If one were to make a one shot play set, what do you think needs to be included to speed up play.
If one were to make a one shot play set, what do you think needs to be included to speed up play.
Things already included:
-Generalized location and theme
-Map
-Schedule
-Quick NPC creation
-List of options for players to choose about setting
I’ve been introduced into this game as a alternative to the WoD and I’ve looked into the premise into this game and…
I’ve been introduced into this game as a alternative to the WoD and I’ve looked into the premise into this game and it seems there’s a whole alot of problems.
First of all, seems like this game is very centered on playing as a teenager which not only that, it also has unnecessary baggage like romances, teen angst, love triangles, high school, etc which it seems monsterhearts is rather based on Young Adult books which has all the tropes that I’m rather sick of seeing personally.
So I wonder if Monsterhearts can have all the young adult baggage gutted out somehow to tell a standard WoD style Noir story taking place in a city or do I have to play a different game? Assuming because if the unnecessary baggage like teenage romances/relationships are actually built into the game which makes it almost nigh impossible to fix. So far as a alternative to the WoD, I’m not too happy what’s presented in Monsterhearts so far.
Based on a podcast I heard recently, I’m considering mirroring the PbtA concept of Harm as Established with Strings.
Based on a podcast I heard recently, I’m considering mirroring the PbtA concept of Harm as Established with Strings. That is, whenever you’ve demonstrated that you’ve got an emotional hold or power over someone, you get a String.
Thoughts?
EDIT: So this has been up forever and apparently is still a thing?
EDIT: So this has been up forever and apparently is still a thing? I have no idea how G+ works, should probably learn. Just in case, a message – I’m leaving this as it is. In hindsight, it obviously needs a naming convention that matches the rest of MH for more than just thematic reasons. However, I think it would work better as a plot point or short campaign centered around a horrifically manipulative individual, perhaps a faerie heir/ess, or a magical artefact grown sentient, using Challengers and Precious to turn Monsterhearts into an arena of sorts. Hopefully. Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Hey all, I’ve been poking and prodding at a… well, to be perfectly honest, it was directly after watching Scott Pilgrim vs. the World again, and I decided to create a Ramona Flowers-esque character. It turned out… ok? I think? Parts of it feel clunky, but here it is at the moment, warts and all:
THE DAMSEL
You’re a bystander. A prize. A plaything. A toy. Something for the rich and powerful to desire and covet, once they have all the wealth and control they can stomach. You are something to be bought and sold, won and lost. So what of the chains round your neck, they will always underestimate you. They want to fight over you? They’ll fight. They’ll bleed.
Playing the Damsel [Very WIP]:
Aloof and austere to those deemed unworthy, kind and compassionate to those who rise above, the Damsel is both the ringleader and the prize of a battle-royals of villains, heroes, captors and lovers.
You status is firmly locked into both your Sex Move and the mandatory Precious move: Waking up next to you is invigorating, inspiring, energising, and sometimes fatal. Connections can mean someone you have a string on, a friend, a family member, a lover, another Challenger, or something different.
Keep track of both those with the Challenger title, and those who have lost it. A comprehensive and readily available list will make adding additional Challengers to the roster much simpler
When using Rooting For You, you needn’t be present or aware of the circumstances, but the fight must definitely be about you specifically.
Ivory Tower implies a lot about your status as a Damsel, quite literally in distress. While trying to walk, talk or fight your way out is as challenging as ever, those that try and interrogate, seduce or resist your advances are in for a terrible time.
Name: Mulan, Arielle, Belle, Tiana
A sweet name, a commanding name, an old-sounding name
Look:
Doe eyes, kind eyes, piercing eyes.
Gold and silver chains, spiritual chains, invisible chains, chains of family, chains of friendship
Stats:
+1 Hot, 1 Volatile, 0 Cold, 0 Dark
Special [Yes, this is very wordy]: A few days after having sex with someone for the first time, they are marked as a Challenger. Every current Challenger gains two strings on them, and they gain one string on every other Challenger. If one Challenger kills or humiliatingly defeats another, both you and the victor gain 1 XP, while the loser is permanently stripped of their Challenger title and can never benefit from the Precious move again.
