[Mythras] best practice for GMs

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AsenRG said:
Unrelated, but I always assumed that everyone who played Mythras Mythic Britain would want to be part of the Cult of Mithras...even if just for the lulz:grin:!

Sure, it's meta, but if you make a character who would fit the cult to a T, it doesn't have to be meta at all, right:shade:?
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It's possible to have a Romano-British character that is inducted into the Mithras cult, sure, that's why it was placed into the book, after all.

If you're trying to link a decision as to what kind of character you choose to our earlier discussion...total non-sequitur. All of chargen has a meta-layer as you're creating the character you will later be roleplaying. Even if Chargen contains roleplaying sessions as part of the process, it's still contained within the meta-frame.

This has nothing to do with Push mechanics, their meta-choice and your attempts to rationalize them.
 
Necrozius said:
  • Injuries: big animals and monsters tend not to give a FUCK about being seriously wounded. Most of the monsters I've created through the Encounter generator tool has given me beasts with 100%+ Endurance. I've had some deus ex machina events kick in so that the party doesn't get slaughtered wholesale (usually another monster appears and the two start fighting, just like in King Kong or something). Then the fight becomes a "scramble to get out of the way and flee).
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Wild animals will generally get the hell out of Dodge if wounded at all, even if it's not debilitating. There might be special cases (like a momma bear that's lost her shit), but for the most part, if the animal isn't starving, trained, or protecting young - if it can run, it will run if injured.

Even monsters have to deal with being wounded. Sure, that one wound didn't hurt it, but now the thing has a painful wound it has to look after.

What kind of monsters are you talking about? Something like a Dinosaur or a Dragon shouldn't be attempted without magic weapons and spells (or a lot of henchmen with spears and arbalests).
 
CRKrueger said:
Wild animals will generally get the hell out of Dodge if wounded at all, even if it's not debilitating. There might be special cases (like a momma bear that's lost her shit), but for the most part, if the animal isn't starving, trained, or protecting young - if it can run, it will run if injured.

Even monsters have to deal with being wounded. Sure, that one wound didn't hurt it, but now the thing has a painful wound it has to look after.

What kind of monsters are you talking about? Something like a Dinosaur or a Dragon shouldn't be attempted without magic weapons and spells (or a lot of henchmen with spears and arbalests).
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You’re right though. I need to stop getting stuck in the mechanics and think about how people and things actually react to injury.

There I go again, ignoring my own advice.
 
I don't have too many issues with Mythras, although my gaming origins lay more in RQ2/3 than in D&D, so Mythras is really just an exploration of those early BRP mechanics - certainly my favourite set of BRP mechanics.

Quick NPC rules are almost essiential for me these days, regardless of game system.
I've seen some good ways to do this, although with BRP/Mythras I'm pretty happy with my own approach for 'Partial ' and 'Basic' NPC stat blocks, which I posted earlier (post #10). Except I have made things even simplier for my 'Basic NPC' stats - I just give them a Name and Concept - that's it, nothing else to write down.
I now operate on the assumption that their base chance for everything is a flat 40%, and apply the Mythras Simple Difficulty Grades where needed.
So that means I just handwave +/- 20% and +/- 40% modifiers according to the situation and the character's concept. I do this on-the-fly, and it works fine.

One thing I might like to see if there was a rule that meant Armour Full AP was only active some of the time - perhaps on an 'odd number' attacker roll, whereas if the attacker rolls an 'even number' then the AP is halved (rounding down) or something like that. It would just mean that armour doesn't make the wearers into complete tanks all the time, and would certainly keep things feeling gritty.

Another idea would be ditching depleting Location HP and basing everything around Fatigue Levels, including Damage. I'm only vague on this at this stage.
The D20 Hit Location roll definately needs to remain, it is part of the tactile flavour of combat.
Maybe each Fatigue Level has a HP threshold to exceed before the next level is accrued (could be based on a number distilled from CON+SIZ + location score). I'm not sure on the actual mechanics of it, but I think it could work as that way Fatigue Levels become more central and important, and the GM doesn't have to track Location HP depletion.
Again, I'm not entirely sure how I would do this, but I'm sure if I brainstorm enough then I could find a plausible way to make this work.
 
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Spellslinging Sellsword said:
I am envisioning Mythras with the layout of Old School Essentials books. :heart:
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Highly desirable, but it would require a complete re-write, leaving aside a completely new design and layout.

I did notice that the German version of Mythras has a smaller-sized "handbook" rulebook, but I am guessing that is simply smaller without a (German) re-write, but I don't have a copy.
 
