Be sure to let me know in the comments which PbtA games you think I should do Actual Play 'n' Learn videos of! Could be one I mentioned in the video, or perhaps a different one!
@@simpleroleplay2136 I make no promises for how soon that might happen, but yes...I am actually looking into it. I know it has gotten a lot of hate, but I really do want to look into 6E. I am hoping with my limited background in shadow run that my relatively fresh set of eyes can find some stuff for folks to love.
Pretty good explanation! I think one important thing that is missing is how triggers works. A lot of people new to pbta don't get that you can't make a move, you can't say : I'm Defying Danger. You always play in the narrative, explain what your character do in the fiction, and only then does the GM will say if that triggers a move or not. The wording of the trigger is very important as this determines if and when a move is triggered.
thanks so much for mentioning that, I was actually just wondering how that works, like, when can players take actions and what keeps one player from doing everything?
I'm so glad you do these. Yours are, I think, the best "how to play X RPG system" vids I've ever found, and it makes choosing games for my groups SO much easier!
I think the big thing that all ptba games have in common is dedication to a theme. Each game has a type of story it wants to tell, and if you try to shoe horn a completely different kind of story into that game, you're probably gonna have a bad time. Also, as a forever gm, I've been hesitant to pick up a ptba game because it seems that the gm's part in the story is mostly reactive. Since I don't get to play often, having a more proactive part in the narrative and mechanics is something I get a good amount of enjoyment out of. That and not getting to roll dice. I can not part with my plastic random number generators.
While I wouldn't consider myself a Forever GM, I rarely get to play. I 100% feel like in PbtA games I play MORE than when I run 5e. In 5e I am a referee, what does this spell do, how many feet away are the enemy, how many HP is good for this baddy, what about attacks, etc etc... But with PbtA I can grow a world with the players based on the setting we've chosen, the characters they've described and the relationships between them. I'm more of a guide and editor than referee. I can read the subtext of what kind of experience the players are looking for and then create situations in the moment to give them that. It's delightful! A lot more "in the moment" work, but as a professional DM it's def my favorite part. And a lot less work than the hours of D&D prep I do pre-session
Kult 4e is another that's an offshoot of PbtA, using 2d10 instead of 2d6, and has a lot of content in the core book. Recommend if you want something with a hard horror theme. Gorgeous book.
It is so tough to wrap my head around GMing for one of these games. I feel like you have to put so much trust in your players, hoping they will move the story along themselves. I playtested Tian Deng and my players and I really enjoyed it but i still feel like i was forced to stick my gm moves where they could have been replaced by someone doing something themselves. Very very cool, hust very weird for a more traditional gm
You are not alone at all! It really is such a huge adjustment for both GMs and players alike, and I've definitely encountered exactly those issues myself! Honestly, even since I made this video I feel I've grown a lot as a PbtA GM, and might even make a video specifically about how to handle narrative in games like this.
The PbtA family of games is one of the best discoveries I've made in the RPG hobby in 25 years of playing. Since discovering them a few years ago, it's actually kind of spoiled me on playing any other "more traditional" systems. It's so liberating, flexible and just...cool, that it's hard to go back to a more rigid, number-crunchy style of game. I ended up using PbtA to homebrew my own "Judge Dredd" RPG. This video does a pretty excellent job of extrapolating on exactly what is special about PbtA and how it all works at the table. I'll definitely be using this to help others in the future. Thank you! My other current favorite Apocalypse-adjacent games include Spire and its companion game, Heart. Incredible stuff.
I was almost moved by this video ❤ Finally someone that explains this family of games in a clear way WITHOUT oversimplifying them into uselessness, or totally misunderstanding some core element of the overall structure. Well done! 😀
literally ran one of these games for experts in D&D and they said way too many times, "wait that's all the rules? it can't be that easy... WHERE"s the rule book?"
I'll admit, I've generally found moves to be the biggest tripping point in PbtA games. Part of it just seems like some manner of psychological trick that the writing invariably plays on me, making moves feel like like "the things that actually warrant a roll" and more like "the only things you can do, period." I can't even point out why these games tend to read that way, they just do, despite all the insistence otherwise. And for the record, I literally never got such vibes from more complex games like D&D, Champions or Runequest, nor even from other light systems like Laser & Feelings or Fate. This seems exclusive to the PbtA family.
