The Saga Begins....

[eurydicebound]

So, my oldest wants to game. Really, really wants to be in a roleplaying game. This indicates that I must need run some sort of game for him and his brother, much to my vague consternation. Therefore, dear friends and companions, I turn to you. The days in which I would have happily designed a dungeon crawl were... well, never. Okay, there was my first effort when I created a complex dedicated to Beshaba, the Forgotten Realms goddess of bad luck, but that's neither here nor there (and it was a really bad dungeon, too). I have a couple first level adventures around for D&D, but most of them don't really fit my purposes.

For this, I need the following:

• Something that is pretty straightforward -- The only players will be 8 and 7. I can manipulate things pretty freely as far as numbers and lethality of conflicts (as well as setting up various was to rest/heal), but there's only so much complexity they'll stomach. There can't be a great deal of investigating or socializing that has to be involved or roleplayed, as the kiddos don't have the chops for that yet.


• Something PG rated at best -- Despite adamjury's most helpful suggestion of New World of Darkness, this has to be something that isn't going to give any of us bad dreams. Undead are fine, so long as they aren't too gory -- knowing Al, he'll play a necromancer and have a skeleton friend if I let him.


• Something simple to run -- I discovered when playing D&D the other day that I actually am far more familiar with the system and books under pressure than I would have thought while playing, but that still doesn't mean I'm much good at running complex systems. Granted, they're boys, and I can gloss a whole lot without them being the wiser, but I'd prefer to do that as little as possible. Knowing Alisdair, if he's interested in the game it means he'll pick up the book and start learning the rules soon... and when that happens, I'm toast.

I have... well, more than a few games. D&D/d20, naturally. Mutants and Masterminds, Savage Worlds, a few things like that. What I'm looking for are PDF/print recommendations for intro-level kid-friendly adventures. They don't have to be for games I've mentioned here, though those are some of the first that occur to me as likely candidates. links are fine. Adventures that stack into campaigns are fine. Humor or something light-hearted is fine as well. I await your recommendations with baited breath (and a debit card that's ready to give someone else my money!). Fire away!

Comments

[amanofhats.livejournal.com]

I wish I had a suggestion for you, dear.

[trollbabe.livejournal.com]

Caz's Steadfast Shield available at Animalball Games is taken directly from a campaign he ran here for a bunch of kids, ages 6-13. It's D&D, pretty basic, and I know the kids here had a lot of fun with it.

Now to get out my giant pimp-hat with the feather.... ;)

[cazmonster.livejournal.com]

That would be *SO COOL*. I really want some feedback on how the blasted thing plays.

[freeport-pirate.livejournal.com]

I always found the WEG Star Wars game to be a good intro RPG. Everyone knows Star Wars, so you don't need to worry about educating players about the setting. The system is pretty easy to deal with too and there are a bunch of old adventures out there.

[innocent-man.livejournal.com]

CAT! from Wicked Dead games. Very simple system, light hearted game, and easily available in pdf. :)

[ineti.livejournal.com]

I second this. CAT is a fine game.

The morality of Dogs in the Vineyard may be beyond the youngsters. :)

[wooz71.livejournal.com]

If you can get your hands on a copy of Keep on the Borderlands (B2), you could use that. You'd probably be able to get away with mostly just looking up the 3.5 stats for the creatures that are there. Just have to double check the CR doesn't get too out of hand. I MIGHT have a spare copy sitting around somewhere as well.

[matt-m-mcelroy.livejournal.com]

Take a look at eco (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=182_312&products_id=3160&affiliate_id=22713) from Morrigan Press. It was designed with younger players in mind. You'll need the Omni System core book. But it looks like eco is still free on DTRPG for a few days. Worth looking at anyway...

[eynowd.livejournal.com]

My 9-year old son plays Savage Worlds with my group when we play our Viking inspired campaign. He doesn't seem to have much in the way of trouble with it.

I'd definitely recommend SW over anything D20 or D20 derived, because it's just soooooooooooo much simpler to deal with.

As for adventures, I'm afraid I can't help you there. I don't use published stuff, especially fantasy ones.

[winterhawk.livejournal.com]

Do they like super heroes? If you can get your hands on a copy of the old Marvel Super Heroes rules (not the newer ones--the old ones from TSR, especially the Basic Rules) that could be fun. It's a very easy system to learn but you can do a lot with it. I know I'm going back a ways, but that was the first thing that popped into my head when I read your post. The second was "Toon," if they (and you) don't mind silliness.

[adamjury.livejournal.com]

They're 7 and 8! Stop treating them like innocent little children!

Why are they playing games, anyway? Get them working on resumes! No less than two paper routes each by summer!

[eyebeams.livejournal.com]

chadu's PDQ, perhaps? Or how about Blue Rose/True20?

[anaka.livejournal.com]

I've considered this. I have Blue Rose, but there's not a lot in the way of adventure support for it. Not that it takes a tremendous amount to create an adventure, true, but I'd really rather not if I can avoid it.

[littlestkobold.livejournal.com]

Try out some of Goodman Games' Dungeon Crawl Classics adventures. There's a 0th level one which starts the PCs off as peasants that might make a good, fun intro!

[sad-genius.livejournal.com]

Maybeit sounds trite, but the D&D basic set is pretty damn good - I've introduced a few new players via it's simple, short campaignette; they weren't kids mind you, but the level of simplicity is certainly there.

[elissa-carey.livejournal.com]

If you're speaking of the most recent basic d20 boxed set, you're right. I got that for my son a few years ago, and he has enjoyed it immensely. He's taken it and run bits of the little adventures in there himself for games between him and his sister, or games with friends. We've also played a few of the adventures in it, with me or his father running the game.

I'll also go with Geoff's recommendation and second Savage Worlds. The system is simple to learn, and you can make it as pulpy or gritty as you like. You can take any setting, really, and plug it in.

[anaka.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of the boxed set as a birthday present for him later this year, so whatever I do, I'd like it to be something different from that.

[elissa-carey.livejournal.com]

Hmm. How about some of the games at Firefly Games? I get the feeling that they might enjoy something like Monster Island.

[themoocow.livejournal.com]

Fuzzy Heroes! ;)

[jongwk.livejournal.com]

The D&D Basic is a good idea. You might have a problem if they want to collect the minis, though. ;)

[anaka.livejournal.com]

*stares at the boxes of minis that came home with her from her old job* Um, no, I think that'll be okay....

[mercuryeric.livejournal.com]

For patently obvious reasons I'd suggest WEG Star Wars.

I shall have to locate my stash of boxed games, and if successfully, will happily give you my copy of the WEG "Star Wars Introductory Adventure Game" which is stripped down D6/WEG Star Wars, plus cool maps, character cards, and various and sundry niftyness.

-E

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Heh. Well, unlike d20 Star Wars, I'd come much closer to running it. if you find that, I'd be happy to take it off your hands. :)

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry I'm late; I've been busy.

My two recommendations are Toon, and that you get in touch with Pat Sweeney and ask him about Faery's Tale, the summer release of Firefly Games.

Spike