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Author Topic: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)  (Read 6708 times)

Offline Sunjester

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  • Posts: 1509
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #30 on: April 23, 2020, 11:18:31 AM »
Great reports, glad you're enjoying the system. I'm enjoying reading about it!
I think you're right about the dice. All dice games have swing to them at times. For me the question is, is there enough tactical choice and decision making for it to be engaging. Rangers does that with event cards and interesting scenarios, keeping the system itself quite simple and pretty high in randomness. SS&SS seems to be more involved but lacks the narrative scenario structure (pending the forthcoming supplement from a member of these boards!)
;)

Offline Battle Brush Sigur

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Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #31 on: April 30, 2020, 07:56:47 AM »
Thanks for the battle reports! I really dig your collection, especially the barbarian characters. :D

Just to jump in on the discussion of Rangers of Shadow Deep / Sellswords&Spellslingers (both of which I reviewed on Tabletopstories.net ;) ).... After having played four games of Rangers of Shadow Deep and eight-ish games of Sellswords and Spellslingers I have to say that both rules sets have their perks. Overall I do prefer Sellswords&Spellslingers though, because it can do pretty much anything and very much encourages players to do so. Rangers of Shadow Deep's main rulebook campaign gives you a nice overarching narrative which ties the scenarios together. Once everything's on the table though things are pretty clearly mapped out it seems. I really like the card-drawing event mechanic in Rangers of Shadow Deep. This is what I think adds an interesting aspect to games and keeps them from being overly predictable.

Sellswords and Spellslingers on the other hand doesn't give you an overarching story (until we get those forthcoming supplements ;) ), but asks players to make them up themselves. However, where SS&SS shines is in-game storytelling (or story-unfolding). There isn't a single game we've had which didn't have at least two moments of drama/heroics/wacky hijinx which develop quite naturally. There are no certainties in SS&SS, whereas Rangers of Shadow Deep in my opinion gives a little bit too much certainty. For solo/coop gaming especially, I prefer the former over the latter.

Then there are entirely silly and subjective things: I simply prefer SS&SS' art style and presentation over Rangers of Shadow Deep's and the fact that it forces you to make stuff up. In return it rewards you with funny/tense situations in games. Now for the REALLY silly reasons why my heart's kinda more with SS&SS over RoSD: There's a thing which bugged me about Frostgrave and it's a thing in RoSD as well. I don't like the idea of one character being 'the important one' (who gets XP, levels, gets abilities, etc.), surrounded by lackeys who are there in support or act as cannon fodder. For some reason that just doesn't sit right with me. I prefer every single character to be just that and be of equal value in games which are about half a handful of adventurers vs. the forces of evil.

Both rules sets work really well and I think they approach a similar thing in very different fashions. In the end it comes down to what sort of wargaming you enjoy and which kind you're used to. I like the wild and slightly unkempt ways of SS&SS. Sure, sometimes things will swing wildly against you, but that's life and I think that unpredictability is what makes solo/coop games interesting and fun.

Offline driller

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  • Posts: 300
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #32 on: May 26, 2020, 06:09:21 PM »
Can't wait for that scenario book and an eventual dungeon crawl expansion for SS. I too prefer SS to Rangers, but the game sorely needs expansion material.

Offline Sunjester

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  • Posts: 1509
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #33 on: May 26, 2020, 07:57:34 PM »
Can't wait for that scenario book and an eventual dungeon crawl expansion for SS. I too prefer SS to Rangers, but the game sorely needs expansion material.
I'm getting a final proof read of the manuscript before submitting it, but Ganesha will still need to produce artwork, design layout etc so  I'm afraid you won't see the campaign book available very soon. Probably by the autumn, but it might be sooner with a bit of luck.

Offline driller

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  • Posts: 300
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #34 on: May 28, 2020, 09:37:20 AM »
whenever it comes out - thanks for your work!