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide My group literally gave up on D&D due to Dungeon World and how it flowed. They loved how everything was seamless and the action never had to stop. Combat was fast and enjoyable. No one got bored waiting for the next person's turn like in a long D&D fight LOL
@@tristanevans5024 I'm excited to give Dungeon World a try! I didn't quite fit into this video as one of the "core" games when I looked it over, but I do want to show it off in an Actual Play'n'Learn so people can see that games like this can even be used for their traditional high-fantasy campaigns.
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide I look forward to seeing your thoughts and seeing the video. It works so well and with the addition of the Class Warfare supplement it is amazing. The Class Warfare supplement opens the game up and kind of does away with classes in exchange for picking options to build your custom characters, while keeping the base mechanics and moves. It is wonderful and freeing for my group.
Coming from running DnD 5e games, I've been looking for assistance with running PbtA games because I want to run a game with my family using the Avatar Kickstarter ttrpg. Your video was extremely helpful in giving me the basics. Thank you!
I think you're overview approach to this system was appropriate for the material. I appreciated it. It was exactly what I needed for studying RPG Table Top Game design elements. Something that gave me a big-picture overview without excessively delving into all the fine minutia for each game system. Thanks.
Learned BitD after DnD5e, and loved it, so simple I'm my opinion. Now I was thinking about learning PbtA, so learning PbtA is what it's based on, I'm happy
This is actually really useful, I ran motw, barely understanding how all this worked [thankfully supported by a player who knew it well], but even so the game kind of gets out of the way and just lets you and the players get on with having fun creating narrative. Your video really helped crystallise my understanding of the game workings. Good job.
I am getting into Monster of the Week and other PbtA games and this video was super helpful. Also, as someone who makes TH-cam video, I recognize how much time went into creating this video, good job.
Yeah, I LOVE Ironsworn, but you are right in that it is just different enough to be confusing in the context of this video. Also I hadn't really dove in and played it when I was writing this video, so I wouldn't have been able to speak on it clearly. Now that I've dedicated some time to playing it, I have plans to just do a whole video on Ironsword/Starforged, because they need more love and attention!
A suggestion for a new video would be how to make your own PbtA system, while looking at some best practices of existing systems. But for some bizarre reason, this video has only 5k views... it deserves a lot more. I can imagine you'd rather pick up more lucrative topics ;)
Love coming back to this video! Currently in early early development of a Pbta game and while I feel like I understand the philosophy well, hearing you explain it always reassures me (even sometimes reminding me of aspects I may have forgotten)
Thanks so much for posting this video. I had a hard time trying to explain how moves worked in PBTA as a GM for players, just because I kinda just looked at my options and narratively went with them. Unfortunately I don't think there are a lot of PBTA games that explain GMing too well, unless you stumble and fumble a bit. Playing Masks was one of the big first ones I ran and IT WAS ROUGH! But I felt afterward I started to understand the other systems. Thanks for making this!
Also if you want PBTA but make it a bit more confusing mechanically, I highly recommend the Legacy system. THAT threw me off when I tried to run Godsend by UFO press
@@colesrehab I feel your pain - my introduction to PbtA was thru Legacy as well. Don't get me wrong - it's a wonderful PbtA, but it has *extra bits* that might be intimidating for many. Still follows a lot of the basic structure in 'core' PbtA. that said, I have a deep love of Legacy's spin-off: Rhapsody of Blood. AKA Castlevania meets Bloodborne and created a mapless megadungeon crawler with kickass boss fight moves. It was my first time running PbtA, and I'm glad I used it over other PbtAs I had at my disposal, because it was simple but a lot of fun for my manslaughter vagrants.
Definitely something I have in the works! My next two How to Plays will be Sentinel Comics, and then very likely either Five Torches Deep or Ironsword, to get a little gritty fantasy going. But after that, BitD HAS to be done, because I've had a huge amount of fun with that system. It is just a bit of a bigger beast to tackle
I’m a huge PbtA fan and I gotta say you did a good job explaining it. But you did miss one important detail about PbtA, how specific the games are. Whenever I describe PbtA I alway mention monster hearts, monster of the week and Urban Shadows. On the surface all those games are about playing in a modern world were monsters are real, in monster of the week you hunt them, urban shadows is about playing the power politics of the different kinds of creatures and monster hearts is about teen age romance with monsters.