Darkest Self [Suggestions wanted]: You’re done dealing with this mess. They’re all fools, all of them, so lead them on a merry chase. Seduce one, be ensnared by another, then leave them all to squabble in the mud. Play the game, and make them all lose. You leave your Darkest Self when the death or permanent maiming of a Challenger leads you to realise the horror of the situation.
Moves (Take Precious and two others):
Precious – Whenever you wake up, whoever is closest to you at the time gains two strings on you, or anyone who has a connection to you. They also take +1 forward. You may ask them any three questions, they must answer honestly or give you a string for each.
Nut Shot – When you suddenly attack someone who is emotionally vulnerable, like staring deep into your eyes, you can roll to Lash Out Physically with Hot, and they are stunned for a moment
Rooting For You – Whenever someone fights for, or because of you, you can spend any of your strings on their behalf. If two or more people are fighting over you, you may choose to grant any of them +/ 1 ongoing for the duration of the fight.
Blinding – While you are pure, you can roll to Shut Someone Down with Hot. Anyone that lays a hand on you can decide to give you the condition Tarnished , and while you have it, you can’t use this move
Ivory Tower – When someone has you imprisoned against your will, they take -2 to do anything to you that doesn’t involve keeping you there.
Femme Fatale – After spending a night close to someone, you can choose to give them the condition Secret Weakness.
Interesting safety technique
Interesting safety technique
Originally shared by Nick Golding
Safety checks in roleplaying games
It’s not often that my job teaches me something that’s useful IRL, but here’s a trick I learnt from project retrospectives and used twice in last night’s Monsterhearts game.
Hand everyone a small slip of paper or post-it note. Have them write a number from 1-5 (or similar) indicating how safe or how comfortable they feel right now, fold it up, and hand it back to you. Shuffle them, then either display the results publicly or perhaps for a small group just summarise them. (Add your own number as well!)
In work retrospectives, we use it at the start to ask how comfortable people are about being honest in their feedback. If we get too many (e.g. any, perhaps) low numbers, we abandon the retro because it’ll be pointless, and work on the issue that people don’t feel able to speak freely, as a high priority.
Last night I used this:
– At the start of the session, but after the talk about game safety mechanisms & techniques, to see how comfortable and safe people were feeling (1-5, where 5 was “fine, totally safe” and 1 was “I’m not at all comfortable with this”).
– After a particularly cruel scene by an increasingly manipulative vampire. People were commenting on his cruelty and I couldn’t tell whether it was “nasty, but great game material” or “nasty, I’m uncomfortable as a player now”. To be slightly more explicit than the vague “safety” measure, I used a traffic light – green for “it’s nasty, great drama, keep going”, amber for “it’s about at my limit, let’s not accelerate”, red for “let’s pull back on this from now on”.
Both times, it really helped us all decide how to keep the game going in a way everyone was enjoying, while not requiring anyone to speak out directly / publicly about their feelings, so (hopefully) leading to more honest responses. Yay emotional safety!
Loads of development and drama!
Loads of development and drama! Burgeoning (complicated) romance between Wayne the Werewolf and witch. touching scene between Chloe the Vampire and her mom. Victor the Minotaur’s troublesome past comes up, but is he still that monster? Aster the Chosen’s showdown doesn’t go as planned!
Monsterhearts: ‘A lot of queer youth are made to feel monstrous by people around them’ | Life and style | The…
The Kitsune – PP Edition
The Kitsune – PP Edition
In an effort to help do something about the current state of the US from over here in Japan, I have revised my Kitsune Skin for Monsterhearts. It is now up on PayHip for $4 and, until further notice, 50% of all the proceeds made from sales will be donated to Planned Parenthood (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/).
You are more than welcome to share this post. Thanks very much.
The Oni – SPLC Edition
The Oni – SPLC Edition
In an effort to help do something about the current state of the US from over here in Japan, I have revised my Oni Skin for Monsterhearts. It is now up on PayHip for $4 and, until further notice, 50% of all the proceeds made from sales will be donated to the Southern Poverty Law Canter (https://www.splcenter.org/).
You are more than welcome to share this post. Thanks very much.
My Next Project: Camp Monster Hearts
My Next Project: Camp Monster Hearts