking of placing a “Curse Scenario”, a twisted turn into their lives.
But also, for another campaing setting, maybe a Gothic Punk kind of neighborhood where life is just really tough
Tony Ferron I like these very much, thaaaanksssss
Cecília Reis That second post definitely clarifies – given that this changes the general tenor of the campaign, I’d get buy-in from the players first; after two seasons they might like this option if it’s overtly on the table (but hate it if it catches them by surprise)?
Tony Ferron that’s my standard game 🙂 Make the humans more monstrous, make the monsters more human. The only reason all my players don’t usually end up in prison or death spiralling is that I typically make the police prejudiced, incompetent, corrupt and uncaring (because they are authority figures).
The odds of the game shift and swing dramatically when you start applying conditions so do remember those if the players feel like giants in a land of ants.
The other thing to remember is that usually success is the very worst thing that can happen to the PCs. Most of the PC moves are designed to cause them complications and problems so they need to use more moves to twist and turn out of them. If the players don’t care about the collateral damage they cause then just bring the costs home. Bring in an honest cop that does care. Have a family member follow them one night and see what they do. Give the characters a romantic connection and then horrify that connection. Above all, make everything matter. You shouldn’t need to change the premise of the game in order to make things urgent and vital for the characters just remind them of the basics.
A nightmare scenario could be interesting and fun for a bit but I wouldn’t go too far with it as it could derail any existing campaign. If you wanted to go hardcore for a while just have the Faerie king/queen/Posiden/Werewolf alpha visit, callously mess the town up and remind the monsters that they are still little in the grand scheme of things.
I know this is an old post, but I’m really digging the idea of mixing in a little Persona into MH… The “secret hour” essentially. Sure you could use it to study for that test. Or you could explore the mystery… With everyone else who experiences it. Seems like a great time to throw in some wildcard NPCs too. They’re different, like the PCs… But how? Anyway, I think a single “extra hour” every night (and filled with darkness) makes for a pretty amazing big bad for a season.