Avatar and Blades in the Dark are the only PbtA games that have ever interested me, so its good to know that Blades is only sort of related. I haven't cracked open my Avatar pdfs (too many other games atm) so I would be interested in seeing something on that specifically at some point, as well as Blades. Also, your stuff is just too good for the criminally low subscriber number you have.... i am sharing these to as many friends as I can :D
Thanks for the explaination. I've been playing D&D since '96, so looking at this system for Root, I thought i was missing something. Even after watching a How to Play Root RPG, I thought i was missing something. " I was chasing phantoms where there were none."
Awesome video, man. Watched it twice. I already know the system for the most part (from Worlds in Peril, which was my first PbtA), but watching this kinda stuff helps truly cement the knowledge and make sure I don't have any gaps. Immediately binging some more of your stuff!
Just found your channel, fantastic and comprehensive review of the "system", and I am checking out all your other videos and subscribing! Keep up the good work!
I have been looking for a good definition of PBTA for a bit now so I m glad to find this. I am working on making a systom and was curious if this would work well for it. Thanks for the video.
Glad that you covered this system, since I've got so many PbtA books that I'm really interested in running. (Naturally, I'm also looking forward to a Blades in the Dark video, optionally one that pays lipservice to the numerous Forged In The Dark hacks)
Thank you! The PbtA games I've run have been suuuch a blast, so I am happy if I can help others get into it. And BitD is something I am really looking forward to talking about! I have debated in my head whether or not I would want to do a video like this for all the Forged in the Dark games or not. It worked alright for these games because the core mechanics are pretty simple. Not quite as much in FitD! Buuut I do have like...8 Forged in the Dark games now, thanks to a bundle sale on 'em, so i WILL talk about them one way or another...
The base Pilot rules in Lancer are far closer to PbTA then it is like Forged In The Dark. Now where Lancer takes Forged In The Dark is the mission prep cycle.
As long as no Mech is involved it's all Pbta. You choose "actions" appropriate to the situation and have a modifier that comes from them. No real stats to your character itself beyond what modifies your mech for mech combat. Mech combat is as easy as 1st level 5e DnD mechanics.
Great video! You should do a how to play for Urban Shadows 2e quickstart sometime! (Or if you want to wait for the full release, that would still be cool!)
Yeah, I really want to wait for the full release, but I definitely think I'll do a rundown of that one. As someone who used to play a tooon of World of Darkness, I am really excited for US2e
For the Actual Play 'n' Learn, I would normally push for my beloved Monsterhearts, but I realize that it might be too extra, especially if you intend to show the Sex Moves. So I'll vote for Masks instead.
Your Masks wish has actually already been granted, up on and the channel! And honestly, Monsterhearts is very much on my radar, though I'm not sure how soon I might be able to tackle it with the others I have lined up.
That was a big debate for me, whether or not to include it. In the end, I suppose it is because I felt it diverged enough from the other systems I described, getting a bit more complicated. I wanted to focus on the ones that really stuck to the core mechanics I covered, and that had simple enough extra mechanics to touch on without getting into crunchier stuff. I honestly have no clue if that was the right choice or not. It was such a strange video to tackle for a few reasons, so I will continue to question the choices I made in it for a long time lol Though I will say, it DO want to do an Actual Play 'n' Learn video of it, because it is an interesting system.
All in all, Dungeon World is a pretty bad example of a PbtA game. It's an OK game, but LaTorra and Koebel clearly didn't understand AW enough when they were making DW.
@@AliceLoverdrive Maybe you’re right. I can’t know that. But every group I’ve introduced DW to, have loved the game. And running DW has made me much better at running Monster of the Week.
@@garygrant6987 DW was my introduction to PbtA; and those divergences actually made it, for me and my family, a great "transition" game from the hard crunch games we were used to (D&D, Mekton, ect) to more narrative based systems, including other PbtA games.
This really has me sold on checking these out really. Just by hearing how the rules work though, it sounds similar to how some of the Modiphius games work, so I wonder if they were inspired by PBTA?
The Modiphius 2d20 system was originally created by the same guy who made FFG's "Genesys" system (Star Wars Edge Of The Empire, etc), itself an offshoot of their earlier WFRP3e. It shares some similar concepts with Genesys, albeit using normal d20s and d6s instead of EotE's narrative dice with the symbols.
Can you do one for belonging outside belonging? It might be a little shorter but I've found that people have some trouble conceptualising how it works, so it'd be nice to have a video to point them to
At the time of making this video, I hadn't actually played either (Starforged wasn't even out yet). I've since played both and plan on tackling a video just on them, as their Oracle/GM-less stuff definitely deserves to be talked about at length
Some of the definition at the beginning of the video seem to me like splitting hairs. Anyways, I really enjoyed the style of the video. It also explained things very well! Thanks!