Destined is quite good. I wish the core font was the callout font, but there were a good many clarifications and simplifcations that I feel really add something to Mythras. A really excellent product.
 
Necrozius said:
UPDATE: My feelings after several months of running Mythras

I still love it, HOWEVER:
  • I wish the rules for injuries were laid out in a more scannable format. The walls of text can be a chore to quickly read through during combat. I'll be making concise notes in my Foundry VTT DM screen.
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It may not help much but I made this for my games

2c90VXM.png



Necrozius said:
  • Combat drags. Not because of the rules, per se, but due to armor, unlucky rolls, and very high Endurance skills of most enemies, a lot of special effects seem to do little effect. I’ve house ruled that “Maximize damage” is an available special effect all of the time, not just for criticals. Makes combat go quicker.
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Reduce armour, as Raleel has mentioned. Special Effects are decisive. Although I don't agree with your decision to make Max damage an ordinary SE, I would not even say it is as important as say, Trip Opponent, or Bleed. I am also not sure why most enemies have very high endurance? I would reduce the skill level if so. I just generated a random guard on the MEG and he came out with Endurance 42% which does not seem unusually high.

Necrozius said:
  • As with other RPGs, Perception is over used. I’ve house-ruled that Insight is to notice stuff that was deliberately concealed by sentient beings, Perception for passive environmental things, Willpower for supernatural subtleties (or vague sixth sense)
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I think this is pretty standard practice among Mythras GMs.


Necrozius said:
  • Some Common skills are made redundant by Professional ones. If they use a Professional skill to tackle something the Common one could, it's one difficulty grade easier.
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I'm not sure about this, can you give examples? Skills, even common Vs Professional are usually distinct enough to have different uses, with some exceptions.

Necrozius said:
  • Fatigue: most of the time people only get 1 level, which recharges after a quick rest. Basically, when abstracting journeys, they rarely go above one level. I'm skipping that first level for journey Endurance checks. That first one makes more sense for chases and combat (when they need to catch their breath).
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Fatigue has only really been in use for me during combats - where it provides, in my experience, an excellent limiter with drawn-out combats. Other times have been extreme climates. I don't use it outside of those circumstances.

Necrozius said:
  • Players HATE the loading times of ranged weapons. I've explained how it works many times, but it doesn't really get through. The Rapid reload special effect mitigates this somewhat, but after all that they often roll a shitty damage result and it is super anticlimactic.
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Ranged combat is not that fun but this has come up many times in discussion. One of the best responses (from either Dan True or Ranger Dan) was the tactical use of ranged weapons, which rarely comes up with the short-ranged melees which typically come up in RPG encounters. Another way of using ranged is to use thrown weapons instead of missile weapons. These are fast to use and suit a close-ranged mixed melee and ranged combat.
Necrozius said:
  • Injuries: big animals and monsters tend not to give a FUCK about being seriously wounded. Most of the monsters I've created through the Encounter generator tool has given me beasts with 100%+ Endurance. I've had some deus ex machina events kick in so that the party doesn't get slaughtered wholesale (usually another monster appears and the two start fighting, just like in King Kong or something). Then the fight becomes a "scramble to get out of the way and flee).
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I have not seen this either, but very large creatures can of course be dangerous if the party are unprepared. Usually an out-numbered beast is going to be toast since the party will crush it with Action Points - unopposed attacks will grant special effects if successful, and a Bleed condition against a creature will spell its doom fairly quickly, as will a few javelins. In fact a creature will not usually be able to parry missile weapons so javelins (up to SIZ 30) will impose Hard penalties on a creature, bigger than that they will need to stick Longspears into it - which works up to SIZ 40.

Necrozius said:
Most of these things might be core features of Mythras, but I'm starting to see some issues with BRP games here.
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The issues may be largely to do with lack of familiarity and a different approach. If the players are new to the system, they may get frustrated, and that goes for the GM too!
 
Yeah you're right. I think I'll re-read the rulebook. Get a better handle on skills and special effects.

Definitely reducing armor points though. Luckily on Monster Island heavy armor is a terrible idea.
 
Necrozius said:
Luckily on Monster Island heavy armor is a terrible idea.
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Generally, yes. Note though there is a sneaky workaround to the punishing amour issue which involves the use of two of the common drugs found on the island, which is only apparent through careful reading of the "Narcotics and Perfumes". Frustrating as it is practically hidden.
 
