Well Burning Wheel arrived in the mail about a week and a half ago. I've been telling my gaming group about BW for nearly a month since I stumbled across it. I was running a Middle Earth 2nd age game but I was left with a bitter, empty feeling while running the game because I couldn't find a rule set that I like (one that supports the ideas I wanted) and that the players liked.

So after reading through a part of the rulebook and then creating a character I discovered that I love this system. Everything from the way it's written, to the feel the text gives you, and the rules for resources, circles, etc.

The books were easy to read and there are examples everywhere. I would read a section of text and thought "Damn I would like an example" turn the page and there it is!!!!!!

My ladyfriend (who is a hardcore gamer) loves the system as well. Especially the section on beliefs and instincts.

I'll post some more later as the game gets running. The first session we are going to concentrate on vs test, resources, and circles test. Luke suggested this in the book, so I am going to follow that format.

Hi ghashsnaga,

Welcome! Sounds like your set found a good home! I'm excited to hear about how your experience with it progresses. Also, make sure to swing by our Web site. We've got lots and lots of free goodies for you to download.

Hi ghash,

Just curious, how'd you find us?

And don't forget to start your game off with an all important character burning session. Get everyone together to talk about their characters and focus them on the conflict at hand. This smooths out a lot of bad wrinkles in standard fantasy adventure play.

and welcome!
-L

abzu wrote:
Hi ghash,

Just curious, how'd you find us?

awesome!

(we're mentioned in the articles section? who knew!)

well, you have certainly found yourself a different breed of fantasy rpg.

-L

Hello,

I'm a newby to BW, too.

I was looking for a good sistem to play in a kind-of-middle-earth setting made by me cutting&pasteing pieces of other settings (mostly from Gemini, Runequest and ME from ICE), and there it was...BW!!

I have almost read all the rule books. I really like character creation, artha system and experince, but I'm worried about the wound system, as in my group tend to play in an "heroic" way, and I'm afraid that damage could disappoint my fellow players. Is it as hard as it seems? On the other side I really appreciate the herbalism skill level of usefulness.

Greeting from Catalonia (Spain) and sorry for my bad english,

Quim

Quim wrote:
Hello,

I'm a newby to BW, too.

I was looking for a good sistem to play in a kind-of-middle-earth setting made by me cutting&pasteing pieces of other settings (mostly from Gemini, Runequest and ME from ICE), and there it was...BW!!

I have almost read all the rule books. I really like character creation, artha system and experince, but I'm worried about the wound system, as in my group tend to play in an "heroic" way, and I'm afraid that damage could disappoint my fellow players. Is it as hard as it seems? On the other side I really appreciate the herbalism skill level of usefulness.

Greeting from Catalonia (Spain) and sorry for my bad english,

Quim

Quim wrote:

Thank you very much. That's been very useful.

Quim

Welcome Both of ya,

not to hijack this here thread but:

Quim wrote: but I'm worried about the wound system, as in my group tend to play in an "heroic" way, and I'm afraid that damage could disappoint my fellow players

Quickly put: Use the Optional Artha for Complication rule on page XX. of the Artha chapter.

Quim wrote: On the other hand, I have realized (sorry If I'm wrong) that this game is a paradise for powergamers, unless GM is of strong personality, specially for experince advancement. Don't you think?

I respectfully disagree with both assessments. BW is no Powergamer's paradise, nor is it dependent on GM railroading.

While it's possible to munchkin up a character, the system is so transparent, that any serious twinks are going to be obvious right at the outset. And players who like to twink up their numbers in BW are rarely concerned with advancement -- their numbers are so high, they rarely advance.

On the other hand, players can set their own difficulty in the game and not dependent on GM tests. It's possibly to raise your obstacle in all sorts of ways -- fighting aggressively while in Defensive stance is a popular choice among my players. They certainly get the challenging tests for it, but is it cheating? Hell no! They're risking their character's life with such antics.

-L

On the other hand, players can set their own difficulty in the game and not dependent on GM tests.

I don't see that as a problem. Actions are very valuable in Burning Wheel. Such a player has made a choice that advancing his skill is so important that he's willing to risk his character's life -- over and above the normal risk of combat -- by doing something foolish.

Once he gets his skill to exponent 5 or so, he'll have to take some insane risks to advance, and it gets worse and worse if he manages to go up in exponent from there.

Honestly, in play, Burning Wheel characters don't tend to advance much beyond exponent 5 or 6 in their skills. The difficulty in obtaining Difficult and Challenging tests just gets too high. Instead, Burning Wheel characters tend to naturally broaden and extend outward with new, interesting skills as they are played.

I don't know if you've seen the stats for a Dragon in Burning Wheel, but it's extremely likely that no player ever will get a "low risk shot" at a dragon. However, I see your point. And, like Thor said, this just isn't an issue in play. Tests in scenes are fraught with risk. Players rarely have a chance to fuck around and live to tell the tale. And when they do? It's generally pretty funny.

-L

It should be noted that the GM does have a say in what counts and what doesn't count towards advancement. Advancement's a shared thing between the players and the GM, after all, and it's ok to negotiate.

The most important concept to remember is that if the character's action isn't going to effect the story or there's no conflict involved, then there's no reason to roll those dice and no opportunity to mark a test earned towards advancement. BW GM's should always keep this in the forefront of their minds.

So, if that character was taking a pot shot at the dragon, he's going to throw away his chance of killing it before it kills him. But he's got to know that the dragon is going to kill him.

Ok. Thank you all. Your comments are really helpfull. Let's see how it works when played. Then I'll be able to post more feedback on this question.

Quim

Thor wrote: Honestly, in play, Burning Wheel characters don't tend to advance much beyond exponent 5 or 6 in their skills. The difficulty in obtaining Difficult and Challenging tests just gets too high. Instead, Burning Wheel characters tend to naturally broaden and extend outward with new, interesting skills as they are played.