That is definitely one I've had on the backburner for a while now and need to get made. Will probably do something along the same lines as this video and cover the greater Forged in the Dark games, but maybe not. Hard to say.
IDK if it’s ever been requested (hell, i don’t think the system has any real actual plays or resources online) but I would love some help getting started with the PbtA game Worlds in Peril. It’s a superhero game like masks, however unlike masks it’s more of a generic superhero framework. With a power definition system, and playbooks split up into two different types (Origin books and drive books). Because it’s my first PbtA (coming from years of B/X, AD&D, PF1e, D&D4e, and WHFRP) I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. This video did wonders to help but the system seems to have specific quirks im having trouble getting around, like how the drive book is supposed to work and if it has a point progress system like what was described here (I think that’s what bonds are supposed to be?)
I would love to see your review/take on Iron sworn/Starforged, it's PBTA with 2d10 vs 1d6+stat to resolve fail, weakk, strong hits. Also what do you think of ICRPG and Into the odd likes
I've absolutely loved reading over the rules! Definitely one of the best superhero systems I think I've ever encountered. Thankfully, I have an invitation from the devs to have a sit-down chat about it, so I'm planning on a number of Sentinel-focused videos in the not-too-distant future! :D
Being that Legacy Life Among the Ruins (and Rhapsody of Blood, the Castlevania-esque hack of it) have become some of my favorite ttrpgs, this might just need to happen
So, it really is just up to whomever. Usually at the GM I'll ask who wants to act, and then make sure everybody has an opportunity to so something. Otherwise there is no set turn order, and someone could even go twice in a row
Spotlighting is probably the best way of describing, Has the villain been caught allow then perhaps it would more intersting to see a hero and the villain duke it out for a couple turns, or could jump to everyone in term for equal screen time. Think of it like directing a comic book or movie. Personally I tend to go the easy route of just going around the table.
New playbooks, new faction mechanics, and they've just generally updated a number of the rules. At least from what you can see in the Quickstart Guide on drivethru, whiiich is all that is available right now. I imagine we'll see more once it has its full release
Sentinel Comics RPG is actually my intention for my next HtP video. I received some stuff from them, no strings or requirements attached, and ended up binging the book in a couple evenings I go so into it. Plus some other...interesting ideas surrounding it...
I don't understand something. Is there an equivalent to D&D 5E where the GM sets a DC (difficulty)? It seems like easy tasks should require, say a 7 or higher for completely successful result and a extremely difficult task should require a 12 or higher. How are different difficulties handled in PbtA games?
Nope, no difficulty numbers or anything. It is a little hard to explain why, but these games just aren't concerned with that kind of play. With stat modifiers ranging from -2 to +3 at most, already that has a lot of sway over a player's chance of success. Plus the nature of just what a success or partial success means, with them often requiring a player only choose certain benefits from a list, or gaining something while the GM also gains something to oppose them with...it's just a very different approach to this kind of stuff. It is a style of play that probably isn't for everyone, but I've found that in practice it is extremely satisfying.
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide Thanks for answering! I'm still trying to get my head around this style of play. It seems a little odd that the same player would have the same chance of a complete success to bribe a poor guard vs bribing a rich noble. How does a GM handle that?
@@Loopy_D_LoopI think the other players and GM must discuss the explanation of a successful but unlikely event. Anyway, there is a very likely chance that the dice will give success with the condition (especially in the early game), and that means that the NPC noble would promise to do something terrible if players screw up.
I would say that is definitely a possibility. I love City of Mist. It's a little weird in ways, but one of those things where once it clicks it suddenly makes a ton of sense. Best I can summarize here is that it is like PbtA combined with the aspects from Fate. But I do hope to cover it more in depth
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide After watching both your videos on the respective systems, I definitely can see how CoM is a bit of a hybridization of the two. I've been talking with more people about my inability to make sense of the mechanics, and I think I have a better grip on it. I would still love to see your explanation as you have a style of explaining that really resonates with me.
One more thing: I started delving into the different PbtA systems and there are TOO many. I can't choose. How do you navigate this landscape? To make matters worse, someone added that I could also look into FitD and No Dice, No Masters... what are those? So much research!
