nWoD: Advice for a new ST?

[Delaney Gale]

I moved and have magically found a possible gaming group. YAY. However, none of us have had inordinate amounts of experience DMing/STing- E and I have both ran partial campaigns, S ran a one shot once, and H has never played before. Even better, English is his (wonderfully spoken but still) second language.

I feel like I'm best equipped to run a campaign of any sort, but for some reason I've been kicking around the idea of running new World of Darkness of some sort. I've played in two V:tR campaigns and LOVED them, and am really compelled by my BF's descriptions of his Changeling campaigns. So, I just wanted some advice/helpful hints for STing.

Primarily this question: Should I just stick with D+D while H gets into roleplaying so he doesn't have to deal with learning a system and extensive "high" roleplaying in his second language? 3.5/4 is negotiable, although if I'm DMing I'm going to run 3.5 because I'm not learning an entirely new-to-me system well enough to DM it at the beginning of term.

Secondarily this question: In the event I decide to run WoD, tell me more about running Vampire and Changeling, particularly Changeling. I don't own my own copies of the books, so I'd probably go out and buy them, and want some feedback about them first. I understand Vampire's system fairly well, Changeling slightly less so.

Thirdly this question: Does the fact that I can't tell what animal this potsticker filling is made of make them more or less delicious?

[NeoVid]

For primary question: Whether you should play D&D or WoD depends on if the player you're worried about is better at RPing or memorizing mechanics. WoD is one of the easiest systems to learn out there, but characters will most often get things done through a lot of talking and thinking. D&D is much more complicated ruleswise, but really straightforward when playing.

Second question: Vampire is the WoD game I know the least about, but I do know enough to tell you it's one of the easiest to play and run, both mechanically and storywise. Changeling takes some real effort to learn, and even to really get the concept down, since just about all the signature features of the game have unique mechanics that have to be kept in mind.

Third: mmm... tasty, tasty rat.

[Project_Mayhem]

I should add that Changeling is about the coolest game evar

[Kesnit]

Which system you play should be based on what kind of game your players want. If they want lots of combat and aren't into a lot of RP, go for D&D. If they enjoy and are good at RP, play WoD.

As for Vampire vs Changling, Vampire is an easier to system to learn and run. Since you said you already know VtR, I would recommend that one, at least for now.

[Brother Oni]

Thirdly this question: Does the fact that I can't tell what animal this potsticker filling is made of make them more or less delicious?

Funny you should mention tasty potstickers and Changlings in the same sentence to an ex-Kuei-jin player. :smallbiggrin:

I second most of the recommendations here, but it primarily depends on H's level of spoken English. If he's fine with technical terms and is more into the crunch style of gaming, then D&D might be a good starting tool.

If he's willing to take the plunge and is happy with being carried along for the first couple sessions until he catches up with what's going on (maybe some additional coaching lessons outside of the main sessions?), then go ahead with Changling*.

*Note my experience of Changling is pretty much limited as to which type of faerie tastes better...

[Delaney Gale]

I second most of the recommendations here, but it primarily depends on H's level of spoken English. If he's fine with technical terms and is more into the crunch style of gaming, then D&D might be a good starting tool.


Yeah, this is what I'm questioning. He's clearly fluent in English, as this group coalesced in instructor training for physics TAs and university policy is that you have to pass a fairly extensive English language proficiency to be an international teaching assistant. Then again, we're physics grad students, so as much as my heart aches to run a V:tR campaign right now, I think D+D might work better.

[Brother Oni]

He's clearly fluent in English, as this group coalesced in instructor training for physics TAs and university policy is that you have to pass a fairly extensive English language proficiency to be an international teaching assistant.

You might want to double check just in case. I heard a story where a group of immigrant workers were working at an explosives factory. They passed the various language tests easily but they had trouble reading the work procedures, which were written in perfect technical English (although you'd hoped they knew what a detonator was...).


Then again, we're physics grad students, so as much as my heart aches to run a V:tR campaign right now, I think D+D might work better.

You could run a V:tM game instead, which can be as crunchy/min-maxy as D&D. :smallbiggrin:

Alternatively, ask him what he'd prefer. Maybe he'd prefer to be one of the fey folk in the modern world rather than some dwarf in a fantasy world?

[Delaney Gale]

You might want to double check just in case. I heard a story where a group of immigrant workers were working at an explosives factory. They passed the various language tests easily but they had trouble reading the work procedures, which were written in perfect technical English (although you'd hoped they knew what a detonator was...).


Eh, it's somewhat of a different concern here- the difference between being able to work and get ideas across in English (which he's very good at) and being able to be creative in English (which work doesn't really allow you as much of a chance to express).

I also have a feeling it's easier to be anonymous/a means to an end in a D+D game than a WoD game. Acting/character development seemed a lot more central to the operation of our V:tR games.

[mint]

Have you ever heard H make a pun you didn't find obvious?
If so, language shouldn't be a problem.

[Revlid]

Oh, Changeling is close to being about the best game ever.

But for what you're looking for, I guess D&D might be a better fit to start you off. Then a quick "basic" nWoD campaign. Then move onto faeries.

Changeling's just great. Although the game we're playing right now is a bit odd. It's a mashup of Tarantino film expies (plot and characters) with faeries and other nWoD stuff on the sidelines. We're getting into some WW2 conspiracy stuff recently, involving some members of the Loyalists of Thule, so I guess our DM's finally been to see Inglourious Basterds...