Advice column: Spell Duels

The subject came up in one of the DCC communities. The OP was chagrined because they tried to run one in their game and it...did not go well. I felt for them. This is one of those "no amount of training will prepare you" situations. Not even the infamous Episode #11 of Spellburn will put your mind at ease on the topic, no matter how many times you replay it. But it will flow pretty smoothly in the wild, once you've done it a couple of times. 

I thought I'd share some of the tips I've gathered and turned into house/table rules. A lot of my personal preferences do not follow RAW. I know this genuinely shocks some of you. 

SPELL DUELS: quick and dirty

• The minute it's announced, keep your thumb on Table 4-5: Spell Duel Chek Comparison [that's page 100 in your DCC RPG tomes, folks]. 

• Don't bother checking the proposed list of 'this spell cancels these' on the previous page(s). That part is the most cumbersome. Just let it happen. 

• Leave the spell results for them to look up. You've got enough going on.

• Don't let anyone even bother looking up spell results until you get past the second spell duel table. (Remind players to not get attached to their rolls...)

• Skip the momentum tracking. Harley was 100% on point with that advice in Isle of Dagon. 

• I disagree with Mr. Stroh on a single bullet point: mercurial magic should absolutely take place, especially if it determines what die one player rolls for a spell check. (Admittedly, most other mercurial effects are generally atmospheric and just add to the chaos...but you can assign an uninvolved player to track that stuff for you. If there's a Phlogistonic Disturbance, it may come up.)

• Due to the ensuing cacophony at the table as everyone tries to "help" you, don't be afraid to flex some authority as judge and do this part yourself. 

• Back to page 100: the attacker [top row] is the one who instigated the spell duel...

Ignore the accompanying text. 

Stick to the table. 

You can do this. 

• Draw a line between the total spell check results of the attacker and the defender (the one who was initially casting). 
• If a die type listed in the connecting square, roll that die once and consult Table 4-6: Counterspell Power on the following page. 
• If the square says "PD", things are about to go drastically sideways for everyone and there's nothing to be done for it but to press on with some improv. Sorry. Go to Table 4-7: Phlogistonic Disturbance on page 103 and roll 1d10 (no modifier). Some of the results end the duel right then and there, while result #1 has the duel continuing until one of the casters dies - and it happens in the blink of an eye for everyone else. 
• If you roll a 1 here, and you're pressed for time, ask one of the uninvolved players to make a Luck check. If successful, bump the result to #10, determine the PC corruption (go with Major, just for the sake of keeping things rolling along), and continue the rest of the combat as normal. The caster(s) may choose to continue the spell duel, but it should continue at the same point in the next round of combat. 
• If said Luck check was failed, make the player(s) involved cast again, immediately, and roll through the table checks again in quick time to determine who is knocked to 0 hit points first.

EXTRA-SPECIAL SPELL DUELS: 3-way(+)!

• When a 3rd player chimes in - because they eventually will - instead of telling them no, or they have to wait until the first duel is reconciled, let 'em join in - but only if they haven't yet gone in this round.
• Don't allow #3 to spellburn - that's taking way too much time out of play. 
• Resolve the first contenders' results first, as above, and pull the following criteria: 
• If neither original spellcaster had a successful spell by the end of the duel round, take the lowest adjusted spell duel result (that way I don't have to remember a # from 5 minutes ago) and use that as the defender's roll on Table 4-5. 
• If both original spells succeeded after the counterspell results, use the reverse: the highest adjusted result from the first pair of spells is the defender's roll.
• #3 is now the attacker. Have them roll their spell check and resolve as above.
• If #3 crits (or critically fails) on their spell check, skip the first two tables and go directly to Table 4-7 (page 103).
• If it was a nat 20, pick one from the list that isn't too devastating, AND allow #3's spell to go off as normal. This signifies that they're just casting on the coattails of a major phlogistonic event and didn't have an ounce of control. 
• If it was a nat 1, roll on Table 4-7 while the player ALSO makes the normal corruption/misfire rules as per result 1 on the spell they cast. Yeah, I said roll this time, vs. picking a result. Please accept my personal apologies for tanking your game...or, hey, pick a result, or go as zany as you feel. Use this as an excuse to drop something you've had in your "eventually I'll do this in my game" folder onto the table. Make it your game.
• If you get any guff about these calls, remind them that 3-way(+) spell duels aren't "rules as written", either!

It's almost Voting time!

