Author: Bryanna Hitchcock

Here’s a taste of what my Shadow on the Stars players are in for:

Here’s a taste of what my Shadow on the Stars players are in for:

Here’s a taste of what my Shadow on the Stars players are in for:

> Blaster, Laser Sword, Rifle, Starfighter, Armor. What makes your gear unique? Choose 2:

□ Your blaster is magical, but legend says it’s cursed

□ Your laser sword is crafted from the Tree of Life

□ Your rifle is famous, with a name and reputation

□ Your starfighter is large, tough, and intimidating

□ Your armour is light and menacing

Note: This game has to be special. Why not let my players have a fucking laser sword if they want one? It doesn’t mean you’re a Jedi, but it does mean you want to be an awesome swordswoman in a futuristic setting.

Spent the evening working on a science fiction version of the Clan Lands map for The Watch: Shadow on the Stars, my…

Spent the evening working on a science fiction version of the Clan Lands map for The Watch: Shadow on the Stars, my…

Spent the evening working on a science fiction version of the Clan Lands map for The Watch: Shadow on the Stars, my BBC game this year.

Great fun. Been working so much lately, I forgot what a joy it is to prep for games I’m really excited about.

The map is a giant color image of the Andromeda galaxy. Instead of town, each player will choose a planet on the map and sketch out the world they are from. I love the suggestive map icons on the map in the book. For this I’m using things like a black hole, a space citadel, and some different symbols to inspire locations in the story.

The player sheets are nearly done. I just have to do more work on reskinning the PC equipment and such.

A good night’s work. 🙂

2 Items.

2 Items.

2 Items.

1. Anna and Andrew: I’m reskinning The Watch for BBC. I will of course give credit to the actual creators, but other than credit, do you have any issue with me reformatting the game materials handout (character sheets, basic moves) into a sci fi look and feel? My goal is to change as little as possible while switching genres. I do not intend to publish, just to run an epic game.

2. Just submitted for Big Bad Con 2018:

The Watch: Shadow on the Stars

A re-imagining of The Watch as a space opera action adventure. There will be dogfights, explosions, dramatic sacrifice, and cinematic framing devices.

The Union of Free Worlds is under attack by an implacable foe from another galaxy. One after one, worlds are falling to the Shadow Legion. It’s up to the women of The Watch to stop the tide of darkness. The Watch is the UFWs new elite defense force, the best of the best from every world. Commandos, pilots…the free peoples’ last defense.

6 players

8 hours

Well heck. I didn’t even know this community existed.

Well heck. I didn’t even know this community existed.

Well heck. I didn’t even know this community existed.

Last weekend I had a peak RPG experience running The Watch at Big Bad Con. Great players. Here’s my very long AP Report (the end is worth it):

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HZc-T0OXgmy1DDKMBz5syaFUZ1S8xdgHHDyHRHBhg7c/edit?usp=sharing

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4tR2bsAllVdzSpa63

I’m excited to have the chance to actually PLAY in a MOTW campaign.

I’m excited to have the chance to actually PLAY in a MOTW campaign.

I’m excited to have the chance to actually PLAY in a MOTW campaign. I can’t easily count the number of sessions I’ve run at this point, but I’ve only played in 2 games: a one shot and a two parter.

So what playbook did I choose? Well, werewolves are my favorite and have been for a long time. I’ve played many werewolf characters, but this is my first chance to use the awesome Monstrous playbook to create a character.

I didn’t want to follow the stock suggestions, so I’m working with the GM on a primal drive…

Curse: To Hunt. She’s compulsive once she is given a scent to track or a lead to chase and will ignore other threats or demands from the team.

Attacks: claws and teeth

Power: Shapeshift (wolf and werewolf), Preternatural Speed

Background: It looks like the group is going with The Order as a party framework. So Deidre, my werewolf gal, is a genetic werewolf. Her parents were bad and got killed by The Order for eating one too many humans. But the hunters couldn’t bring themselves to kill a little baby girl, so did the right thing and raised her to be a monster hunter, too. This seems to leave all kinds of juicy threads regarding her heritage.

Fifth character journal for my Riot Grrrl infernal in the 90s Monsterhearts campaign “Stopping by Woods.” Links to…

Fifth character journal for my Riot Grrrl infernal in the 90s Monsterhearts campaign “Stopping by Woods.” Links to…

Fifth character journal for my Riot Grrrl infernal in the 90s Monsterhearts campaign “Stopping by Woods.” Links to previous entries included.

http://www.infrno.net/users/Hazimel/posts/6119-the-sweet-spot

Fourth character journal for my Riot Grrrl infernal in the 90s Monsterhearts campaign “Stopping by Woods.” Links to…

Fourth character journal for my Riot Grrrl infernal in the 90s Monsterhearts campaign “Stopping by Woods.” Links to…

Fourth character journal for my Riot Grrrl infernal in the 90s Monsterhearts campaign “Stopping by Woods.” Links to previous entries included.

http://www.infrno.net/users/Hazimel/posts/6105-what-would-joan-jett-do

I should have asked about this sooner.

I should have asked about this sooner.

I should have asked about this sooner.

One thing I’ve been struggling with as MC is using Provoke as Persuade. The results don’t entirely fit. Specifically, the 7-9 results always end up feeling like soft fails, instead of soft hits. 

In terms of layout, why would anyone ever want any kind of list (powers, conditions, etc.) that isn’t in alphabetical order? I can see having a special playbook power highlighted at the beginning of the list, but the rest: alpha-numeric please!

Also, it would be super helpful if conditions, their penalties and their cures were all in one place together and on the playbooks. Or at the very least all together on the rules summary.

I’m sure your final text will contain detailed examples of how combat and damage work. We’ve gone from “you get a condition every time you get hit” which was a lot, to “you only get a condition if you choose that from the Take a Mighty Blow move” which means very few conditions. That seems better, but examples FTW.

Did I mention we are enjoying the hell out of this game? We are. It’s exactly the super hero drama RPG I was looking for. Thank you for all your hard work bringing it to us.