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Nov. 7th, 2019 09:37 pmOn the one hand, the fact that one of my players didn't show for D&D tonight and we were left with only two party members (plus a guy who was planning to join after this session but hasn't finished his character yet) and thus could not play D&D is not great. The missing player didn't even message any of us to say she couldn't come! It is very irritating.
On the other hand, I had made a plan for this eventuality. (She hadn't RSVP'd to the Meetup though she usually does, and I'd messaged her earlier and gotten no reply.) So after we waited for about 20 minutes, I said, "Okay, we can't play D&D but I have another suggestion - have you guys heard of Honey Heist?"*
They had not heard of Honey Heist, but it is an extremely easy game to explain and requires no prep and practically no supplies. We rolled on some tables for bears and hats and had an extremely enjoyable hour-long no-prep session wherein I got to play a game I've wanted to play since I first heard of it and have not gotten to before. Several people were mauled or run over by bears driving a bus, they met a giant humanoid bee-woman, I got to do a weird bee-lady voice - it was great.
Also, one of the other folks in my group has mentioned a desire to learn to DM as well, which I am encouraging, as I would love do something like alternate different campaigns. My online game has, alas, fallen apart and I play only sporadically with my sister. I like DMimg, but I'd really like to be able to play as a PC sometimes too.
She asked for advice on learning to DM but honestly, I feel like I can DM mostly because I watch/listen to a lot of actualplay stuff. Like, I'm best at D&D but there are a whole bunch of games that I've never played but feel like I know how to play because I've listened to other people play them and passively absorbed the rules. I mean, I don't think I'd have felt confident just spontaneously running that Honey Heist game if I'd only read about it, but I've heard/watched a bunch of people play and so now I can think, "Oh yeah, I know how that game works - I can just run that whenever." I haven't played, say, Monster of the Week or Blades in the Dark but I have an idea of how they work because I've listened to them and I think I could go from there, with access to a book or two to confirm stuff I already think I know.
Saying, "I don't know, maybe watch a couple days worth of Critical Role" is maybe not helpful advice, though.
*If you have also not heard of Honey Heist, it is an excellent game wherein you play a criminal planning a heist from a honey convention and also you are a goddamn bear. You can find it here. You can also watch it being played on Critical Role, or listen to it on Rusty Quill Gaming, both of which I highly recommend. (You can also listen to it on Friends at the Table, but I believe you have to be a Patreon backer.**) All Honey Heists are good Honey Heists.
**Which, like, if you already like Friends at the Table, I encourage you to back the Patreon if you can? Bluff City is fucking great, y'all.
On the other hand, I had made a plan for this eventuality. (She hadn't RSVP'd to the Meetup though she usually does, and I'd messaged her earlier and gotten no reply.) So after we waited for about 20 minutes, I said, "Okay, we can't play D&D but I have another suggestion - have you guys heard of Honey Heist?"*
They had not heard of Honey Heist, but it is an extremely easy game to explain and requires no prep and practically no supplies. We rolled on some tables for bears and hats and had an extremely enjoyable hour-long no-prep session wherein I got to play a game I've wanted to play since I first heard of it and have not gotten to before. Several people were mauled or run over by bears driving a bus, they met a giant humanoid bee-woman, I got to do a weird bee-lady voice - it was great.
Also, one of the other folks in my group has mentioned a desire to learn to DM as well, which I am encouraging, as I would love do something like alternate different campaigns. My online game has, alas, fallen apart and I play only sporadically with my sister. I like DMimg, but I'd really like to be able to play as a PC sometimes too.
She asked for advice on learning to DM but honestly, I feel like I can DM mostly because I watch/listen to a lot of actualplay stuff. Like, I'm best at D&D but there are a whole bunch of games that I've never played but feel like I know how to play because I've listened to other people play them and passively absorbed the rules. I mean, I don't think I'd have felt confident just spontaneously running that Honey Heist game if I'd only read about it, but I've heard/watched a bunch of people play and so now I can think, "Oh yeah, I know how that game works - I can just run that whenever." I haven't played, say, Monster of the Week or Blades in the Dark but I have an idea of how they work because I've listened to them and I think I could go from there, with access to a book or two to confirm stuff I already think I know.
Saying, "I don't know, maybe watch a couple days worth of Critical Role" is maybe not helpful advice, though.
*If you have also not heard of Honey Heist, it is an excellent game wherein you play a criminal planning a heist from a honey convention and also you are a goddamn bear. You can find it here. You can also watch it being played on Critical Role, or listen to it on Rusty Quill Gaming, both of which I highly recommend. (You can also listen to it on Friends at the Table, but I believe you have to be a Patreon backer.**) All Honey Heists are good Honey Heists.
**Which, like, if you already like Friends at the Table, I encourage you to back the Patreon if you can? Bluff City is fucking great, y'all.
