Aaron Flavius West
@f1zz3r.bsky.social
Space Physicist at UMN, Game Master for 5e, Cypher, and more. Volunteer playtester for MCDM. 🏳️🌈 (he/they)
This is the green M&M all over again
November 15, 2025 at 4:07 PM
This is the green M&M all over again
I think that's part of my problem with it, really. It establishes an expectation of brutal, visceral description in abilities that the rest of the class doesn't live up to (so far in playtest).
For some it squicks them out, for others it hypes them up, but I don't think it serves either group well.
For some it squicks them out, for others it hypes them up, but I don't think it serves either group well.
November 10, 2025 at 6:19 PM
I think that's part of my problem with it, really. It establishes an expectation of brutal, visceral description in abilities that the rest of the class doesn't live up to (so far in playtest).
For some it squicks them out, for others it hypes them up, but I don't think it serves either group well.
For some it squicks them out, for others it hypes them up, but I don't think it serves either group well.
That's pure Timescape style to me, excellent work
November 9, 2025 at 3:17 AM
That's pure Timescape style to me, excellent work
That cover art got me to check out the book description, and I'm very glad I did. I'm excited to read my copy when I get it!
November 4, 2025 at 3:46 AM
That cover art got me to check out the book description, and I'm very glad I did. I'm excited to read my copy when I get it!
Love the bandana!
November 3, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Love the bandana!
This reads like a bad Futurama B-plot, woof
November 2, 2025 at 4:01 PM
This reads like a bad Futurama B-plot, woof
"Of course no one is perfect, and I would never hold anybody to that standard. Buuuuuuuut I'm not anybody, I'm nobody, eh?"
*therapist presses extremely loud incorrect buzzer*
*therapist presses extremely loud incorrect buzzer*
November 1, 2025 at 1:08 AM
"Of course no one is perfect, and I would never hold anybody to that standard. Buuuuuuuut I'm not anybody, I'm nobody, eh?"
*therapist presses extremely loud incorrect buzzer*
*therapist presses extremely loud incorrect buzzer*
I don't think each level needs to specifically add ranged weapon abilities. The Alchemy Shadow has ranged abilitiesat every level, even if they aren't weapon-based. (Trick healing arrows, eh?)
If that's insufficient, I think a 4th Shadow subclass could work. "College of the Deadeye" or something?
If that's insufficient, I think a 4th Shadow subclass could work. "College of the Deadeye" or something?
October 31, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I don't think each level needs to specifically add ranged weapon abilities. The Alchemy Shadow has ranged abilitiesat every level, even if they aren't weapon-based. (Trick healing arrows, eh?)
If that's insufficient, I think a 4th Shadow subclass could work. "College of the Deadeye" or something?
If that's insufficient, I think a 4th Shadow subclass could work. "College of the Deadeye" or something?
I think the Delian Tomb intro fights are a bit of a slow intro for a group that groks tactical combat, but our IRL table has a mix of familiarities (story games, only 5e, cyberpunk, etc).
The biggest hit so far seems to be DS initiative, and the teamwork it brings. (Also forced movement, of course)
The biggest hit so far seems to be DS initiative, and the teamwork it brings. (Also forced movement, of course)
October 31, 2025 at 4:11 AM
I think the Delian Tomb intro fights are a bit of a slow intro for a group that groks tactical combat, but our IRL table has a mix of familiarities (story games, only 5e, cyberpunk, etc).
The biggest hit so far seems to be DS initiative, and the teamwork it brings. (Also forced movement, of course)
The biggest hit so far seems to be DS initiative, and the teamwork it brings. (Also forced movement, of course)
Last session was a bunch of Downtime in Broadhurst, meeting people, deep roleplay scenes, and figuring out more of the group's dynamic. Great stuff!
The two sessions before that were occupied by the tutorial intro for the combat system using a dungeon crawl (The titular Tomb of Delius).
The two sessions before that were occupied by the tutorial intro for the combat system using a dungeon crawl (The titular Tomb of Delius).
October 31, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Last session was a bunch of Downtime in Broadhurst, meeting people, deep roleplay scenes, and figuring out more of the group's dynamic. Great stuff!
The two sessions before that were occupied by the tutorial intro for the combat system using a dungeon crawl (The titular Tomb of Delius).
The two sessions before that were occupied by the tutorial intro for the combat system using a dungeon crawl (The titular Tomb of Delius).
I'm assuming you mean this post?
retiredadventurer.blogspot.com/2021/04/six-...
It's interesting. For my play experience, PF2E feels *too* limited by its setting/mechanics, but my Numenera games very much adopted the "mysteries presented for the table to solve" approach to setting. DS is inbetween.
retiredadventurer.blogspot.com/2021/04/six-...
It's interesting. For my play experience, PF2E feels *too* limited by its setting/mechanics, but my Numenera games very much adopted the "mysteries presented for the table to solve" approach to setting. DS is inbetween.
