World of Darkness, Werewolves, and All That Good Stuff

[RiceGuy]

Hey gang, RiceGuy here seeking a little input about some roleplaying ideas I've had bouncing around in the old noggin. I don't know how many people on the board are gamers in this sense, like myself, but I figured I'd post anyways.

I've been a pen-and-paper RPGer since I was twelve, and have played a ton of different systems. In the past six months I've gotten into the World of Darkness campaign setting from Whitewolf publishers, and have been playing in a Werewolf: the Apocalypse game since that time.

I'm considering running my very first Werewolf campaign, with a group of my experienced gamer friends, at the end of the summer, and I know that running anything in the World of Darkness requires a slightly different approach then running, say, a good ol' D&D hack-'n-slash. Thus, my first question is: If anyone on the board played in or ran a WoD campaign, what tips can they offer up for the best roleplaying experience?

Second, and this is where I might lose a chunk of the readers, regards changing breeds in the World of Darkness. I was doing a little brainstorming the other day and came up with, what I think, is a nifty idea for a wereshifter. Essentially, it is a wereflea that is fully in service to the Wyrm (for those reading this that don't know about WoD but want to add input, imagine the Wyrm as corruption and entropy embodied), acting as the spies and scouts of that nefarious being. The wereflea could potentially be very cool, and I am interested to see if anyone out there has any cool ideas that I can incorporate into the breed. Please post any ideas or input you have!

Alright, thanks a bunch, and I look forward to reading all of your replies. Later!

[Kec]

OK, up until the wereflea idea I was with ya...

[NeverBorn]

I'm a WoD guru ..
Werewolf is my absolute favorite..
Werefly is odd. It would be too isignificant to really be an effective race. Perhaps the Wyrm would just make a Fomeri insect-man type thing. or a swarm of intelligent lethal bugs that can take a mans shape, thats more the Wyrms style..

[Sun Tzu]

I cant remember the name of it, I'll search around; but I remember playing/reading one of those choose your own adventure books long ago. This one was different in it had an acutal scoring/dice system for battles, reactions, etc. This made it refreshing to the either this or this type of direction.

A while back I suggested something similiar to that where the creator/writer/DM would already have a story ready and present choices. The object would be to survive to the end. The end would be of the DMs choosing, but all players would know ahead of time etc- a 10 round game. The DM would present the scenerio and give some options. Upon the next entry eg-every 2 days- the DM would provide details of the effect from the choices and continue on. Depending on how the story was written anyone new could read up until that point and join in, but those that made choices in which killed them, jailed them, etc what hopefully not post choices until the next time.

This method adds the one element that makes something like this entertaining (IMO) risk. Other role playing Ive seen here seems to be similiar to the add three words on to the story to keep it going. I dont see any structure other than the overall theme and understanding if someone acts like an ass they will be thrown out. This is why I have a hard time playing in that direction.

If there is someway to incorporate the choose option face the effects of / with a honorary home die scoring system it would be cool.

[xenophobe]

Might I suggest a leach instead of a flea? Fleas are kinda... hmm... anticlimactic?

The most important thing in WoD games (im my experience, at least) is to know where you want to take the game and how. I suggest you get your friends to make thier chars ahead of time so you can integrate them into the story and work out some motive for them. In the past I have rewarded people that write me a significant bio with freebie points... helps me by giving me data, helps the player by making thier character more vibrant.

Oh, and keep the players confused as to who to trust... that's always fun

[magua]

Originally posted by RiceGuy
Thus, my first question is: If anyone on the board played in or ran a WoD campaign, what tips can they offer up for the best roleplaying experience?

There's nothing different from running a WoD game than a D&D game. You can have a D&D game that's all about roleplaying with very little hack 'n' slash; you can have a WoD game that's all about hack 'n' slash, with very little roleplaying.

Thing is, you get out of the game what you put into it. If the players can stomp on every obstacle in their way with combat, that's what they're going to do. If there's no point to them roleplaying, they're not going to.

So, as this relates to Werewolf: Since there's little reason to interact with anything of the Wyrm except to kill it, if that's all your characters are ever up against, they'll just hack 'n' slash. Try some variety: have there be a friendly Gangrel, or an unfriendly (and higher ranked) Shadow Lord. Having the occasional go-kick-ass is fine, but make sure there's something else.

Also, and this is a pet peeve of mine as a Werewolf player, when the combats do come, make sure there's something to do for the non-Ahrouns. If I'm a mental-primary Ragabash, give me the oppurtunity to scout out the opposition. Or sneak around and backstab. Or rescue the hostage. Or whatever.

Essentially, it is a wereflea that is fully in service to the Wyrm

Mmm. Note that Flea, the totem, isn't in service to the Wyrm. That might put a crimp in things. =P But, if you want something in a similar vein, take a look at the Ananasi (were-spiders), which are in the player's guide, and I believe, their own racebook. Instead of just shifting into a little itty bitty spider, the Ananasi can disperse into a swarm of spiders.

[xenophobe]

Yes, I had a player do an Ananasi once... very cool, as you said they transform into a swarm of spiders. They do have a racebook, which is pretty much required reading if you wanna play one because they are very... peculiar.

[Moonduck]

Not enough space/time here to really discuss roleplaying experiences, but will make a comment about the Wereflea. Take a look at "Freak Legion" (fomori book) and read the entry on the Hollw Man. I would think that a Hollow Man infested by fleas would close to a lupines worst nightmare. *scratch, scratch*

My big advice, from gaming/GM'ing for more than 20 years, is figure out what story you want to tell. WoD aside, this has always been central to good games. Write a major story arc and tell it over the course of the campaign. When time comes to end the game, end it. Nothing worse than a game limping along after the real story has ended.

Good luck running Werewolf. It's one of my favorites to run and has enormous potential for being fun. I'm running a Mage chronicle currently, but given the setting, there is an immense amount of werewolf influence and interaction. It's great.

[Czernobog]

It's so nice to see that there are, indeed, other people who are as into WoD as I am. My friends and I get together sometimes to play vampire, and there is hardly any combat whatsoever. Mostly just political stuff and detective work.


btw, has anyone else seen the new Demon stuff?

[Moonduck]

Demon is just not interesting me. It seems like it is being subtly (or not so subtly) played for shock value, and, in the long run, is too akin to vampire without the redeeming qualities. It just doesn't excite me.

[xenophobe]

Been wanting to check it out, but I think the next game I'm gonna run is Call of Cthulhu

[giblfiz]

Ugg demon is utter crap, and they had such a great mythology to draw on. They should have done it right, made them *really* evil and published it black dog.

Anway, My advice for running a game Werewolf or any other is to get the players to lead the game. If you let them know that when they *initiate* a plan it can pan out and grow they will do almost all of your work for you.
Its also worth sitting down before you start and having the Will full suspension of Disbelief / shiny plot-hook/ player-flag discussion with them. Point out that though role-playing a personality is good, When you hand them a big sparkling plot hook you expect them to take it, just out of courtesy. Same deal for keeping the party together, we all know its implausible that this glasswalker, would hang out with a red talon, and for some reason a ratkin is along for the ride too, but guys, just deal and don't kill each other even if your character would.

The only other advice I have is use the great GMing trick of splitting up the party, and then letting the people who are out play your big NPCs. give them motivation and let them fly, trust me they will. But don't do it every session.