So, there are simultaneously too many PbtA games...and not enough, I think lol. One of the benefits of PbtA is that each game made under that umbrella tends to have a really tight focus when it comes to setting and genre, to the degree that mechanically each one is hard to play outside of that small box. Like, Masks is a great teenage superhero game. But if you want a gritty, adult superhero game, Masks literally doesn't really work. So, there's an overwhelming number of choices, to be sure; however, that's because there are so many niches to fill. Honestly, what I do is just think "What kind of ttrpg do I want to play/run" and look to see if there is a PbtA game that does that. Or just glance through until you see one that sounds like fun. Honestly, there isn't a perfect way to approach it. Mostly, I go by recommendations from others on what I should check out. Forged in the Dark would be the games that spawned off of Blades in the Dark, which...is also a PbtA game, technically! It's like the PbtA games I described here, but with a LOT more rules/crunch. The FitD games are a ton of fun, but definitely harder to get a handle on. If PbtA is a bike, then FitD is a motorcycle. Blades in the Dark is like a heist game set in a magic, steampunk city (think the video game Dishonored). It gets into the action fast, and has a lot of mechanics for building and advancing both as individual players, and as a gang/group/etc. So much fun, but there is a lot more to learn, especially for the GM! Other FitD games cover multiverse adventures(Sig - City of Blades), monsters building a dungeon (Wicked Ones), and magical girl anime (Disaster Peace), each with their own levels of complexity (Disaster peace is much easier to grasp than others). Lots of fun to be had, but definitely more work to learn. No Dice, No Masters is one of those I've heard mentioned a few times, but I couldn't tell you a think about it. I love the name, and always try to remember to look into it when I hear it. I am also very good at forgetting.
Weird question is there a one piece inspired version or just pirates a friend of mine is trying to run a one piece game and he might use use pbta or just use parts of it ?
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Be sure to let me know in the comments which PbtA games you think I should do Actual Play 'n' Learn videos of! Could be one I mentioned in the video, or perhaps a different one!
Oh my god you going to tackle shadow run 6ed or the old ones??
@@simpleroleplay2136 I make no promises for how soon that might happen, but yes...I am actually looking into it.
I know it has gotten a lot of hate, but I really do want to look into 6E. I am hoping with my limited background in shadow run that my relatively fresh set of eyes can find some stuff for folks to love.
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide wow well I hope you don’t get too exhausted looking into 6ed I never played shadowrun as it was so complicated of a game
Urban Shadows 2nd ed, or Root RPG.
Mate if you could a run through of Mouse Guard that would be amazing.
I'm so glad ur covering this since PBTA is basically the most popular system for like smaller RPGs like Dungeon world
Pretty good explanation!
I think one important thing that is missing is how triggers works.
A lot of people new to pbta don't get that you can't make a move, you can't say : I'm Defying Danger.
You always play in the narrative, explain what your character do in the fiction, and only then does the GM will say if that triggers a move or not.
The wording of the trigger is very important as this determines if and when a move is triggered.
thanks so much for mentioning that, I was actually just wondering how that works, like, when can players take actions and what keeps one player from doing everything?
Would love to see a deep dive into the Avatar Legends rpg
I'm so glad you do these. Yours are, I think, the best "how to play X RPG system" vids I've ever found, and it makes choosing games for my groups SO much easier!
Thank you so much! It always makes me happy to hear things like that!
I think the big thing that all ptba games have in common is dedication to a theme.
Each game has a type of story it wants to tell, and if you try to shoe horn a completely different kind of story into that game, you're probably gonna have a bad time.
Also, as a forever gm, I've been hesitant to pick up a ptba game because it seems that the gm's part in the story is mostly reactive. Since I don't get to play often, having a more proactive part in the narrative and mechanics is something I get a good amount of enjoyment out of.
That and not getting to roll dice. I can not part with my plastic random number generators.
While I wouldn't consider myself a Forever GM, I rarely get to play. I 100% feel like in PbtA games I play MORE than when I run 5e. In 5e I am a referee, what does this spell do, how many feet away are the enemy, how many HP is good for this baddy, what about attacks, etc etc...
But with PbtA I can grow a world with the players based on the setting we've chosen, the characters they've described and the relationships between them. I'm more of a guide and editor than referee. I can read the subtext of what kind of experience the players are looking for and then create situations in the moment to give them that. It's delightful!