Bilharzia said:
Generally, yes. Note though there is a sneaky workaround to the punishing amour issue which involves the use of two of the common drugs found on the island, which is only apparent through careful reading of the "Narcotics and Perfumes". Frustrating as it is practically hidden.
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...great, now we're going to have "plated druggies" running around the island:devil:!
 
Random Mythras question. Does anyone know of a hack that takes Mythras combat and dials it in for Western style gun play? I feel like that could work really well. Not just for Westerns but for a whole range of Pulp applications.
 
Fenris-77 said:
Random Mythras question. Does anyone know of a hack that takes Mythras combat and dials it in for Western style gun play? I feel like that could work really well. Not just for Westerns but for a whole range of Pulp applications.
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Well that’s a convenient question to ask right now. I just acquired a pile of Zombicide Western minis.

It’s all coming together
 
I love it when a plan comes together.
 
So, as much as I do really like that Western treatment, what I was actually after was a Western, or at least more firearms indexed, treatment of the Special Effects in combat.
 
Necrozius said:
Well that’s a convenient question to ask right now. I just acquired a pile of Zombicide Western minis.

It’s all coming together
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Fenris-77 said:
So, as much as I do really like that Western treatment, what I was actually after was a Western, or at least more firearms indexed, treatment of the Special Effects in combat.
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Firearms supplement has a lot. What are you looking for thst might not be in there?
 
Raleel said:

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Firearms supplement has a lot. What are you looking for thst might not be in there?
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Shit. Now that I look I actually do own the Firearms Supplement. I completely forgot I owned it. That probably is the place to start, yeah. :grin:
 
OK, I skimmed through the Firearms supplement and it's still not quite what I wanted, although it covers some of the basic ground. I wanted something a little more two-fisted in terms of gun play. I can probably work something up using that as a base though. It's not even though I need it for anything in particular just now, it just seemed like a cool idea.
 
Fenris-77 said:
Shit. Now that I look I actually do own the Firearms Supplement. I completely forgot I owned it. That probably is the place to start, yeah. :grin:
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That doc I sent was meant to be used with it. It doesn’t detail a lot of older weapons. Big thing I found was that black powder is decidedly less forceful and obviously more Smokey than smokeless gunpowder. Not all guns at the time could handle smokeless. You can comfortably drop ranges pretty far with black powder.
 
Raleel said:
Can you give a little more full description? I may have other things.
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Well, damn, now I feel like I'm on the spot. :grin: So what I was picturing was something a little more cinematic than what's in the FA supplement, but maybe Sergio Leone rather than John Woo, if that makes any sense. A certain amount of trick shotery (obviously a real word) and maybe some speed and multi-shot related stuff, but nothing goofy. Maybe a soupcon of intimidation and badassery I suppose. I hadn't actually gotten even this specific when I was thinking about it until pressed.

Edit - pulp gunplay is as strong an influence here if that helps.
 
Fenris-77 said:
A certain amount of trick shotery
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Scar foe special effect, or use Destined’s Distract special effect
Fenris-77 said:
maybe some speed and multi-shot related stuff
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Flurry special effect is a good start. Or make a trait that lets them increase the rate of fire.
Fenris-77 said:
Maybe a soupcon of intimidation and badassery
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Intimidating scream, but slightly modified. Or Distract.

id also recommend limiting rifles a bit. Pistols are pretty fun, and they miss a bit more (hard rolls by default). Rifles are Easy rolls by default and do a lot more damage - they mean business.
 
Raleel said:
Scar foe special effect, or use Destined’s Distract special effect

Flurry special effect is a good start. Or make a trait that lets them increase the rate of fire.

Intimidating scream, but slightly modified. Or Distract.

id also recommend limiting rifles a bit. Pistols are pretty fun, and they miss a bit more (hard rolls by default). Rifles are Easy rolls by default and do a lot more damage - they mean business.
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I actually remember watching a Western where the protagonist was a fan of revolvers and the antagonist liked rifles...it ended with a speed-reload duel between the two:grin:!
 
AsenRG said:
I actually remember watching a Western where the protagonist was a fan of revolvers and the antagonist liked rifles...it ended with a speed-reload duel between the two:grin:!
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A Fistful of Dollars! The villain was all about rifles.
 
Fenris-77 said:
This puts me in mind of the ending of Quigley Down Under, I never said I couldn't use a pistol...
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Which in turn reminds me of a Steven Seagal movie, the Glimmer Man:
His partner: "You know, for a minute there I forgot you said you can’t fight."
Answer: "It's not that I can't fight. I'm not supposed to. It's against my religion, you know? I'm a Buddhist."
 
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