PDA

View Full Version : Anyone out there play My Little Pony: Roleplaying is Magic?



Someonelse
2014-06-28, 12:05 AM
The book I'm referring to here is available for free (it's not pirated as far as I can tell), it's worth a read: http://mlprim.com/s3e/

I've been playing D&D (and other TT-RPGs) for about 20 years now. I now have kids but my friends and I still play every week. Recently my daughter has taken an interest in the games we play and wants to play. I tried running a simplified D&D game for her but it didn't work out so well, and I'm not sure how comfortable I am with my little girl splitting orcs in half with a great axe for fun. So I looked around a little for a game I could play with her and found that My Little Pony has a roleplaying game. My daughter loves that show, I've seen it, but I don't think I've ever sat through a whole episode. I'm definitly NOT a brony, honestly I don't get it. But I have been reading the MLP rule book (3rd ed) for a few days now and I must say I really like the rules mechanics. I'm looking forward to running a game for my wife and daughter.

Anyway, I actually did have a point here.
I've found some things lacking with the rulebook and I was hoping someone on this forum maybe has some experience with this game and could answers some questions.

First of all, I noticed that there are no stats for any monsters or NPCs at all. I understand that this game is all about roleplaying and disdains combat and they're trying to stay away from crunchy game mechanics, but how can I run any an encounter when I have no stats for the monster or NPC? I need to know exactly what they're capable of.

I only read the first of the 3 adventures the book comes with. I liked it and I intend to run it for my daughter. But it bugged me that there was no conclusion. It just ends and starts another adventure. I guess we're on our own to resolve the situation, but I feel like they could have given more info. For example, the last thing it describes is the "BBEG" (to use the term lightly) and they're motivations. It gives no stats for them. It describes their lair, but doesn't say if he is there when the PCs arrive or if there is some chance he will arrive later, nor does it say where he is if not in the lair. It gives no suggestions as to the kinds of things that might have some sway or influence over the NPC, nor any suggestions as to how the situation might be resolved as there are in every good adventure module I've ever read. It just ends with a poem that summarizes the adventure that has no context whatsoever.

And what's up with not being able to play an Alicorn? They are featured prominently on the show, and my daughter has a ton of MLP toys and most of them are alicorns. When I sat down with her yesterday to make a character and I asked her what kind of pony she wanted to be she showed me the toy of her alicorn pony and said "this one" but I had to try to explain to a small child that alicorns are not a playable race. Needless to say, she want not pleased. I managed to talk her into picking between pegasus and unicorn. I wanted to get more information on this first, like if there is a good reason to not play an alicorn that I'm just missing? or is it a matter of alicorns being too powerful to be player characters? Cause if that's the case I'll house rule it; you think having the DM's girlfriend at the table is bad, just wait till you get to play with the DM's daughter!

Kid Jake
2014-06-28, 12:37 AM
To address your last question first: Isn't an Alicorn just a unicorn with wings? Just let her be one (I doubt your wife is going to complain about being overshadowed) not sure how the races work but I'd just treat it like a gestalt. I'd imagine that the reason they're not included as a default race is because there'd be no reason to be anything else since they're basically gods from what I've seen.

I know that if I was given a choice between 'Your special power lets you pick apples fast.' or 'Your special power is control over space and time.' I'd probably pick the second one.

Mr Beer
2014-06-28, 05:05 AM
You're a good father.

I would let her play the alicorn, the hurdle for me would be learning enough MLP lore to run a game, if I was going to do that, she could have a flying unicorn with extra sparkles.

Elana
2014-06-28, 05:57 AM
If you want to run a mlp game, I strongly suggest you watch at least a few episodes.
That might help you answer many of your questions.

Now for the alicorn question.

The link you gave is for the 3rd season edition.

The last episode of season 3 was about Twilight Sparkle [b}becoming[/b] an alicorn.
(Raising the total amount of alicorns in Equestria to 4)

So it is not too surprising that alicorns weren't picked as starting choices.
(Not to mention that there wasn't a lot of information about alicorns that were less than a thousand years old up to that moment.
Of course based on season 4 it does not do much beside giving a unicorn wings. And so the ability to learn how to fly)

Doleth
2014-06-28, 09:07 AM
Depending on how old your daughter is, you'd probably be better off not using any strict set of rule and just keep things as freeform as you can. Watch some episode of the show with her so you can see not only what it's about, but also what she likes about it. Then you should be able to come up with adventures that she'll enjoy and you may even sneak some teaching in there without getting bogged down by "do the rule covers what she wants to do or not".

Eeveemaster1
2014-09-23, 10:06 AM
I believe that your question on alicorns have been answered, Please have fun with your daughter you fantastic halfling!:smallsmile:
https://sites.google.com/site/roleplayingismagichome/s4e-7-4

Topaz
2014-09-23, 10:20 PM
I am very late to this particular party, but I though I would let you know that there are a number of versions of My Little Pony role playing games, spanning a broad spectrum of theme and complexity. I've been maintaining a list in the general MLP discussion threads, the last update being here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18033123&postcount=5), for anyone who might be interested.