A lot more "in the moment" work, but as a professional DM it's def my favorite part. And a lot less work than the hours of D&D prep I do pre-session
Kult 4e is another that's an offshoot of PbtA, using 2d10 instead of 2d6, and has a lot of content in the core book. Recommend if you want something with a hard horror theme. Gorgeous book.
Ooo I'll have to check that one out. I like horror in ttrpgs a lot!
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide - The setting is like a mix of Hellraiser and The Matrix. Quite dark and adult themes.
The original Kult predates Apocalypse World by a couple decades, but the reboot implements the more modern mechanics.
It is so tough to wrap my head around GMing for one of these games. I feel like you have to put so much trust in your players, hoping they will move the story along themselves. I playtested Tian Deng and my players and I really enjoyed it but i still feel like i was forced to stick my gm moves where they could have been replaced by someone doing something themselves. Very very cool, hust very weird for a more traditional gm
You are not alone at all! It really is such a huge adjustment for both GMs and players alike, and I've definitely encountered exactly those issues myself! Honestly, even since I made this video I feel I've grown a lot as a PbtA GM, and might even make a video specifically about how to handle narrative in games like this.
The PbtA family of games is one of the best discoveries I've made in the RPG hobby in 25 years of playing. Since discovering them a few years ago, it's actually kind of spoiled me on playing any other "more traditional" systems. It's so liberating, flexible and just...cool, that it's hard to go back to a more rigid, number-crunchy style of game. I ended up using PbtA to homebrew my own "Judge Dredd" RPG.
This video does a pretty excellent job of extrapolating on exactly what is special about PbtA and how it all works at the table. I'll definitely be using this to help others in the future. Thank you!
My other current favorite Apocalypse-adjacent games include Spire and its companion game, Heart. Incredible stuff.
I was almost moved by this video ❤
Finally someone that explains this family of games in a clear way WITHOUT oversimplifying them into uselessness, or totally misunderstanding some core element of the overall structure.
Well done! 😀
literally ran one of these games for experts in D&D and they said way too many times, "wait that's all the rules? it can't be that easy... WHERE"s the rule book?"
I'll admit, I've generally found moves to be the biggest tripping point in PbtA games. Part of it just seems like some manner of psychological trick that the writing invariably plays on me, making moves feel like like "the things that actually warrant a roll" and more like "the only things you can do, period." I can't even point out why these games tend to read that way, they just do, despite all the insistence otherwise.
And for the record, I literally never got such vibes from more complex games like D&D, Champions or Runequest, nor even from other light systems like Laser & Feelings or Fate. This seems exclusive to the PbtA family.
My group loves PbtA and I am so happy you git around to making this.
Some of these games have quickly becomes favorites of mine, so I am happy to help spread the love!
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide My group literally gave up on D&D due to Dungeon World and how it flowed. They loved how everything was seamless and the action never had to stop. Combat was fast and enjoyable. No one got bored waiting for the next person's turn like in a long D&D fight LOL
@@tristanevans5024 I'm excited to give Dungeon World a try! I didn't quite fit into this video as one of the "core" games when I looked it over, but I do want to show it off in an Actual Play'n'Learn so people can see that games like this can even be used for their traditional high-fantasy campaigns.
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide I look forward to seeing your thoughts and seeing the video. It works so well and with the addition of the Class Warfare supplement it is amazing. The Class Warfare supplement opens the game up and kind of does away with classes in exchange for picking options to build your custom characters, while keeping the base mechanics and moves. It is wonderful and freeing for my group.
Coming from running DnD 5e games, I've been looking for assistance with running PbtA games because I want to run a game with my family using the Avatar Kickstarter ttrpg. Your video was extremely helpful in giving me the basics. Thank you!
This is actually useful, speaking as a D&D player trying to understand Dungeon World by actually reading it.
And Dungeon World does have playbooks.
I think you're overview approach to this system was appropriate for the material. I appreciated it. It was exactly what I needed for studying RPG Table Top Game design elements. Something that gave me a big-picture overview without excessively delving into all the fine minutia for each game system.
Thanks.
You need to do one of these for Savage Worlds. My favorite system outside of dnd.
SW is awesome. My favorite RPG system, leaps and bounds.
Learned BitD after DnD5e, and loved it, so simple I'm my opinion. Now I was thinking about learning PbtA, so learning PbtA is what it's based on, I'm happy
This is actually really useful, I ran motw, barely understanding how all this worked [thankfully supported by a player who knew it well], but even so the game kind of gets out of the way and just lets you and the players get on with having fun creating narrative. Your video really helped crystallise my understanding of the game workings. Good job.
