And I am... Dungeon Master

[EggKookoo]

Has anyone tried running a campaign where the PCs are the players pulled into FR or some other setting location? A la the old 80s cartoon?

Just curious...

[Great Dragon]

Several times.

Heck, the only thing I was missing from that cartoon were the DM Robes (https://images.app.goo.gl/bz91PdAZam5kKno27) !!
(I sometimes still wish I could get one of those!)

The Robes from the old 1e DMG (https://images.app.goo.gl/ejC93XrM4saHwcMd6)
would also be acceptable.

It works best with a group of Old Friends. Having known each other 3+ years.

It can be fun to do this, Especially if you have each Player write down a summary about their (not too Personal) History, along with what they think their Stats, Background (+Traits/Ideals/Bonds/Flaws) are and Class (+Subclass for 5e) they are mostly associated with, along with any the wish they could be.

Then have everyone else write down their opinion of what all the above (bolded) list are.

Also, DM, include yourself.

Then just relax, be yourselves, and have Fun playing the game!

[EggKookoo]

Also, DM, include yourself.

I didn't even think of that. Takes the concept of a DMPC to a new level.

[Contrast]

One of the groups I play in seems to really enjoy playing ourselves whenever we do one shots or the like.

Personally I'm not a fan because if I'm being honest - I'm not a hero and will not be doing heroic things if I'm 'roleplaying' myself accurately.

If I'm roleplaying some version of me who's much more adventurous than me that's just a) slightly depressing and b) I may as well be actually roleplaying as a made up person then.

Definitely has increased scope for hurt feelings as well.

[EggKookoo]

Definitely has increased scope for hurt feelings as well.

Yes, I think this would need at least moderately experienced players.

[Great Dragon]

I didn't even think of that. Takes the concept of a DMPC to a new level.

I find that doing this gives that "personal" touch to the game.
Having players that have seen the old D&D cartoon makes it more fun, to me.

It's also a great way to introduce the idea of DM-PCs to a group of Old Friends that are also all New Players.



Definitely has increased scope for hurt feelings as well.

Having that Session Zero to make sure Everyone is comfortable with and going to enjoy doing this is Absolutely necessary.

[Damon_Tor]

Should probably come up with some party games to set your ability scores. Don't worry if they're "accurate", mostly this is just entertaining. Err on the side of the scores being too high.

If you're all adults, con is the most obvious: drinking contest. Your con score is double the number of drinks you have over the course of the night.

[Contrast]

Having that Session Zero to make sure Everyone is comfortable and going to enjoy doing this is Absolutely necessary.

My experience is that people think they'll be ok with it (after all its basically just roleplaying hanging out with your friends, you do that all the time, how hard could that be?) and then someone will say in passing 'Oh your intelligence is high!' in a surprised tone of voice to someone or agree to a dump stat a bit too readily and suddenly it isn't as fine as they thought.

The group still does it so they're clearly getting something out of it but personally I don't think I've ever left a session thinking I enjoyed it more because we were playing ourselves and several times I've left wishing we hadn't. Seems all risk no reward to me but different strokes for different folks I guess.

[Damon_Tor]

My experience is that people think they'll be ok with it (after all its basically just roleplaying hanging out with your friends, you do that all the time, how hard could that be?) and then someone will say in passing 'Oh your intelligence is high!' in a surprised tone of voice to someone or agree to a dump stat a bit too readily and suddenly it isn't as fine as they thought.

The group still does it so they're clearly getting something out of it but personally I don't think I've ever left a session thinking I enjoyed it more because we were playing ourselves and several times I've left wishing we hadn't. Seems all risk no reward to me but different strokes for different folks I guess.

Which is part of the reason why stats should be set by party games. Yes, do it because it's fun, but also because it creates an objective (if innacurate) way to get your ability scores.

[Sigreid]

Used to play a game called Villains and Vigalanties where the whole premise was each player was themself, just with super powers. It was fun, but honestly it is very hard even semi objectively evaluate your own abilities.

[EggKookoo]

Used to play a game called Villains and Vigalanties where the whole premise was each player was themself, just with super powers. It was fun, but honestly it is very hard even semi objectively evaluate your own abilities.

I played V&V a lot back in the day. I would say it was my first real TTPRG. I mean I knew about D&D at the time but I never really played it until later.

And yeah, the character creation rules were a bitch...

[Contrast]

Which is part of the reason why stats should be set by party games. Yes, do it because it's fun, but also because it creates an objective (if innacurate) way to get your ability scores.

Yeah we usually used The End of the World system by FFG which involves the player choosing their stats and then the rest of the group conducting a secret ballot to vote them up or down. Always seemed almost designed to cause strife to me with the added negative that it takes ages.

For my money if you're doing it in 5E, use pre-gens and have the characters 'Quantum Leap'ed into them. That way you can at least sidestep stat/appearance issues and have characters who are built somewhat optimally.

[Shabbazar]

If you're all adults, con is the most obvious: drinking contest. Your con score is double the number of drinks you have over the course of the night.

Woot! That just gives the Alcoholic a 48 CON. Do they even have rules for that? Can I regenerate or what?

[Monster Manuel]

Which is part of the reason why stats should be set by party games. Yes, do it because it's fun, but also because it creates an objective (if innacurate) way to get your ability scores.

The other way I've seen it done is to say, "IRL you're all commoners. 10s accross the board for stats".

