I’m about to start my first BitD campaign (as a GM) and was wondering what you would have done differently if you…

I’m about to start my first BitD campaign (as a GM) and was wondering what you would have done differently if you…

I’m about to start my first BitD campaign (as a GM) and was wondering what you would have done differently if you could retcon your first session. What would you have done differently and why? What would you keep the same? I’m looking to learn from others’ mistakes. Thanks in advance!

12 thoughts on “I’m about to start my first BitD campaign (as a GM) and was wondering what you would have done differently if you…”

  1. I would do more of a PbtA-style first session, just following them around a bit, to get a better feel of the PCs and Doskvol in general. I did ask a lot of questions about their backgrounds, which was good, but some answers were left unpacked, which they wouldn’t have been, I think, if I had let them play it out a little bit.

    We were all eager to jump right into the score, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. If you don’t have players who are used to fiction-first gaming, you have to push it a bit because the game could turn out too mechanical.

  2. In our group all good stories came from the initial picked faction status. Don’t let them pick crew HQ / abilities without taking your time and attaching a faction and a story to it. This is a good opportunitiy to learn more about the PCs and to play it out a little like Daniel Kušan said. It may be awesome for the crew to have their first score in the first session and have only some story. It may be awesome to have lots of story and less action. This is fully depending on your group. My tipp on this: Just ask OOC what the players want.

  4. Daniel Kušan So more of a, “Why are you awoken so bloody early in the morning? Who’s pounding on your door? Who is that laying beside you?” That kind of opening?

  5. Stefan Struck By picked faction status, do you mean when we generate the relative power of the folks around them and their lair?

  6. Jordan Kolbeck I mean the “assign crew upgrades” and “choose a favorite contact” section on page 94 auf the book. Strange, I thought that this faction -/+ game was done for the HQ as well. Mmm. Maybe that was a houserule. Point is: By choosing the faction here, they are already bound to the crew and to the story. As said, our big season final came only from those connections. That was awesome.

  7. Our first session (of a 75+ session campaign, mind) was damn near perfect, but if I had my druthers, I’d have started with a quick prelude to introduce each PC or how they joined the club. We did it for a PC that joined midstream and I thought it was nice.

  9. I’d not go with a quick start (especially if its going to be a long term game) and take a short break after chargen is finished.

    In that break look at the faction blurbs for the factions that have been highlighted via contacts and upgrades. Re-incorporate that shit like crazy. Find connections between those factions in the blurbs, and push there hard. The faction sheet is your friend.

    For any named character I have an Index card with a quick ‘n Dirty Portrait, name and a few descriptors or tags and have them on the table for everyone to see. they become ‘real’ in this sense, not just folks to murder or bludgeon.

    In fact make a R-Map on a whiteboard or noticeboard, or just arrange Locations / NPCs / PCs / Macguffins on cards on the table.

    Andrew Shields’s Obstacle/NPC Cards are INVALUABLE.

    I’ve printed out and laminated each suburb of Doskvol with the map on one-side and the blurb on the other (from the quick reference). This is wonderful in the first session to set the scene for the players and give you as GM some things to talk about and Fortune ratings to use.

    Remember that the Player’s new crew has no turf or status yet… Whatever they do will step on toes and help somebody.

    Otherwise, follow the advice in the book.

    Don’t stress it! As long as you have a score (and use the engagement mechanic) it’ll be fun!

  10. I’m going to be using Roll20, but I will definitely create some handouts of folk’s faces! I’ll also through a map up as well.

  11. I personally used Roll20 and it has a fantastic character sheet.

    I had my players choose playbook before the session which sped up decision-making.

    I had a handout to guide them through character creation but some raced ahead and some missed details so I regret that.

    I didn’t run Crew creation because they were meant to be a fresh crew with few assets. The provider of their first score set up their tier 0 crew.

    I read the factions connected to the starting area and integrated them into the worldbuilding so it wasn’t just crows vs lampblack vs red sashes. My players were smart and wanted to meet the other gangs before committing to a side so I let that play out. The score itself was a simple 1hour thing (I should have not pulled punches with consequences but they were learning).

    I had a map and clocks public, which was brilliant. I had some sinister sleuthing music and a ticking grandfather clock setup which players loved.

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