Dungeon World and Root would be great PbtA systems to teach.
I am getting into Monster of the Week and other PbtA games and this video was super helpful. Also, as someone who makes TH-cam video, I recognize how much time went into creating this video, good job.
I think your videos are some of the best on the Tube. The editing and commentary are actually, legitimately, hilarious.
Great video. I miss Ironsworn in this list, but as it doesn't use 2d6, it could bring confusion to the newbies.
Yeah, I LOVE Ironsworn, but you are right in that it is just different enough to be confusing in the context of this video. Also I hadn't really dove in and played it when I was writing this video, so I wouldn't have been able to speak on it clearly.
Now that I've dedicated some time to playing it, I have plans to just do a whole video on Ironsword/Starforged, because they need more love and attention!
A suggestion for a new video would be how to make your own PbtA system, while looking at some best practices of existing systems. But for some bizarre reason, this video has only 5k views... it deserves a lot more. I can imagine you'd rather pick up more lucrative topics ;)
Love coming back to this video!
Currently in early early development of a Pbta game and while I feel like I understand the philosophy well, hearing you explain it always reassures me (even sometimes reminding me of aspects I may have forgotten)
Absolutely fantastic stuff. Your intro and how to play vids are top tier, keep up the great work and know that we all appreciate ya!
This was EXTREMELY helpful. Been looking into masks/worlds in peril and I've been a D&D kid for so long I just wasn't getting it. Thank you
Thanks so much for posting this video. I had a hard time trying to explain how moves worked in PBTA as a GM for players, just because I kinda just looked at my options and narratively went with them. Unfortunately I don't think there are a lot of PBTA games that explain GMing too well, unless you stumble and fumble a bit. Playing Masks was one of the big first ones I ran and IT WAS ROUGH! But I felt afterward I started to understand the other systems. Thanks for making this!
Also if you want PBTA but make it a bit more confusing mechanically, I highly recommend the Legacy system. THAT threw me off when I tried to run Godsend by UFO press
@@colesrehab I feel your pain - my introduction to PbtA was thru Legacy as well. Don't get me wrong - it's a wonderful PbtA, but it has *extra bits* that might be intimidating for many. Still follows a lot of the basic structure in 'core' PbtA.
that said, I have a deep love of Legacy's spin-off: Rhapsody of Blood. AKA Castlevania meets Bloodborne and created a mapless megadungeon crawler with kickass boss fight moves. It was my first time running PbtA, and I'm glad I used it over other PbtAs I had at my disposal, because it was simple but a lot of fun for my manslaughter vagrants.
I started with World Wide Wrestling and fell in love with PBtA. It made my non-PBtA games better.
great video! i'm running root: the rpg and this laid down the basics really well!!
Blades in the Dark how-to? Yes, please.
Definitely something I have in the works! My next two How to Plays will be Sentinel Comics, and then very likely either Five Torches Deep or Ironsword, to get a little gritty fantasy going. But after that, BitD HAS to be done, because I've had a huge amount of fun with that system. It is just a bit of a bigger beast to tackle
I'd love to see a How to Play Electric Bastionland
This video is an excellent introduction to PbtA. Thanks so much.
I’m a huge PbtA fan and I gotta say you did a good job explaining it. But you did miss one important detail about PbtA, how specific the games are.
Whenever I describe PbtA I alway mention monster hearts, monster of the week and Urban Shadows. On the surface all those games are about playing in a modern world were monsters are real, in monster of the week you hunt them, urban shadows is about playing the power politics of the different kinds of creatures and monster hearts is about teen age romance with monsters.
There is even a PbtA game about playing women Soviet biplane pilots in world war 2.
I've really enjoyed playing MotW and DW. Powered by the apocalypse is probably the easiest and best way to get people into ttrpgs
Since I expierienced the freedome that system gave me, I never went back. Love PTBA
Avatar and Blades in the Dark are the only PbtA games that have ever interested me, so its good to know that Blades is only sort of related. I haven't cracked open my Avatar pdfs (too many other games atm) so I would be interested in seeing something on that specifically at some point, as well as Blades. Also, your stuff is just too good for the criminally low subscriber number you have.... i am sharing these to as many friends as I can :D
Thanks for the explaination. I've been playing D&D since '96, so looking at this system for Root, I thought i was missing something. Even after watching a How to Play Root RPG, I thought i was missing something. " I was chasing phantoms where there were none."
