Damon Thomas
Has anyone out there ever tried to run a quasi-serious Risus campaign? If so, How did the rules-lite cliche-based approach hold up? #rpg #games #ttrpg
Jul 24, 2024 at 4:38amWeb
Show threadDigital Mark λ ☕️ 🌮 🚀 🌗Jul 24, 2024

@ruralgloom I wouldn't use Risus, why bother?, but I've run my SIX WORD RPG ("Describe characters. Roll dice. Gamemaster decides.") quite a lot. Often I'll write a few spot rules as we go, or have some game book on the table for lists of stuff. There's a lot of FKR (Free Kriegspiel Revival) "games" like that, too.

Works fine if you have players who engage with the world, not systems, and are willing to write and think about their characters.
#rpg #ttrpg #fkr #sixwordrpg

Show threadDamon ThomasJul 24, 2024
@mdhughes So is your 6 word approach usually something similar to "Based on that character description... that roll of X would succeed in situation Y?"
Show threadDigital Mark λ ☕️ 🌮 🚀 🌗Jul 24, 2024
@ruralgloom Pretty much. Either auto succeed or fail, or I'll pick a d6 or 2d6 roll you need, or rate some trait with a score you need. It can be completely freeform, but if I need to build out a system for something we do a lot, I can.
Show threadJunkyardTornadoJul 24, 2024

@ruralgloom yes, I've had a lot of fun and success with Risus. The only challenge I've had, and this was only with a particular player, was a situation where they were trying to game the system by choosing the broadest most powerful cliches they could come up with. I guess it's the Risus version of min maxing?! It was annoying but nothing else, and that game was just a one shot.

For story driven gaming it is a great system. With players who make interesting characters, it works fine. I like using 3×5 cards for everything. I've ran sessions while cooking dinner, friends standing around in the kitchen, stuff like that. It's such a portable rpg. Recommended.

Show threadDamon ThomasJul 24, 2024
@JunkyardTornado I've thought about that possibility. Someone who went with "Dr. Manhattan: 5, Dr. Who: 4 Sherlock Holmes: 3" etc. A few house rules might be needed there! The issue is less challenging the character (in this case Dr. Manhattan vs. ennui) than what does every other player do during this nonsense?
Show threadJunkyardTornadoJul 24, 2024
@ruralgloom yea, you get the idea. I mean, the system just doesn't work well for players that are trying to game rule systems like that. It's not fun to run or play when there's characters like that in there, from my experience. I just try to explain, it's an opportunity to try something less gamified powerful, tell a story, try to come up with some backstory and then consider cliches... some players just haven't experienced a system like Risus, especially if all they've played is D&D or similar games.
Show threadDamon ThomasJul 24, 2024
@JunkyardTornado I'm thinking of a crossworlds approach myself whee the group "wakes up" in a fantasy environment as their characters. Sort of gaming the Elric Lords of Law/Chaos. Law has won.. but Chaos keeps trying..
Show threadJunkyardTornadoJul 24, 2024
@ruralgloom that sounds like a great idea. I get a lot of inspiration from the Elric series, myself.
Show threadDamon ThomasJul 24, 2024
@JunkyardTornado The idea is pretty fun. A high fantasy Marty Stu plopped into "steal a few coins" low fantasy situations. The Magick System appeals to me as well. You do very little directly and mostly contact an entity who may/may not cooperate. Either way you are completely exhausted after.
Show threadJunkyardTornadoJul 24, 2024
@ruralgloom that sounds very entertaining. I enjoy magic being somewhat unpredictable and potentially very powerful, but also potentially worthless, and always taking a tole. Dark. Gritty. I've been reading Kane books lately (Karl Edward Wagner) and live how all the magic in there requires some sort of ritual... even though the ones in the books would be mostly too gruesome for my tastes in a ttrpg, I like the aspect of it taking time, resources, and meticulous practice to get a spell to work.
Show threadDamon ThomasJul 24, 2024
@JunkyardTornado Ritual that involves components is interesting alone. Whether it takes $$$ to buy (or hire a thief..) or becomes a quest itself – "Can't call the Dragon Lord without that gold dragon scale!"
Show threadJunkyardTornadoJul 24, 2024
@ruralgloom yes, or if it has a cost in health to the caster. That can be brutal if the player isn't into it, but also great RP potential.
Show threadDamon ThomasJul 24, 2024
@JunkyardTornado That could be interesting with the Risus boosts. You might lose a die (or more) for an extended period as a part of the Big Magick process.
Show threadJunkyardTornadoJul 24, 2024
@ruralgloom I think it could offer some interesting choices for players.... is it worth it to try and cast this spell?
Show threadDamon ThomasJul 24, 2024
@JunkyardTornado There are various "real world" thoughts on Magick. There is theurgy of contacting a Deity which for RPGs is the realm of clerics. Then you get stage magic that might be more of the thief-like sleight of hand. For Magic Users it becomes "you use your limited energy for small effects" (thaumatology) or "you summon things to do the work" (ceremonial magick.) All have uses and advantages/disadvantages. Clerics could just pray for anything but the results depend on the deity. Thieves could get good "fake" magic effects like the end of Willow. The 2 Magic User options become a matter of risk/reward. Small energy loss for a minor gain? Or big loss for (possible) big gain?
Show threadJunkyardTornadoJul 24, 2024
@ruralgloom all useful. I enjoy low magic world building where magic remains rare, mysterious, and dangerous... but powerful in the right hands or for they who are willing to pay the costs. But I see the merrit in all the types you mentioned and would personally happily play in a world with those types of options.
Show threadDamon ThomasJul 24, 2024
@JunkyardTornado I also like including a "miscast" element as well. If the spell fails.. then something still happens. Just not what you intended.