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Frag Up Profile
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Novice

Registered: 11-2014
Posts: 3
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Handling Encounters


I was curious as to how people prefer to handle encounters/events in their games.

Assuming you play the first game using the standard deck of event cards, what do people like to do from then on?

Draw from the deck of cards, only paying attention to if it is an 'M' or an 'E' and then roll on the tables in the roleplay book?

Have a massive deck of cards made up of all the events and all of the monsters for the relevant battle level?

Or something else?

If people are using custom decks of cards for events and monsters I would be curious to know how many instances of each card they put in. Do you try and replicate the frequency of the tables or do people only include one of each result from the tables in the roleplay book? also, do you then choose whether to discard the event once encountered, or shuffle it back into the deck so that it might be encountered multiple times?

Thoughts?
10/Nov/2014, 2:59 am Link to this post Send Email to Frag Up   Send PM to Frag Up Blog
 
OldWarrior Profile
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God

Registered: 04-2006
Location: USA, Western hemisphere, earth
Posts: 1283
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Re: Handling Encounters


I like to use the original deck of cards to determine whether it is a Monster Event or non-monster Event. Then I roll on tables -- both custom tables and RolePlay Book tables.

Currently, I actually usually use an Event Deck simulator (software), since I solo play and GM games in a private online community. The Deck Simulator can simulate the original deck, but can also simulate cards for the RolePlay Book Monster Table entries.

Last edited by OldWarrior, 10/Nov/2014, 12:35 pm


---
Old Warrior

Check out Bible Notes
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God bless you, everyone!
10/Nov/2014, 12:24 pm Link to this post Send Email to OldWarrior   Send PM to OldWarrior Blog
 
Frag Up Profile
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Novice

Registered: 11-2014
Posts: 3
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Re: Handling Encounters


Thank you for the reply, I was not sure if anything but random monsters still roamed these parts.

Do you find the software provides a nice balance of encounters?

One of my reasons for these questions is that I am curious about the ratio of events to monsters. Do people feel the original deck has this pretty much right and try to replicate it in their custom methods or do they just go with whatever they feel like?
11/Nov/2014, 1:46 am Link to this post Send Email to Frag Up   Send PM to Frag Up Blog
 
OldWarrior Profile
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God

Registered: 04-2006
Location: USA, Western hemisphere, earth
Posts: 1283
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Re: Handling Encounters


Oops! I forgot to officially welcome you. You are welcome here. emoticon

quote:

Frag Up wrote:

Thank you for the reply, I was not sure if anything but random monsters still roamed these parts.

Do you find the software provides a nice balance of encounters?

One of my reasons for these questions is that I am curious about the ratio of events to monsters. Do people feel the original deck has this pretty much right and try to replicate it in their custom methods or do they just go with whatever they feel like?



The software actually has a setting where you can adjust the ratio. It is a rather nice, unique work. Also, it has some fairly simple instructions for how you can add your own monster cards (virtual cards that is) to the mix.

Here is the link for the Event Deck Simulator in case you wish to check it out. Warhammer Quest Event Deck Simulator . It is free. I think it requires that you have Java installed on your computer to use it.

I think people do all sorts of things with the events -- depending on their purposes and inclinations. emoticon

I also get the feeling that most players try to stick close to the original ratio of events to monster events -- judging from the several people that I have played with (online) in the last several years.

I do think that prewritten adventures and special custom games will often be more likely to have a different ratio of monster events to non-monster events. While playing through and GMing the prewritten adventure at the end of the RolePlay Book, I found it interesting that at least one deep in the multi-level dungeon therein says to roll on the Dungeon Events Table every time an Unexpected Event happens.

By the way, you can see how recently people have posted here by looking at the dates on the forums and topics pages -- on the right side of the tables that list the forums and topics. "Business" has been slow but steady for quite some time now. emoticon I think this message board has actually become a little more active over the last couple years.

Last edited by OldWarrior, 16/Nov/2014, 3:20 pm


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Old Warrior

Check out Bible Notes
It is one of my favorite places on the Internet.
God bless you, everyone!
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Edquest Profile
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Lord

Registered: 09-2011
Posts: 318
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Re: Handling Encounters


I use the original cards but roll on events table or the monster table as appropriate.

I actually use a D100 table for events which I wrote myself, the normal D66 gets boring after a while.

there are still some events we have never had yet!

---
most of my posts may run into essay length. I find that for a lot of queries/feedback context is important and that is why this happens more often than not.

have a great day :D
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Lord

Registered: 09-2013
Location: Northern Rockies
Posts: 281
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Re: Handling Encounters


I, too, welcome you Frag Up.

Your choice of pseudonym must have a personal story behind it.
quote:

Frag Up wrote:

I was curious as to how people prefer to handle encounters/events in their games.

Assuming you play the first game using the standard deck of event cards, what do people like to do from then on?


And for every game until the characters level up to Level 2.
Maybe to Level 3 depending on the particular type of character unless I am really eager to introduce them into a themed adventure like my Wizard's Zoo adventure.
Personally, I really do not feel the "Novice"/"Rookie"/"whatever label for Level 1 for a character" is really ready for a real adventure.

Moreover, the main box set Event deck is a good way for a character/player to get familiar with the workings of the game.

On a counter point, I do not have the original Event deck separate.
I have been playing since 1995 and have built up my available event cards for much of that time.

I know what monsters are in the main box.
I have always kept that set of figures separate, maybe for sentimental reasons; they helped me land my job with GW-US in the '90s.
Any way, so I know which monster cards to have for sure.

