[Sorcerer]One newb, one non-gamer, and a few hours to spare.

[ZenDog]

Ok so I got Sorcerer on Saturday, I haven’t read it all yet, but I’m thinking about running a game for a non-gamer friend of mine, who is coming over this weekend.

I was wondering I know the ideal is for the group to hash out what Sorcery is and define Humanity, but as my friend is a non-gamer and time will be limited, will it still work if I do all that in advance and give him a pregen?

Also, any ideas of a good session for a one off, one player game?

I could run the party scenario in the book, which should work for one player, but any other ideas would be appreciated.

[Ron Edwards]

Hi ZD,

Just about every parameter you've outlined leads me to say, "Don't play Sorcerer this weekend." It's simply not built for that kind of quick and dirty play.

Who knows - maybe you'll go ahead and have a great time. But this game is a lot like drinking good tequila - if you just slam it and goof, you'll end up with a busted tooth and ripped clothes, puking in the concrete stairwell.

I do think it would be cool for you and your friend to skim over the book together and toss a lot of ideas around. You'll enjoy it and perhaps lay the foundation for a good game.

Best,
Ron

[Bailywolf]

Check out the 'Training Run' session in the Sorcerer MRB.

I just ran it for my wife (a non-gamer...though I'm trying to fix that) and it went great.  The situation is quite tight, and easy to get into... at first it seems like a summer teen survival-horror flick until the PC's realize they can kick the ass out of the monsters rather than just running away.

Get a handle on the basic Sorcerer resolution system (especially currency!) and wing it if you run into a roadblock.  Play faster and looser with the Rituals than you would for an experienced group- let them whip up full strength rituals w/o lots of time and whatnot.  

Dial the big house demon's power to fit the group...that thing is LETHAL and can pretty much generate TPK's pretty easily if not dialed well.  

Give your player plenty of movies to think of when imagining the action... these visual touchstones help non-gamers get into the action better than hours of 'what is roleplaying' discussions.

Good luck with this!

-Ben

[ZenDog]

First off...

this game is a lot like drinking good tequila - if you just slam it and goof, you'll end up with a busted tooth and ripped clothes, puking in the concrete stairwell.

Ron, you do know this is considered a good night out here in England, don't you?

In fact me and this particular friend have had a fair few nights like this, (it's often a matter of honour him being Scotish and me being English).

Anyway I do think you might be right, I might have finished reading it, but won't really have got everything clear in time to prep a  good game by friday.

Which is a real shame cos Sorcerer is hellish cool.

It's also a much better fit for my non-gaming friend than my other games of choice, Savage Worlds and TRoS, both of which are great games.  I don't see this friend so often, so was hoping we could play.

I even had an idea based on Irvine Welsh's novel Filth (which we both love). Filth is about a Scotish police detective who is a member of the freemasons, has a tapeworm (that takes over narration every so often), he becomes his ex-wife at the weekend and goes out murdering people. He's also the son of an infamous rapist, accidently killed his half-brother and the first girl he loved. It's really murky material to mine.

I'm enjoying reading Sorcerer and looking forward to Sorcerer & Sword (I love Les Evans artwork).


Bailywolf cheers, I'm hoping to convert my girl to roleplaying with Sorcerer (I think the feel is perhaps more suited to non gamers than a more traditonal RPG might be).

Was you wife's character the only PC or did you have a couple of freinds play too? I'm just curious to see how it goes one on one.

[Bailywolf]

Bailywolf cheers, I'm hoping to convert my girl to roleplaying with Sorcerer (I think the feel is perhaps more suited to non gamers than a more traditonal RPG might be).

Was you wife's character the only PC or did you have a couple of freinds play too? I'm just curious to see how it goes one on one.

Check out this thread:

http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=11480

I break it down pretty well.

-B

[ZenDog]

Cheers mate.