In case anyone hasn't heard yet -- Spellburn made the short list of ENnie nominees this year!

We're ecstatic and humbled, and we hope we can count on you to rally the troops when the voting opens! (July 11 - 21, 2017) Winners will be announced Friday night at Gen Con!

To get you revved up into voting gear, let's do an informal set of questions -- all about DCC RPG, naturally! The link to my little quick-and-dirty, UNOFFICIAL** survey is below. Using the ENnies as a base for my inspiration, here's a sampling of the questions I'm putting out there:

Favorite Dice set

Favorite Free Product

Favorite Zine

Favorite Cover Art

Favorite Setting (from Goodman Games or third-party publishers)

Favorite Adventure you've played in

Favorite Non-DCC adventure/product to run using DCC rules

There are so many resources and products out there! Some fall off my radar. Some are extremely helpful to players (and judges) new to the game, or new to RPGs as a whole. If you don't mind taking a stab at it, I think it could prove beneficial to the DCC community. Thanks!

Here's the link: https://goo.gl/forms/JlejHXbM6nsypGqs2

Type in your favorite under each heading. (I simply do NOT have time to populate the multiple-choice lists, sorry!) It doesn't matter if you don't have the name exactly right. Try to limit your entries to one per category. And best of all, you can come back to it if your answers change over time. 

(Please comment here if you run into any errors with the link or the survey.)

DISCLAIMER: I will periodically post the answers, as a resource for players and judges alike. 

**Yes, this is an UNOFFICIAL, independent survey. It is neither prompted nor requested by any publisher. This is not to be considered corporate research data in any capacity. Any and all results, whether in part or in whole, will be revealed independently by me [on my blog, in DCC RPG communities on G+/FB, or on air via Spellburn]. I am not collecting e-mail addresses with this form, and your answers will never be released in conjunction with your identity. 

Get these guys some cue cards.

Recording late at night during the cooler months (y'know, when it's not ~80 degrees at 10pm) is great.

Recording late at night these days results in comments like, "Huh. I hear crickets."

Me: You bein' funny?

"No, I really hear crickets."

Me: <mute> <unmute>

"Yep, it's Jen." 

Me: What the...? <take off headphones as I move away from the computer> Huh? Oh hey waitasec... <return to desk> Yep. You're right, guys. We've got crickets tonight. At least we're storm-free...

~~~~

So, um, fair warning: while my sound editors rock, we might have crickets in the show(s). Both podcasts, even. Damn. And the more I mute, the more noticeable they'll be when I unmute. 

Asshole crickets. They're not even on cue.

And now, every single night, my awareness of the noisome nuisances has heightened exponentially. Holy hell, these crickets sound like they're lined up around my window like there's an iPhone release for insect-kind at midnight, followed by a rave giving out free Fireball. I suppose it could be worse; could be tree frogs after a good rain -- they'll keep me up at night -- or those damned whippoorwills... God bless the silent lizards who eat these things.


~~~~

**Related, but not really: Any first-hand experience with/suggestions for a standalone mic with an on-board mute button?

The Sanctum!

There's been new DCC happenings in the proverbial neighborhood. If you're reading this, you probably know about it already.

Part of me has been remiss over here; part of me has been waiting for the website to go mostly-fully-live. Then it was, and I was busy having my skull nommed on by life. (Really gotta stop using basting sauce as a perfume. Sorry 'bout that.) There's been a lot of prep for this thing, too. And more editing. All of this is cool, it's just a little brain-consuming.

So here she be. If you haven't already visited the hub to listen, check out the Sanctum Secorum podcast.* I adore the overall aesthetic quality; something about those woodcuts just gets me.

Hint: Explore the Dark Acquisitions to find the free show companions, free "for the community, by the community" offerings that accompany every show. And sometimes they hit the stacks independently...



*Caveats: Sanctum Secorum is neither affiliated with--nor in competition with--Spellburn, as it's all about spreading the love for the game. Nor are my loyalties divided. Et cetera. Ad nauseum.

Butterflies. Every time.

I will be playtesting an upcoming module for Stephen Newton this Friday.

There are a handle of aspects that have me nervous about this:

-It's a funnel (not my forte)
-It's a small table (5 players max, odd for me)
-It's my first time running anything at this particular store
-The FLGS owner(s) may also be playing (their first time with DCC RPG)
-It's been nearly two months since I've picked up The Tome
-It'll be my very first time judging whilst being recorded (by the author's request*)

Okay, so the rest of the above items all add up to, "No pressure, really!" and I'm sure I'll get over them. It's really just this last tidbit that sets my teeth on edge. I think it would be less harrowing to have him sitting there, taking notes -- or even just watching via a Hangout or some such. The concept of such material being available indefinitely - especially with no visuals to put things into context - makes me wince.

