It has been a long while since I’ve GMed anything. My last attempt was a failed D&D 4E campaign that lasted two sessions before it fell flat and turned me off of GMing for a time. Thinking back on it, I’ve realized that campaign was destined to fail before I even started. My love of board games, in addition to the tactical nature of 4E combat, created a perfect storm of me fighting in ways that a group of unskilled fighters never would. I started the game with one of the two tropes that I absolutely hate in any game, an unkillable bad guy (My attempt at creating a nemesis), and my GM rust had left me with expectations that players would take adventure hooks just because they were there and not role play the scene. Finally one of my players really hated all things 4E. All of these things together made for a game that was unfun for the players and frustrating for me.
After killing the campaign I started to listen to some various RPG podcasts and actual plays, which eventually got me to play in my first convention game. It was at this point that the old GM itch hit me again. I had been reading through Savage Worlds and all these random ideas were popping through my head, and that was when I was jokingly tasked with running a one-shot Savage Worlds game from Kevin as he wanted to play in a game before he ran one himself.
With ten days notice I started to more thoroughly learn the system and create an Indiana Jones/Unchatedesque adventure that would lead the PCs from a small Cambodian village to fighting Nazi’s under an old ruined temple. This was one of the most enjoyable GMing experiences I have ever had. It reminded of my younger days when we would munchkin out characters and start the standard adventure with “You meet in a tavern” which would inevitably lead to a massive bar fight. Although this time around the players were interested in their PCs as more than just stat blocks. They wanted to know where the story was going and how they were going to experience it.
Savage Worlds seems to be an awesome system for the pulp genre. Death is easy to come by, but on average the PCs have the advantage with the wild die system and bennies. In addition to the standard rules I also implemented a bennie rule from Thrilling Tales which allows a player to spend a bennie to change the story/world in a way they see fit (GM has veto power). My players used this rule to do things such as turn two canoes into a pontoon boat and convince some Nazi’s to shoot their commander in the back.
I had a hell of a lot of fun and I would love to run these characters through more off the wall adventures where they can solve crime with their Tommy gun, or drop a boulder on a Nazi’s head to “subdue” him. I don’t see the Savage Worlds system working for me as a good campaign or “heavy” game, but Savage Worlds works perfectly for a “Let’s grab these characters and make some awesome stories” night.
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Having just watched “The Phantom” this morning, and planning on watching “The Shadow”, I too was thinking about a Pulp hero game. Let me know if you want to brainstorm for plots and ideas….
I thought the game was lots of fun and I would love to play again! Good job!!
I’m game for any brainstorming. I won’t be running the pulp game again for a few more months, but I have so many ideas swirling around in my head. Everything from time travel to space.
Thanks! I had a lot of fun running it and that was all based on you guys just going for broke.
Aww yea! Have to say it was some awesome fun for a one off. It really helped me get a feel for the system that reading the books just wasn’t solidifying. I no feel much more confident running that Deadlands campaign I’ve been brainstorming.
I also loved how the whole group immediately took to the Roleplaying aspect of our characters. We were so ready to kill Nazis.
Combat really can be tricky in SW. Until I played in a game all of the various parry/target number/soak roll/raise rules didn’t make a whole lot of sense. I’m happy you were able to see the rules in action even if I wasn’t 100% on all of them.
I loved this game! It was helpful for me seeing how the mechanics worked seeing as I’m transitioning to Savage Worlds as well. Great one-shot. I’m totally looking forward to playing it again. ::wind, wind, click:: Great job, Rob!
Also, for some extra inspiration, check out Mike Mignola’s Lobster Johnson comics. They are set in that same 1930′s pulp-era.
Sorry it took so long to respond but this one shot was awesome! I was just gonna play which ever character was left over but as luck would have it I got the one I wanted. He was easy to play, I really liked the system and you did a really good job Robert. I’m very proud of you for getting back on the GM horse after it threw you off in 4E and we thought you would be a tardy forever! heh J/K it was hella fun and it was cool to play with Kevin too!