Really helpful video. One note is that 02:47 the Heroic Ability of the Wolfkin can only be used once (the part that you can spend 1 further WP to gain a boon to an attack made to your prey). The keyword is further. Also this is vastly superior to the same ability that the Dwarves have and it can only be used once. I think the intention was to use in only once. It does not add at all to the whole system to be able to use 1WP to have a boon. There is not another Heroic ability even close to this if you play it "I can be spending 1 willpower to get a boon as many times as I like as long as I have willpower" oh and by the way combine this with a round Rest and BOOM By the way the video was very good and thank you for your time and effort.
Thanks Giannis! And that’s a great point, I like your interpretation. Although I do feel like this would be a correction of the original text, at least for an American use of the word. It would also make a great deal of sense as it’s crazy strong as I read it now. Do you know if there is an official ruling/clarification on it? I would love to be able to reference it when we do a kin tier list video and talk about all of these.
This feels... viscerally wrong to me, tbh. The video is not badly made. It's just that the idea of a "build", or a set role, feels really D&D. It's the notion of making... something which isn't a character so much as component in an optimized system. I see this as distinct from munchkinry because munchkinry is unsanctioned. In D&D, it's an actual thing. I get that the video is all in good fun, I do. But I feel it's symptomatic of the D&D mindset, and that porting said mindset to DoD would foster a kind of formulaic approach that would negatively impact suspense, role playing and the point of having an adventure. * steps off soapbox * This is still a good video. Thanks for making it.
I appreciate the feedback and it’s the second in this vain of “don’t do Dragonbane build guides”. I want to make the kind of videos people want to see, so I’m completely open to other ideas of what would be helpful if you have them. To your points above though, in my experience with Dragonbane it is much more important to have roles in your party than 3-5e dnd. It feels like you NEED at least one heavily armored ally and one healer in the group if you want to stay alive long. One of my groups didn’t have that and things went quite poorly. I think the role prominence is much more a throwback to the older school games then anything else. Same with mages not being able to use metal/heavy armor, and a decent number of other things. For what it’s worth, my goal here was simply to try to help new players have fun and not get frustrated with the game. I appreciate the feedback though, as clearly I have missed the mark somewhere. Also, for what it’s worth, I can assure you I don’t come from a dnd mindset. While I have played earlier additions plenty, it has been quite some time since it was my primary system. I tend to favor more customizable and heavy systems like GURPS.
@@homebrewedtabletop First of all, keep up the good work with your channel. Really nice videos here. Loving them! Second, sorry for the late comment. Just saw this today. Third... - "It feels like you NEED at least one heavily armored ally and one healer in the group if you want to stay alive long. One of my groups didn’t have that and things went quite poorly." Well, that's the D&D mentality people are talking about (which is also a videogame mindset). If, and only if, you are trying to settle everything (or most things) with combat then I guess you'll need very defined and carefully planned combat roles, such these. But Dragonbane is not a combat-oriented game as D&D is. It's a classic raw brutal adventure game that discourages you from directly fighting enemies. You can, and most of the time you'll want to, settle things by avoiding combat and using other means and resources. It's an old-school inspired game, so player agency, wisdom and extra thought are much more valuable than pure combat tatics using skills/talents in your character sheet (aka "build"). - "For what it’s worth, my goal here was simply to try to help new players have fun and not get frustrated with the game." I see your attempt to do good here and I really appreciate it, as other sure do. But to be fair, chances are they'll be frustrated to spend time on a supposed "build" only to find out later it does not really matter in this kind of game. A "build" can sell the game as a D&D'esk thing and frustration may come when players can't find the D&D combat elements they like in it. Imagine dying in your first combat encounter after researching or studying a "build". Maybe they'll blame the system. Maybe they'll blame dice. Maybe they'll blame the GM (which will be in a rough spot here), before even realising this was just not the game they were looking for... That said, nice video! I'll take a look at the Thief build video now.
So I think the video is great, but the whole build thing is really contrary to the philosophy behind dragonbane. It is a brutal game. not DCC brutal, but pretty brutal. I think everything you said will work, but I don't think the "build" mentality really allows you to play the game to its full potential. But, that's obviously just my opinion. Definitely subbed though. Onward!
Thanks for the feedback and the sub! I definitely think I need to go back to the drawing board a bit. If nothing else to make my intent more clear. What I really enjoy doing is making the games I love more accessible, and explaining complicated things in an easy to understand way. I want to do that with Dragonbane and others, but I would like to avoid the “Infinite Damage” type stuff as that’s not my intent at all. And as a GM, I’m not trying to do that to another GM. I just know there are players out there who do not get into the tactical stuff so I’m wanting to provide that kind of guide for them. And I have kind of been feeling like it could be a good system for it. But idk. lol anyways, I’ll quit flow of consciousnessing at you, thanks for dropping by!
@@homebrewedtabletop sorry I fell off the planet. LOL I think it was more on me. I homed in on the word "build" and perhaps a bit unfairly. The biggest thing is that I hope I wasn't a schmuck in your comments because I really love what you're doing and I can't wait to see what you come up with in this evolving TTRPG landscape!
I see where some of the criticism is coming from, BUT I think “build” videos are helpful. Also, most of the heroic abilities ARE combat-focused. Still, can you do a “build” video about cool support or skill- based PC’s?
Awesome!!
Thanks!
Really helpful video.
