How much lore should I Give?

[TheFred]

I find it a little hypocritical when DMs expect applicants to write backgrounds for their PCs, but offer very little about the game. If you're OK with me just telling you that I'm a Wizard from... somewhere, and don't worry about how I learned magic, then fine.

It depends a bit on the characters, too. If they're all L1 peasants with Int scores of 6, no worries. As soon as one of them gets to make a Knowledge check, though, you'd better start busting out the setting lore - in which case you may as well do it before they start playing.

It's probably feasible to have a game where the players don't get much information - indeed, in film and TV we don't get shown everything right away... but then in film and TV we're not participating in the creation of the story, only watching it.

At least, unless all the characters are amnesiacs or magically transported somewhere and thus discovering the setting for the first time - that can be a lot of fun.

[Powderhorn]

On 2/12/2024 at 12:21 PM, cailano said:

Yeesh, you guys are ganging up to bash my idea. But I still think it can work. I'm excited to try it.

I'll report back and let you know how it went.

Ding me when you run it ;) (Especially if you're using WWN :D)

Re: Lore - I've gone both ways with lore. I have one game that has pages and pages and pages of lore written for the "home country" so to speak - and then all of that is merely background for an age of exploration game in a foreign land :D

I also have a game where I'm just a couple steps ahead, lore-wise, and just plug gaps as I need them.

Both are successful - though admittedly the latter is easier to prep for!

[cailano]

37 minutes ago, Powderhorn said:

Ding me when you run it ;) (Especially if you're using WWN :D)

 

l did! It's the recruitment I have open right now.

it's not WWN, though. I'd like to do something with that system down the road. So many great games, only so much time.

[Powderhorn]

Ohhhh, alas, that's a post rate I cannot currently commit to - but have high hopes a few months down the road!

[cailano]

6 hours ago, Powderhorn said:

Ohhhh, alas, that's a post rate I cannot currently commit to - but have high hopes a few months down the road!

Yeah, all my games run like that. It's just the way I know how to do it. I've tried slower-paced games, but I end up getting frustrated by them.