tips for demo'ing DFRPG?

[Beoferret]

Hey all. Well, I've signed on to demo the DFRPG at a local game store in a week and am worried that I've potentially bitten off more than I can adequately chew. While I have a fairly decent idea of how I'm going to proceed, I definitely need some advice/suggestions. Basically:

1) How have any of you been able to present DF to folks in a way that does justice to the game (e.g. it's "tactical richness," as someone once said) without scaring anyone off?

2) How have you been able to differentiate it from DnD, without alienating DnD fans?

3) In your experience, what rules needed the most explanation during play? What rules and concepts did first-time players have a hard time with?

I have no idea how many people are going to arrive or if anyone will at all. But I want anyone who does, to have a good time (obviously) and for maybe someone to buy the copy of DFRPG that's been sitting on the store's shelf for quite some time. I'm going to start another thread related to choosing an adventure (one of the ones from Pyramid) and then back to reacquainting myself with the rules. Thanks, in advance, for any assistance and/or suggestions!

[Tom H.]

Congratulations on taking that step.

It probably will be a bit intimidating. I ran DFRPG at OwlCon in Houston this past February (2018), and I hope to get back here soon to share some more about that experience.

Each person who hosts such a demo will have different experiences based on his or her own strengths and weaknesses, so I can't assume mine will match yours.

The hardest part will be to remember and convey a lot of the detail, so just focus on providing some experiences without trying to get it all in.

For example, when players move on the hex grid, a lot of facing, posture, and movement points will naturally be hard to implement at first, especially if they are coming from D&D.

It can be fun to demonstrate the emphasis on active defenses that avoids as much typical HP attrition. The wounding modifiers of weapons that get through armor are a cool feature to show off as well.

[Tom H.]

If you aren't already aware, a user named Dalin experimented with introducing DFRPG to middle-school students.

Here are some of his threads:

• DFRPG at School, the Next Level...
• DFRPG at School

I had no idea how he would attempt to introduce the sophistication of the game under all the constraints related to his circumstances and audience.

Interestingly, he seemed to be pretty adept at letting go of all the control that would be required and allowing his students to customize their experience on their own without a lot of intervention and structure.

Not that you would have the same circumstances, but it was interesting to see how Dalin handled the challenges.

[Black Leviathan]

I would make a mini DM screen for the players to understand key concepts of the game, like a little laminated sheet that shows maneuvers or the effects of different hit locations or if you know your demo will involve a particular contest some discussion about skill modifiers for it. Maybe on the back you could have a diagram of your character sheet to show were to look for Attributes, advantages/disadvantages, skills.

Maybe consider scaling characters down from Adventurer to 125 CP hirelings just to put less pieces in the player's hands for the first game.

Simple simple simple plot. Summon the players before the facilitator. Dramatic call to action with dire consequences. Small feet-wetting combat. Harrowing narrative journey. Night of rest and safety. Through the portal into the dungeon. Big fight. Epilogue.

[Beoferret]

Originally Posted by Tom H.

If you aren't already aware, a user named Dalin experimented with introducing DFRPG to middle-school students.

Here are some of his threads:

• DFRPG at School, the Next Level...
• DFRPG at School

I had no idea how he would attempt to introduce the sophistication of the game under all the constraints related to his circumstances and audience.

Interestingly, he seemed to be pretty adept at letting go of all the control that would be required and allowing his students to customize their experience on their own without a lot of intervention and structure.

Not that you would have the same circumstances, but it was interesting to see how Dalin handled the challenges.

I have read those before and should probably not just go over them again, but give them a real close read.

[Beoferret]

Originally Posted by Black Leviathan

I would make a mini DM screen for the players to understand key concepts of the game, like a little laminated sheet that shows maneuvers or the effects of different hit locations or if you know your demo will involve a particular contest some discussion about skill modifiers for it. Maybe on the back you could have a diagram of your character sheet to show were to look for Attributes, advantages/disadvantages, skills.

Maybe consider scaling characters down from Adventurer to 125 CP hirelings just to put less pieces in the player's hands for the first game.

Simple simple simple plot. Summon the players before the facilitator. Dramatic call to action with dire consequences. Small feet-wetting combat. Harrowing narrative journey. Night of rest and safety. Through the portal into the dungeon. Big fight. Epilogue.

I like all these ideas. I'd also been thinking about providing each character with a summary of each of their advantages and disadvantages, for quick reference. I had been planning on standard 245-250 CP (to show off the full-powered DF character awesomeness), but using 125 CP characters might be a really good idea. Gotta think that one over a bit.

[Dalin]

I appreciate the references to my threads about DFRPG at school. As Tom H. pointed out, however, the context at school is quite different from the one you'll face. For one thing, there were twenty+ students and I was mostly a facilitator rather than a GM.