One note is that 02:47 the Heroic Ability of the Wolfkin can only be used once (the part that you can spend 1 further WP to gain a boon to an attack made to your prey). The keyword is further. Also this is vastly superior to the same ability that the Dwarves have and it can only be used once. I think the intention was to use in only once. It does not add at all to the whole system to be able to use 1WP to have a boon. There is not another Heroic ability even close to this if you play it "I can be spending 1 willpower to get a boon as many times as I like as long as I have willpower" oh and by the way combine this with a round Rest and BOOM
By the way the video was very good and thank you for your time and effort.
Thanks Giannis! And that’s a great point, I like your interpretation. Although I do feel like this would be a correction of the original text, at least for an American use of the word. It would also make a great deal of sense as it’s crazy strong as I read it now.
Do you know if there is an official ruling/clarification on it? I would love to be able to reference it when we do a kin tier list video and talk about all of these.
@@homebrewedtabletop I think the only official response is if you create a question about this in the Free League's Forum about Dragonbane.
@@giannismixail8955 Yeah, for sure. I was asking if you had seen or asked that.
More Dragonbane stuff please.
Will do! Have a rogue video already recorded with more planned and then hopefully some reviews of the new supplements!
This feels... viscerally wrong to me, tbh.
The video is not badly made. It's just that the idea of a "build", or a set role, feels really D&D. It's the notion of making... something which isn't a character so much as component in an optimized system. I see this as distinct from munchkinry because munchkinry is unsanctioned. In D&D, it's an actual thing.
I get that the video is all in good fun, I do. But I feel it's symptomatic of the D&D mindset, and that porting said mindset to DoD would foster a kind of formulaic approach that would negatively impact suspense, role playing and the point of having an adventure.
* steps off soapbox *
This is still a good video. Thanks for making it.
I appreciate the feedback and it’s the second in this vain of “don’t do Dragonbane build guides”.
I want to make the kind of videos people want to see, so I’m completely open to other ideas of what would be helpful if you have them.
To your points above though, in my experience with Dragonbane it is much more important to have roles in your party than 3-5e dnd. It feels like you NEED at least one heavily armored ally and one healer in the group if you want to stay alive long. One of my groups didn’t have that and things went quite poorly.
I think the role prominence is much more a throwback to the older school games then anything else. Same with mages not being able to use metal/heavy armor, and a decent number of other things.
For what it’s worth, my goal here was simply to try to help new players have fun and not get frustrated with the game. I appreciate the feedback though, as clearly I have missed the mark somewhere.
Also, for what it’s worth, I can assure you I don’t come from a dnd mindset. While I have played earlier additions plenty, it has been quite some time since it was my primary system. I tend to favor more customizable and heavy systems like GURPS.
@@homebrewedtabletop First of all, keep up the good work with your channel. Really nice videos here. Loving them! Second, sorry for the late comment. Just saw this today. Third...
- "It feels like you NEED at least one heavily armored ally and one healer in the group if you want to stay alive long. One of my groups didn’t have that and things went quite poorly."
Well, that's the D&D mentality people are talking about (which is also a videogame mindset). If, and only if, you are trying to settle everything (or most things) with combat then I guess you'll need very defined and carefully planned combat roles, such these. But Dragonbane is not a combat-oriented game as D&D is. It's a classic raw brutal adventure game that discourages you from directly fighting enemies. You can, and most of the time you'll want to, settle things by avoiding combat and using other means and resources. It's an old-school inspired game, so player agency, wisdom and extra thought are much more valuable than pure combat tatics using skills/talents in your character sheet (aka "build").
- "For what it’s worth, my goal here was simply to try to help new players have fun and not get frustrated with the game."
I see your attempt to do good here and I really appreciate it, as other sure do. But to be fair, chances are they'll be frustrated to spend time on a supposed "build" only to find out later it does not really matter in this kind of game. A "build" can sell the game as a D&D'esk thing and frustration may come when players can't find the D&D combat elements they like in it. Imagine dying in your first combat encounter after researching or studying a "build". Maybe they'll blame the system. Maybe they'll blame dice. Maybe they'll blame the GM (which will be in a rough spot here), before even realising this was just not the game they were looking for...
That said, nice video! I'll take a look at the Thief build video now.
So I think the video is great, but the whole build thing is really contrary to the philosophy behind dragonbane. It is a brutal game. not DCC brutal, but pretty brutal. I think everything you said will work, but I don't think the "build" mentality really allows you to play the game to its full potential. But, that's obviously just my opinion. Definitely subbed though. Onward!
Thanks for the feedback and the sub!
I definitely think I need to go back to the drawing board a bit. If nothing else to make my intent more clear. What I really enjoy doing is making the games I love more accessible, and explaining complicated things in an easy to understand way.
I want to do that with Dragonbane and others, but I would like to avoid the “Infinite Damage” type stuff as that’s not my intent at all. And as a GM, I’m not trying to do that to another GM.
I just know there are players out there who do not get into the tactical stuff so I’m wanting to provide that kind of guide for them. And I have kind of been feeling like it could be a good system for it. But idk.
lol anyways, I’ll quit flow of consciousnessing at you, thanks for dropping by!
@@homebrewedtabletop sorry I fell off the planet. LOL I think it was more on me. I homed in on the word "build" and perhaps a bit unfairly. The biggest thing is that I hope I wasn't a schmuck in your comments because I really love what you're doing and I can't wait to see what you come up with in this evolving TTRPG landscape!
I see where some of the criticism is coming from, BUT I think “build” videos are helpful. Also, most of the heroic abilities ARE combat-focused. Still, can you do a “build” video about cool support or skill- based PC’s?
100% it’s on the list. Im considering a bard next, but there are quite a few good options.
Does your table roll for ability scores or do you point buy?
They roll once and everyone uses those stats.
Edit: Past couple of times it’s been god tier rolls. I’m excited for when the luck runs out.