Offline ZeroTwentythree

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    • ZeroTwentythree
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #35 on: June 01, 2020, 05:40:34 AM »
I've been wanting to get back to my Sellswords and Spellslingers solo campaign. But I've recently discovered I've been doing it wrong. I've been using mixing the terms "players" and "PCs" a number of times.

So, for example, the reason the first game was such a bloodbath was that I had far more hordes of orcs than I should have. I've also been handing out too much XP after games. So I've decided to wrap up the current band with a few final games, then start over with a new warband.

My plan is to replay the Badlands scenario -- possibly using the "wrong" number of orcs again. Then possibly play the tower scenario, since I've had this old Battlemasters in my garage we cleaned out my friend Rich's game room over a year ago. (It was mine, & I painted it, but gave it to him at some point. I was handed a box with this and two others to take home...) Finally, I will put them through the Thunder Lizard scenario. Per the scenario instructions, I rummaged through my daughters toys for a suitable adversary. She had a good selection hiding at the bottom of a bin, and I've narrowed it down to these two... :D



 lol


I will also need some lizarmen, which is great motivation to get back to painting the old Tom Meier troglodytes I've been planning to repaint for many long years. I did one test figure, with an unusual color scheme based on an actual lizard. But I'm not sure I like it. The main reason these wonderful figures haven't been repainted all this time is because I can't make up my mind on how to paint them!


Offline jeffreythancock

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Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #36 on: June 01, 2020, 10:47:56 PM »
Mr. Meier's greater troglodytes or those labeled as lesser?

Offline ZeroTwentythree

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    • ZeroTwentythree
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #37 on: June 02, 2020, 03:02:13 AM »
That's one of the big ones, but I have both those and the lesser trogs in the bag behind him. Still my favorite lizardman miniatures!

Offline ZeroTwentythree

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  • Posts: 1033
    • ZeroTwentythree
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #38 on: August 04, 2020, 02:35:04 AM »
My long overdue return to the legendary adventures of The Low Rollers!

https://www.zerotwentythree.com/2020/08/back-to-sellswords-and-painted-some.html

Spoiler: it doesn't end well for everybody.





I wonder what's next...




Offline ZeroTwentythree

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  • Posts: 1033
    • ZeroTwentythree
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #39 on: August 05, 2020, 01:48:08 AM »


Last night's report is up...

https://www.zerotwentythree.com/2020/08/death-of-necromancer.html


Tonight, I expect to be the dramatic conclusion to The Saga of The Low Rollers. They're going up against the toughest opponent they've ever faced....


Online Spinal Tap

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 974
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #40 on: August 05, 2020, 07:22:54 AM »
Looking forward to reading more, SS and SS is by far my favourite ruleset so it's great to see others playing it too.

Offline ZeroTwentythree

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    • ZeroTwentythree
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #41 on: August 06, 2020, 05:50:39 AM »
Thanks. I'm going to start my second campaign soon. It's been a lot of fun, definitely capturing a sense of danger and suspense.


The dramatic conclusion of the Saga of the Low Rollers.

https://www.zerotwentythree.com/2020/08/last-of-low-rollers.html



Soon to be followed by the next band of (anti)heroes....

Online Spinal Tap

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  • Posts: 974
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #42 on: August 10, 2020, 07:37:16 AM »
By the end of the scenario, there were twice as many opponents on the table. I ran out of cultists and has to start tossing orcs into the fray.


That sounds familiar  lol

Offline boneio

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 479
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #43 on: August 10, 2020, 08:45:25 AM »
I read this and then forgot to post an encouraging comment! Great reports, I do look forward to a 2nd campaign  :)

Offline ZeroTwentythree

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    • ZeroTwentythree
Re: Sellswords & Spellslingers (Solo)
« Reply #44 on: August 11, 2020, 07:40:01 PM »
I am thinking about doing a more narrative campaign, with some home-brewed scenarios and this group of misfits. :D