But, hey - it'll prime me up for some of the more publicly-viewed venues such as ConTessa and Gary Con, right?

~squibble~


*Not sure why? Check out the latest Spellburn episode, wherein Mr. Newton himself talks about his multiple methods of playtesting adventures!

Closing out Autumn

Since the last update here:

*The DCC RPG table had one mostly-sandboxed session after the last posted wrap-up. 

*The Dark Master finally graced "the Judges J" with his presence! Check out the Spellburn episode, if you haven't already.

*Spent approx. 1/2 of November away from home - and away from gaming! The horror! No DCC RPG for an entire month...I'm pretty sure the pain is physical.

*Completed many proofings of the upcoming "Treasure Vaults of Zadabad" from Stormlord Publishing. It's a biggie.

*I had the pleasure of attending a super-secret playtest of a certain mythological post-apocalyptic game setting. I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of such, nor the caliber of awesomeness.

This week: 

*Wednesday, Dec. 3rd - Redeux of "The Dying Aereth" tournament at Gateway Games in Cincinnati. As much as I loathe cold weather, I love this group enough to stay in snowland for one extra day!

*Registering for Gary Con!

Next week: 

*I'm hosting a playtest of the next product from Thick Skull Adventures at Dungeon Games, the newest FLGS in SW FL. 

*Also need to post the next game wrap-up before the last open table game of the year. (Only one on the calendar for December.)

Future:

*Finessing the event schedules for Gary Con...

*Potentially picking the biweekly DCC group up and moving it to the newer FLGS. It's a smaller venue, but far more welcoming. If it means limiting the table size, that might be a blessing at this crucial sandbox crossover point.

*Copy-editing and proofing is on deck for the Thick Skull product, as well as a few others in the wings. (I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying/thriving on this!)

Sandboxing is harrowing...and rewarding!

In the spirit of full disclosure, since I alluded to it in the last episode:

I did it! I stepped outside of my comfort zone and happy self-contained module boundaries and friggin' sandboxed a game. First. Time. Ever.

I've been enjoying creating little tidbits here and there to tie things together. I mean, let's face it; for campaign play, even when strictly running modules, you still have to connect them somehow. Whether it's taking the party straight from Sailors to an ocean-faring adventure, or stringing together a bunch of land-locked escapades, the storyline needs to contain a cohesive part or three that give the players a sense of continuity -- and a desire to build upon it.

But it almost becomes a new game – with new rules for the Judge – when you take away the tried-and-tested module and replace the meat of the session with something that comes from your own brain. Even drawing inspiration from other sources, you’re not using a script or plot that’s been penned by noteworthy authors and fully playtested. There is no telling where the story will go, because you’re also giving the players a chance to fully participate in the “cooperative storytelling” I so love to tout at my table.

I’m not saying any of these things are bad. I’m just illustrating that, as far as my self-confidence went? All bets were off.

It’s no secret that the weeks leading up to this was full of nail-biting and nerves. (C’mon, you can’t tell me none of you got nervous the first time you started your own game, whether you were 12 or 40!) +DougKovacs kindly nudged me toward using an idea I’d come across that really strikes a chord with me: “You can draw from anything, but it should mainly be of interest to you.” Well, of course. I need it to be something I’m passionate about, rather than a blasé, “Sure, you can explore that. Why not?” I’d much rather smile and respond, “I’d love it if you’d check that out.” Not only will it ring true, it’ll unnerve the table – and if you’re not trying to elicit a response from players, why bother Judging? While I won’t reveal the root of my inspiration here or on Spellburn (I don’t want to spoil anything for my current or potential players), I’ve already touched on in the past. Why not make it the official underlying plotline?

I started by making a list of the recurring characters and recalling the histories and goals that they’ve been playing up, then the events they’ve already set into motion and current party issues (e.g., a petrified pseudodragon familiar). I then sat down to come up with some intertwined quests that will solve some of the PC’s current and projected problems, fleshed out some NPCs who will be recurring, cobbled together a combination of critters for encounters, and devised a couple potential adventure directions. The prep time for this game session was comparable with the last, and to be perfectly honest, I’m still working on the path(s) they’ll take. But the Muse is thriving on it.

