bormanp (06/26/82)
In response to what kind of FRP games we play and GM (Game Master) . . . I play "Paul's Adventure in Fantasy", a name suggested by a friend last summer. No folks, you can't purchase it, you got to make it, but then it will be like "Joe's Adventure in Fantasy". The whole point of it is that it is not any particular game. I started out with the the D&D collectors addition. You know the one that makes a whole mess of references to CHAINMAIL but you don't have it. Since all the books provided basically was a list of monsters, a combat chart and a list of spells, I pretty much had to make it up from there. Later on I got the PLAYERS HANDBOOK (AD&D, TSR Hobbies) and had a little more orginized system of characters and spells. But since we (my friends and I) were the first D&D (?) players in town, we had our own ideas on how things should go, so we kept some things and changed what the PH had to say about it. Then I went wild and bought the DUNGEON MASTERS GUIDE and the MONSTER MANUAL (AD&D, TSR Hobbies). The MM was great, we were in desperate need of new monsters. The DMG on the other hand had some good ideas and some bad ideas. The worst thing in it was the spell casting system. Since my group at this time had a fixed idea of what magic could and should do, I have abandoned almost the entire system (except for the spells themselves). Since our humble beggining, we have added in ideas from AG (Ardouin Grimore (spelling??)) like the other 6 stats. Things from other people, and massive little articles from the DRAGON (TSR Hobbies). Of course there is a lot in it that came right from us. I also should give credit to THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THOMAS COVENENT and any other book/movie I have read/seen that deals with Fantasy. As you might be able to tell, my system is like no other system. I play it 'cause I like it and 'cause I don't have the problem of players pulling the book on me (with no set system, how can they). Of course this systems relies on a few main things. First is that the players will trust the GM. Having trustable players is also a near must. The Players almost have to be friends with the GM and the other players (it's not hard to be partial, no matter how hard you try and be fair). But the most important thing we have found in this style of gaming is that you remember the only reason you are playing it is TO HAVE FUN, and the only set rule in it is that if you are not having fun, change the game so that you are. If anybody is interested in anything about my system, just MAIL me a letter about it, I'll try and be as helpful as I can. Paul R. Borman St. Olaf College ihnss!ihps3!stolaf!bormanp