Six Cultures of Play
A blog about roleplaying games and theory focused on Mythras, Dungeons and Dragons, and OSR games.
retiredadventurer.blogspot.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I'm assuming you mean this post?
retiredadventurer.blogspot.com/2021/04/six-...
It's interesting. For my play experience, PF2E feels *too* limited by its setting/mechanics, but my Numenera games very much adopted the "mysteries presented for the table to solve" approach to setting. DS is inbetween.
retiredadventurer.blogspot.com/2021/04/six-...
It's interesting. For my play experience, PF2E feels *too* limited by its setting/mechanics, but my Numenera games very much adopted the "mysteries presented for the table to solve" approach to setting. DS is inbetween.
🤷♂️ It's felt flexible at my table.
I don't play Draw Steel for verisimilitude, I play for the teamwork and power fantasy. I don't know how "trad" DS really gets, when it explicitly eschews the dungeon crawl, resource attrition loops of earlier trad games. Maybe that's a definition we don't share?
I don't play Draw Steel for verisimilitude, I play for the teamwork and power fantasy. I don't know how "trad" DS really gets, when it explicitly eschews the dungeon crawl, resource attrition loops of earlier trad games. Maybe that's a definition we don't share?
October 29, 2025 at 3:01 PM
🤷♂️ It's felt flexible at my table.
I don't play Draw Steel for verisimilitude, I play for the teamwork and power fantasy. I don't know how "trad" DS really gets, when it explicitly eschews the dungeon crawl, resource attrition loops of earlier trad games. Maybe that's a definition we don't share?
I don't play Draw Steel for verisimilitude, I play for the teamwork and power fantasy. I don't know how "trad" DS really gets, when it explicitly eschews the dungeon crawl, resource attrition loops of earlier trad games. Maybe that's a definition we don't share?
"...who makes a brutal weapon strike that cuts through multiple targets with a single action. Maybe the body of the original target is hurled into an unfortunate ally. Maybe additional minions affected by a single-target strike pass out from fright!" 2/2
October 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
"...who makes a brutal weapon strike that cuts through multiple targets with a single action. Maybe the body of the original target is hurled into an unfortunate ally. Maybe additional minions affected by a single-target strike pass out from fright!" 2/2
From the Monsters book, in the section about minion rules (pg 8):
"Allow the player to narrate how their hero takes out additional minions killed by a single attack. For instance, if a goblin spinecleaver takes 12 damage from a fury’s Brutal Slam ability, maybe the minions surround the hero," 1/2
"Allow the player to narrate how their hero takes out additional minions killed by a single attack. For instance, if a goblin spinecleaver takes 12 damage from a fury’s Brutal Slam ability, maybe the minions surround the hero," 1/2
October 29, 2025 at 2:40 PM
From the Monsters book, in the section about minion rules (pg 8):
"Allow the player to narrate how their hero takes out additional minions killed by a single attack. For instance, if a goblin spinecleaver takes 12 damage from a fury’s Brutal Slam ability, maybe the minions surround the hero," 1/2
"Allow the player to narrate how their hero takes out additional minions killed by a single attack. For instance, if a goblin spinecleaver takes 12 damage from a fury’s Brutal Slam ability, maybe the minions surround the hero," 1/2
That memonek is incredible
October 19, 2025 at 4:51 PM
That memonek is incredible
Putting comic book/Saturday morning cartoon superheroes into Ten Candles
October 8, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Putting comic book/Saturday morning cartoon superheroes into Ten Candles
I think I accidentally did this already 🤔
Turned out Cypher was flexible enough to house WH40K *and* Star Trek in the same campaign (just, not the same session)
Turned out Cypher was flexible enough to house WH40K *and* Star Trek in the same campaign (just, not the same session)
October 8, 2025 at 6:56 PM
I think I accidentally did this already 🤔
Turned out Cypher was flexible enough to house WH40K *and* Star Trek in the same campaign (just, not the same session)
Turned out Cypher was flexible enough to house WH40K *and* Star Trek in the same campaign (just, not the same session)
Counterpoint: replace "Might" with "Toughness" and switch the order around:
TAPIR 😎
TAPIR 😎
October 7, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Counterpoint: replace "Might" with "Toughness" and switch the order around:
TAPIR 😎
TAPIR 😎
Omg, the separated jawbone!
October 3, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Omg, the separated jawbone!
I mourn the lost Numenera subculture of that period
I cut my teeth on ttrpg game design in those spaces, before I ever stepped into reddit
I cut my teeth on ttrpg game design in those spaces, before I ever stepped into reddit
October 2, 2025 at 3:23 AM
I mourn the lost Numenera subculture of that period
I cut my teeth on ttrpg game design in those spaces, before I ever stepped into reddit
I cut my teeth on ttrpg game design in those spaces, before I ever stepped into reddit
Check out the Supernatural perks those are available to anyone, and might answer your utility questions
September 27, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Check out the Supernatural perks those are available to anyone, and might answer your utility questions