A wise bit of Kovacs advice: “When your imagination embraces a concept your players will follow and eat up anything you present to them.” Boy, did they – especially the ones who’ve been with me since the early days. The morsels of campaign history that were disseminated (“You find [this item], and it looks oddly familiar”) were pounced upon (“I make sure my gloves are on and wrap up [the item]”). The only constructive criticism I would give my table is this: When given the chance to choose a direction, you gotta tell me which way you want to go. They’ve gotten very used to me having a set game plan, and the offer of something that didn’t involve a railroaded plot stymied them at first.

For the encounters, I pulled a monster out of the core book that I’ve wanted to use for over a year. Based on the sheer number of PCs, I doubled the recommended HD – and then a handful of the PCs declared they were going to try to circumvent the combat altogether, which earned the players dirty looks from the ones involved in the fighting. {Phew, dodged that one.} The combat took over an hour, but the players were still enthusiastic and involved. There were a couple of other one-on-one encounters that others could jump in on, and I’d been on the fence about the third big group of monsters. At the very last minute, I turned them into captives that needed rescued, and it was amazing to watch the expressions around the table – I surprised everyone with that decision, including myself, and it made for some great role-play and solidified the group’s mission for the next game. Interestingly, their new focus takes them completely away from one of the adventures I’d prepped. So be it.

However, there are still a number of choices they could make during the course of the next session, so I will be prepping at least two directions/paths, as I loathe the idea of being caught flat-footed. I’ll improv as multiple NPCs for as long as it takes, but I’m simply not comfortable with the idea of coming up with encounters & stats on the fly. I don’t know if I’ll ever be comfortable with scrawling “maps” either, but the group has been very patient and forgiving.

The Acolyte is taking baby-steps…be gentle.

{…2014 Worlds Tour/Road Crew session #14 report to follow.}

Back in session!

The opening of another FLGS in our area has spurred me into action. I've been all kinds of productive for my Road Crew game, which reconvened last Sunday:

• tallied treasure & XP totals for the regular/returning PCs
• assembled the campaign's modules & notes into one cohesive binder for reference at the table
• created magic swords to reflect daggers that were commissioned for production...and a couple others to have on deck
• crafted info cards/sheets for complex magic items in play
• statted an artifact the Carnifex gave out at the end of the last game (see here for Muse info)
• statted a dragon
• started notes for the next game**

If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend you create a magic sword using the advanced magic rules in the Judge's section of The Tome. I found it to be both eductional and inspiring. (For more advanced magic tidbits, check out Episode #30 of Spellburn! ...Don't tell me you didn't see that coming.)

And no, I'm not burying the lead here. They haven't come across a dragon (yet), but the assembly is a bit time-consuming and it's not something I can just pull together while they wait. That, too, was educational...and a bit scary.

**Possibly the most frightening part of all: I'm considering stepping outside of a module for our next session. That's right:

I. MIGHT. SANDBOX. 

...It's terrifyingly exciting.

Sezrekan says: Suck it up, princess.

This summer has been quite the funnel.

Harbingers of doom and elation:
-Interstate DCC RPG Road Crew. / +2 hirelings
-FLGS closed. / -4 turnip farmers / +14 sad faces
-OMG GEN CON!!!11!!! / +1 billionty faces put to names / +18 friends / -4 bards / -1 voice
-Commit to playtesting without having a group in play. / +2 Chutzpah
-New FLGS, roughly the same distance from home. / +1 Luck
-Next DCC game is officially scheduled...nearly 4 months after the last game. / -3 Confidence

Okay, so I haven't posted since the first two items. Which is silly, when I think about it, since it is still easier at this point to type than to talk! (Evidence: Spellburn episode 28.) It's been nearly 2 weeks since we left Indianapolis, where we were singing, talking, yelling, hawking, and gaming - in that order - for 5 days straight (and, on my end, forgetting to eat for two of those days). I still feel rough around the edges. Con lag?

Gen Con reviews have been done. I'll let them lie as is, particularly with the latest Spellburn episode already hitting the web {because +Jim Wampler is amazing}. The best blog recap I've seen is this piece from +Edgar Johnson.

That said, there are a few tidbits I didn't prattle on about with the Judges J earlier...