I am VERY familiar with the game so I can be very close as to what event Event cards need to be there; plus the ones from Lair and Catacombs say they are from such at the bottom.
I do not really make up my own event cards on the cards themselves.
I use blank "M" & "E" cards to reference tables I have made for a themed adventure.
Therefore, I look for event cards that do not have those adventure set labels at the bottom and are not present in the WD articles which I have copies of all of those.
That should leave just the event cards from the main box set.

Frag Up, at this point I must point out that you MUST get as many blank event cards as you can.
They can be used to simply reference a custom table or they can be written up as Ian Pickstock described in WD 188 - "Creatures of Darkness".
quote:

Frag Up wrote:
Draw from the deck of cards, only paying attention to if it is an 'M' or an 'E' and then roll on the tables in the roleplay book?


I consult the tables in roleplay book for only two reasons:
1) To see what sort of monsters a Bane Sword (objective room treasure in Treasure card pack #1) may dislike or to find what monsters fear the Imperial Noble's Ancient Heirloom;
2) To see how hard (some of my players here would use "unreasonably hard" inserted at this point instead) my themed monster tables should be (they should be challenging, right? emoticon ).
I do not go for randomness for randomness sake which is what tables in roleplay book seem to be as a whole.
quote:

Frag Up wrote:
Have a massive deck of cards made up of all the events and all of the monsters for the relevant battle level?

Or something else?


A "massive" Event deck in my book is just a pain to use {shuffle}.
60 event cards max {modern Hoyle deck is 54 cards.} should be good for use with a 12-15 card Dungeon deck; 45/48 might be better some times.

Once upon a time, I considered purchasing an auto-shuffler and a card shoe for a really large deck of some cards I was using, but I do not think they were WHQ cards.
I did not buy these implements because someone else I read about somewhere at the time had and the auto-shuffler damaged cards that were not as big as a Hoyle card.
WHQ cards are not as big as Hoyle cards so it might be a mistake to do so.
Personally, I just "deal shuffle" so as to not bend my cards up; 2-3 deal shuffles mixes up the cards fine for me and my players here.
quote:

Frag Up wrote:
If people are using custom decks of cards for events and monsters I would be curious to know how many instances of each card they put in. Do you try and replicate the frequency of the tables or do people only include one of each result from the tables in the roleplay book? also, do you then choose whether to discard the event once encountered, or shuffle it back into the deck so that it might be encountered multiple times?

Thoughts?


2-to-1 is my normal ratio of monster-to-event cards in a customized Event deck.
Sometimes more monsters, but never a greater ration of events to monsters.
The game, in my opinion, is present so your characters can kick monster-butt.
Events, like tabasco, can ruin the "dish" if used too great of quantities!
The pain becomes more "present" than the flavor.

An Event deck should never be reshuffled until you have ran the deck through or you have an event that allows a character to look at the deck as a whole like in 3rd edition Talisman.
Unbuilt-in duplication is a very effective way to turn off your players from playing ever again in the future.

Well, that was quite the answer.
Frag Up, did I miss anything?
If you have further questions, about this or anything else WHQ, please ask.

---
In service of Deity, the Latter-day Prophet, the de la Valette and mankind.
4/Dec/2014, 7:23 am Link to this post Send Email to Warrior Monk   Send PM to Warrior Monk Blog
 
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Lord

Registered: 09-2013
Location: Northern Rockies
Posts: 281
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Re: Handling Encounters


Also, in regards to the WHQ Event Deck Simulator written above.

I do not use it and it has nothing to do with how good or bad it is.
It has to do with electronic devices at the table during a game.

I have a No Devices rule for my gaming group.
If you are at the table, YOU are at the table.
If there is a real chance of an emergency or whatever for you, we then have that player pass on the current gaming session.
That is how we roll here.
It makes for a lot fewer disturbances and a much more enjoyable bit of fun gaming.

---
In service of Deity, the Latter-day Prophet, the de la Valette and mankind.
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Edquest Profile
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Lord

Registered: 09-2011
Posts: 318
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Re: Handling Encounters


event:monster ratio is quite important.

I tend to find several events in a row can be more deadly than monsters.

at least monsters have to roll to hit, players can use reactive skills (dodge etc.) and then use toughness and armour.

a lot of events/traps ignore this entirely.

---
most of my posts may run into essay length. I find that for a lot of queries/feedback context is important and that is why this happens more often than not.

have a great day :D
7/Dec/2014, 12:56 am Link to this post Send Email to Edquest   Send PM to Edquest Blog
 
Frag Up Profile
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Novice

Registered: 11-2014
Posts: 3
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Re: Handling Encounters


Stonking replies there, many thanks. I shall return and edit this post with further discussion in a few days time once I have finished something for Littlemonk.
20/Dec/2014, 6:55 am Link to this post Send Email to Frag Up   Send PM to Frag Up Blog
 
Edquest Profile
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Lord

Registered: 09-2011
Posts: 318
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Re: Handling Encounters


"I have a No Devices rule for my gaming group.
If you are at the table, YOU are at the table.
If there is a real chance of an emergency or whatever for you, we then have that player pass on the current gaming session.
That is how we roll here.
It makes for a lot fewer disturbances and a much more enjoyable bit of fun gaming."

I love this idea.
I must start printing out my stuff so I don't need the laptop any more.
I try to push this when I am running a D&D session but again this uses the laptop which makes it awkward

---
most of my posts may run into essay length. I find that for a lot of queries/feedback context is important and that is why this happens more often than not.

have a great day :D
21/Dec/2014, 10:15 pm Link to this post Send Email to Edquest   Send PM to Edquest Blog
 


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