That Went... Well?
So I picked back up the mantle of GM for the Star Wars game I started last year. One new player and one player switching to a new character. The switch gave me an 'expendable no-longer-PC' in the active scene. What GM isn't going to make use of that? };)
With two new characters, I started with split scenes, running one after the other and working them to synch up at the same point. Tricky, but it seemed to go well. No one out-of-scene complained of boredom, though I suspect they all had a little something else to focus on too, which is fine.
The first 'real' threat of the game was an old rakatan war droid that shook off its reprogramming and used lethal force. Due mostly to the layout of the KoTOR campaign guide, I missed the stats for the rakatan droids and used a 'juggernaut war droid.' At 26 hit points, I knew it was a bit fragile - probably only able to stand up to two or three attacks at most - but decided that was okay as it had decent offense. I considered switching it, but didn't. Even when one of the characters rolled a natural 20 and one-shotted the thing. o.o; Well, it killed the ex-PC with its surprise round and wounded one of the characters with its first attack. Disappointing mechanically, but it filled its narrative role.
And, with the loss of a companion on what was to be a training mission, they now-united group returned to the academy to find it in ruins from an attack. As one player said: "Personally I like the scene of 4 young Jedi, standing with the speeding off to one side, wind making their cloaks drift as they stand with their back to the camera... looking at the smoking ruins of the Academy. Sounds like a great last panel to the issue."
With two new characters, I started with split scenes, running one after the other and working them to synch up at the same point. Tricky, but it seemed to go well. No one out-of-scene complained of boredom, though I suspect they all had a little something else to focus on too, which is fine.
The first 'real' threat of the game was an old rakatan war droid that shook off its reprogramming and used lethal force. Due mostly to the layout of the KoTOR campaign guide, I missed the stats for the rakatan droids and used a 'juggernaut war droid.' At 26 hit points, I knew it was a bit fragile - probably only able to stand up to two or three attacks at most - but decided that was okay as it had decent offense. I considered switching it, but didn't. Even when one of the characters rolled a natural 20 and one-shotted the thing. o.o; Well, it killed the ex-PC with its surprise round and wounded one of the characters with its first attack. Disappointing mechanically, but it filled its narrative role.
And, with the loss of a companion on what was to be a training mission, they now-united group returned to the academy to find it in ruins from an attack. As one player said: "Personally I like the scene of 4 young Jedi, standing with the speeding off to one side, wind making their cloaks drift as they stand with their back to the camera... looking at the smoking ruins of the Academy. Sounds like a great last panel to the issue."
True, it is a good scene, and you ran the game very well. A little bleak for my tastes, but this is something I should learn to accept, and isn't any fault of yours. (And I'm spending that damn Destiny Point) Good game. :)
ReplyDeleteDo note this isn't really mean to set the tone for the entire game. It's a tragic send-off for the PCs, giving them reason to leave behind the comfortable (as you really don't have much choice now) rather than indicative of a campaign theme of everything falling down around your ears all the time.
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