Rather than prowling for gaming and chance interactions, this year it seemed that I was on the periphery of everyone else's awesome experiences. I was fortunate enough to witness some of the happiest (and even most personal) moments of some people's con. I found myself content to stand back and watch other people having a great time - not because I was spent (although the lack of food may have had some effect, in retrospect) - but because I needed to witness the glory that was 30-40 DCC RPG fans crammed together and interconnected in play while spread across 5 tables, whether they realized it at the time or not. I was in the right place at the right time to assist with the 3PP sales, thus being thrown into the instant camaraderie within the Goodman Games booth.

Truth be told, losing our FLGS and a dear friend (whom we'd expected to see at Gen Con) within the same week ripped the rug out from under me so badly... I needed to get my breath back, find my legs again, regain some steam and rejuvenate my enthusiasm level. Immersing myself within the DCC community - and being so heartily embraced by it in return - really did my soul good. And it's YOU that I have to thank for that.

(Stop looking around. You know I mean you. Whether you took time out to ask how I was doing, offered me food or coffee, or it took you a minute to realize I was "that Jen", you were exactly what I needed, and I hope your con experience was just as great.)

Side note: Holy crap, that first autograph request was humbling. "You mean you've never signed a CD?" came the response. Of course. But there's still a level of anonymity there. The listener takes home a disc and hears me (and others) do the same thing over and over. They may be able to pick my voice out of the group, but they don't progressively get to know me by way of a semimonthly recorded conversation where I don't get a second take if I flub a line. There's a weird level of intimacy, somehow. It's both thrilling and terrifying.

Cover (Kovacs, of course) for an upcoming release.
My players may recognize parts from one of last year's playtests...

Now, on to current events...

A new friendly semi-local gaming store (still ~90 mi r/t) opened in Fort Myers, exactly 2 months to the day of 2D10's closing. Their major selling points are two private rooms, 400 and 500 sq ft each, and owners who are excited about us running open tables. We're going to start with the hubby's 1st Ed. D&D game for a couple of weekends so we can get used to the space, and I can try to catch up with everything [including real life crap] that's waiting on me. I pray to Sezrekan that I'm able to swing it with only minor corruption.

"The Chronicles of the Carnifex," as I've come to think of them, shall resume on September 28th.

{interim posting for appearances' sake}

Sadly, when one is self-employed and loves to over-prepare for running a game, there isn't much "free time" left over for blogging. While people may desire more frequent updates here (or ~gasp~ a full catching-up on sessions to date), they're far more loquacious about their demands for more Spellburn episodes. And, truth be told, it takes far longer to recap a 6-hour game session with the level of detail I like to include than it does to herd all the cats into one internet space for a couple hours of recording.

Also prepping for some travel. Our group is performing this coming weekend, June 21-22, in the Peoria, Illinois area, and we're driving up from Florida to meet our bandmates flying in from Vegas. I was so bummed about the crossover in dates (this conflicts with both my regularly-scheduled DCC RPG game and Free RPG Day, dagnabbit) but the crew's indulging me in finding a public spot to run something Saturday evening after all the contractual obligations are met. It'll count as a session, so I'll get to do a write-up on that one, too! {The Tower out of Time should make an entertaining funnel...}

So... In the meantime, go enjoy Spellburn! I'm trying to be a little more sparse on the spoilers when discussing my game with "The Judges J" so there will still be shenanigans to read about over here, when I finish the umpteen drafts. If you've already been through the last year's episodes, I recommend another listen to the spellburn duel with guests Harley Stroh & Michael Curtis. I always pick up a nuance I'd forgotten each time I hear that one. =)

The Acolyte Ascension

You may have noticed that Spellburn's Episode 22 is up.

Totally related: "Meet the Band" has a spiffy little write-up (and is more eloquent than when one is put on the spot).

Apparently Gary Con was an audition. Good thing I didn't know; I would've tanked it.


Also related:   {skip this part if you're afraid of me "ruining the magic"}
Yes, I have been known to wear funny clothes and sing in front of people at least once a year. Usually they're complete strangers, and I'm good with that. If they like it, cool! If they smile and walk on, that's cool too. If they hate it, they'll keep walking. It's all good. Performing for friends/peers, on the other hand...I always feel sketchy. Similarly: When recording for Marooned releases, I can do multiple takes until it's right, and then I'm fairly confident in the little shrinkwrap-packaged disc I sell. Live? Not so much. It's difficult to break out of the 'perfectionist' mindset. But, hey -- Michael Curtis is a tall dude, and I can hide behind him for an episode. Right? ;)


One final thought: Dagnabbit. I totally forgot to level up on air!

Thanks for the support, all!