When I've introduced adults to DFRPG, they've taken to it quite quickly. Some things I recall, in no particular order:

• The skill system is an appealing element of DFRPG. New players enjoy the breadth of options and the way defaults work. Make sure there are some opportunities to use skills early on in the adventure.
• I usually try to avoid adding optional complexity, but players in every DFRPG game I’ve run have loved the rules from NO “I” IN “TEAMWORK” (Exploits, p. 6).
• Players of other games can be confused about the action possibilities in a one-second turn. Some players may expect to be able to run all over the map, switch weapons, guzzle potions, hurl fireballs, and reload crossbows without missing a beat. I try to keep things very fast-paced and emphasize the excitement of teamwork. "If you want to drink the potion, the other delvers will have to fall back and protect you." Sometimes I might shave time off of long actions too. (So it might just take a single turn to pull a potion out of your pouch and another turn to drink it, even though this is more generous than RAW.)
• I ignore many of the finer points of advanced combat, taking my cue from what the players seem to want. For example, I might ignore facing, size modifiers, grip changes, and/or lighting penalties if they feel like too much detail.
• Spell casters need a quick tutorial to let them know how things work, especially how missile spells function and how distance penalties affect regular and area spells.
• I’m a fan of pregens for demo games. I like most of the characters in Delvers to Go, and have used many of the ones posted in this forum (see the Ready-to-play characters links in DFRPG threads with lasting value; Lucky the Agile Goon and Sir Godfrey have been particularly popular). I usually allow people to swap out disadvantages or quirks to customize their characters. I ask everyone to make sure they have at least one disadvantage and one quirk in mind for the session.
• Make sure the party has any resources that you want them to have for the adventure. For example, if you’re not requiring a healing cleric, give everyone a few healing potions or toss in a magic item of healing or something.
• Pacing is far more important than fidelity to the rules or the adventure. Use the “And Stay Down!” option from Exploits, p. 86, to keep combats snappy. Resist the temptation to look up rules during play. Just do the best you can and look everything up afterwards.

[Beoferret]

Originally Posted by Dalin

When I've introduced adults to DFRPG, they've taken to it quite quickly. Some things I recall, in no particular order:

• The skill system is an appealing element of DFRPG. New players enjoy the breadth of options and the way defaults work. Make sure there are some opportunities to use skills early on in the adventure.
• I usually try to avoid adding optional complexity, but players in every DFRPG game I’ve run have loved the rules from NO “I” IN “TEAMWORK” (Exploits, p. 6).
• Players of other games can be confused about the action possibilities in a one-second turn. Some players may expect to be able to run all over the map, switch weapons, guzzle potions, hurl fireballs, and reload crossbows without missing a beat. I try to keep things very fast-paced and emphasize the excitement of teamwork. "If you want to drink the potion, the other delvers will have to fall back and protect you." Sometimes I might shave time off of long actions too. (So it might just take a single turn to pull a potion out of your pouch and another turn to drink it, even though this is more generous than RAW.)
• I ignore many of the finer points of advanced combat, taking my cue from what the players seem to want. For example, I might ignore facing, size modifiers, grip changes, and/or lighting penalties if they feel like too much detail.
• Spell casters need a quick tutorial to let them know how things work, especially how missile spells function and how distance penalties affect regular and area spells.
• I’m a fan of pregens for demo games. I like most of the characters in Delvers to Go, and have used many of the ones posted in this forum (see the Ready-to-play characters links in DFRPG threads with lasting value; Lucky the Agile Goon and Sir Godfrey have been particularly popular). I usually allow people to swap out disadvantages or quirks to customize their characters. I ask everyone to make sure they have at least one disadvantage and one quirk in mind for the session.
• Make sure the party has any resources that you want them to have for the adventure. For example, if you’re not requiring a healing cleric, give everyone a few healing potions or toss in a magic item of healing or something.
• Pacing is far more important than fidelity to the rules or the adventure. Use the “And Stay Down!” option from Exploits, p. 86, to keep combats snappy. Resist the temptation to look up rules during play. Just do the best you can and look everything up afterwards.

Thank you for all these suggestions, Dalin. Did most of the adults you've introduced DF to already have rpg experience? And did anyone who took a spell-casting character have any problem grasping the basic magic system? Any push back about spells as skills, tracking fatigue/energy pts., etc?

Regrading tracking fatigue, I've been considering throwing together a rough chart with which a player could keep track of current fatigue by just moving a token/coin along, instead of constantly penciling and erasing an ever changing resource.

[Dalin]

Originally Posted by Beoferret

Thank you for all these suggestions, Dalin. Did most of the adults you've introduced DF to already have rpg experience? And did anyone who took a spell-casting character have any problem grasping the basic magic system? Any push back about spells as skills, tracking fatigue/energy pts., etc?

Most have had some experience with D&D. None with GURPS. No problems grasping the system, though missile spells took a bit of explaining. The more experienced D&D players have been enjoying learning the different system and seeing in what ways it is more and less powerful than standard D&D. No pushback about FP; most like the fact that they don't have to worry about spells-per-day. (Or in D&D 5e terms, if I'm remembering the mechanics correctly, it's the equivalent of a short rest being enough to take them back to full capacity rather than needing a long rest.)

Regrading tracking fatigue, I've been considering throwing together a rough chart with which a player could keep track of current fatigue by just moving a token/coin along, instead of constantly penciling and erasing an ever changing resource.

This is a great idea, and especially useful when they have multiple sources of energy (FP, ER, and a power item). I've been thinking of a similar sheet, but didn't think of tokens. I was just going to have boxes that players could label for various quantities that change a lot: HP, FP, ER, power items, and arrows.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Dalin

This is a great idea, and especially useful when they have multiple sources of energy (FP, ER, and a power item). I've been thinking of a similar sheet, but didn't think of tokens. I was just going to have boxes that players could label for various quantities that change a lot: HP, FP, ER, power items, and arrows.

I've used the "pile of tokens" route a few times. Especially useful as you can use different colors. Blue for EP, green* for regular FP, yellow for "below 1/3rd", red for 0 FP to -1xFP.

It really hammers home to the Players how precious FP is when there is a visceral color association to go with "and now you're spending too much".



* Or white. But I use white for Impulse Points... so... whatever colors work for you.