Then, you give out stat bonuses based on the class and background you got. You're all humans, apply stat bonuses based on Variant or Standard human. Would you be a a fighter if 'ported to the Forgotten Realms? +2 to strength, +2 con. Wizards get +4 int. If you decide you would have the Soldier background, that gives you another +2 Str, Acolyte will give you +2 WIS.

Adjust the numbers as you will (I'm sort of extrapolating into 5e, so I don't know if the math actually works. I think it was back in 2E when this was originally tried, so the bonuses were based on classes, kits, proficiencies, etc). You wind up with playable characters, probably on the weaker side, but with no hard feelings regarding tough calls about personal attributes.

Of course, then you've kind of missed out on most of the fun of "playing yourself", just roll up a standard fighter, pick the appropriate background, and name him after yourself. YMMV.

[Great Dragon]

The group still does it so they're clearly getting something out of it but personally I don't think I've ever left a session thinking I enjoyed it more because we were playing ourselves and several times I've left wishing we hadn't. Seems all risk no reward to me but different strokes for different folks I guess.

This can go
(1) they were teasing, but came across as serious

(2) they were serious, and trying to help you see and maybe 'fix a flaw'

(3) they weren't really your friend/s.

All of these require communication, and in the end only you can decide about #3.

But then I like to get - and give - constructive criticism.

But, yeah - if after trying this a few times, and you don't like it, say so to at least the G/DM.

The goal is to have Fun, and if pretending is all the same, or pretending to be a "better" you is not helpful, then just stick to regular gaming styles.

As just a note: I haven't done the Be Yourselves In (tRPG) for more than a decade.

[Laserlight]

"Pick your own stats, using point buy with 32 points. Sean, even though you're a smooth-talking genius kung fu master in real life, you may not have enough points to buy all your stats to where you really are, so just do the best you can. Maybe this is a younger you, before you got the black belt and the PhD. For the rest of us, if you feel you need stats below 8 to accurately reflect yourself, that's okay."

[Contrast]

snip

Oh its never bothered me. As I said, my gripe is more I'm not the type to throw myself in danger. If asked to roleplay myself in a life threatening situation, I will dither and then probably seek out the nearest authority and hand responsibility to them which does not make for particularly exciting gaming sessions :smallwink:

It's just not particularly fun either to spend an evening with friends who have managed to accidentally annoy/insult each other :smallsigh:

[Shabbazar]

The other way I've seen it done is to say, "IRL you're all commoners. 10s accross the board for stats".

Except some percentage of players actually aren't commoners. The problem becomes converting people's real life skills into skills in game. Just because you are a super smart physicist IRL doesn't mean you are gonna know magic in a D&D world. Yet, the player who is exceptional IRL is going to be miffed if he isn't equally exceptional in game. So how to convert?

I think a good way is to use http://www.kevinhaw.com/add_quiz.php. Now, this is going to give people some pretty high stats, but so what? You could use this to generate a list of 6 numbers and then rearrange them to preference.

As long as you have players that are all about the same you can make this work. The only problem comes when one person IRL is way above or below the norm for the group. There are players that could've been cast in Zero Charisma and there are other players that are SpecOps-PhD-multi-millionaires. They don't game with each other, but there can still be quite a disparity at a lot of regular tables.

[Seclora]

I personally have not, but once of my players was part of one once.

Apparently, the table all got together and made each other as characters. My player was given, as a unique ability 'Knowledge: Monster Manual' and the ability to roll to just open the book entry.

Obviously, he's a metagamer.

[Wuzza]

It works best with a group of Old Friends. Having known each other 3+ years.

Bit of topic.....
You know you're getting old when 3+ years constitutes "old friends"...…. :smallsmile: (add a zero for meb:smallbiggrin:)

[Arcangel4774]

Fun but theres an inherent issue in adressing stats as people arent as balanced as characters.

[Great Dragon]

The other way I've seen it done is to say, "IRL you're all commoners. 10s accross the board for stats".


Except for the "commoners" part;
This is another type of game I've run. But, I give 1-2 points at every level to add to thier Stats as they see fit. Can be fun.


Bit of topic.....
You know you're getting old when 3+ years constitutes "old friends"...…. :smallsmile: (add a zero for me :smallbiggrin:)

Yeah, I do find it sad that there are adult players in my games that are younger in years than I've been doing D&D !!

[TripleD]

I like the “10 across the board” idea. Most of us, if we are being honest, are fairly average people within the context of the superhuman feats D&D characters can pull off. I’d let players add a +2 to one thing they feel they are good at, and a -2 to one thing they think they are bad at.

Since we are pulling from the cartoon, how about their “weapon” also gives them a boost? If they want to play a thief, maybe they get a Sheila-style invisibility cloak that also grants a +2 to DEX?

Had an idea for something like this as well. My plot idea was for the end game to be taking down the Dungeon Masters. Watching as an adult... Dungeon Master is a very morally grey character. Several times in the show it’s revealed that he’s pulled this isekai stunt before, with occasionally disastrous results. In one episode they come across the skeletons of his “former pupils” in a maze, and in the penultimate episode it’s implied that Martha was part of a group of pupils pulled in around the turn of the century to fight the Darkling... only to fail, leaving Martha to wander the Realm and grow old by herself.

Never got the idea past vague planning though.