Awesome video, man. Watched it twice. I already know the system for the most part (from Worlds in Peril, which was my first PbtA), but watching this kinda stuff helps truly cement the knowledge and make sure I don't have any gaps.
Immediately binging some more of your stuff!
This was a great review. Being new, I now have an understanding of the "system".
another great video! might i suggest Savage Worlds for the nex How to Play? as for actual play, Apocalypse World would be nice.
I love Blades in the Dark haven't read or played any "proper" PBtA games yet though I have a few on the bookshelf
This is really well made and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
Just found your channel, fantastic and comprehensive review of the "system", and I am checking out all your other videos and subscribing! Keep up the good work!
Awesome, thank you!
Very well done. Superbly informative, straight forward and easy to digest. I appreciate you
I'm a year late but needed this video
Your presentation is 5 star bro.
I have been looking for a good definition of PBTA for a bit now so I m glad to find this. I am working on making a systom and was curious if this would work well for it. Thanks for the video.
That tmux session @0:15 was absolutely insane.
Perhaps you could cover city of mist sometime in the future? Love the videos!
Glad that you covered this system, since I've got so many PbtA books that I'm really interested in running.
(Naturally, I'm also looking forward to a Blades in the Dark video, optionally one that pays lipservice to the numerous Forged In The Dark hacks)
Thank you! The PbtA games I've run have been suuuch a blast, so I am happy if I can help others get into it.
And BitD is something I am really looking forward to talking about! I have debated in my head whether or not I would want to do a video like this for all the Forged in the Dark games or not. It worked alright for these games because the core mechanics are pretty simple. Not quite as much in FitD! Buuut I do have like...8 Forged in the Dark games now, thanks to a bundle sale on 'em, so i WILL talk about them one way or another...
I would love to see a video on Moon Punk
Thank you! I'm trying to wrap my head around MotW. I guess playing D&D hasn't prepared me well.
The base Pilot rules in Lancer are far closer to PbTA then it is like Forged In The Dark. Now where Lancer takes Forged In The Dark is the mission prep cycle.
Weeeell dang...you may have just convinced me to finally get off my butt and read Lancer!
As long as no Mech is involved it's all Pbta. You choose "actions" appropriate to the situation and have a modifier that comes from them. No real stats to your character itself beyond what modifies your mech for mech combat. Mech combat is as easy as 1st level 5e DnD mechanics.
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide Good news! They have an option now in the Karrakin Trade Baronies book to become even more PbtA/Blades In The Dark like!
Super helpfull, clear and entertaining! Love this channel!
This video is great. Looking forward to running my first PbtA game, so thank you 😊
great video, will play all of those this year
I know this is an old vid, but I would LOVE for you to cover The between.
Loved it and PbtA games.
A timely video as the ATLA game is just about out, and it also uses the PBTA "system"...
Great video! You should do a how to play for Urban Shadows 2e quickstart sometime! (Or if you want to wait for the full release, that would still be cool!)
Yeah, I really want to wait for the full release, but I definitely think I'll do a rundown of that one. As someone who used to play a tooon of World of Darkness, I am really excited for US2e
For the Actual Play 'n' Learn, I would normally push for my beloved Monsterhearts, but I realize that it might be too extra, especially if you intend to show the Sex Moves. So I'll vote for Masks instead.
Your Masks wish has actually already been granted, up on and the channel!
And honestly, Monsterhearts is very much on my radar, though I'm not sure how soon I might be able to tackle it with the others I have lined up.
Very good video, thanks.
Thanks for the video. Out of curiosity, why not Dungeon World? It probably has the biggest following.
That was a big debate for me, whether or not to include it. In the end, I suppose it is because I felt it diverged enough from the other systems I described, getting a bit more complicated. I wanted to focus on the ones that really stuck to the core mechanics I covered, and that had simple enough extra mechanics to touch on without getting into crunchier stuff.
I honestly have no clue if that was the right choice or not. It was such a strange video to tackle for a few reasons, so I will continue to question the choices I made in it for a long time lol
Though I will say, it DO want to do an Actual Play 'n' Learn video of it, because it is an interesting system.
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide Thank you for the response. Happy New Year to you!
All in all, Dungeon World is a pretty bad example of a PbtA game. It's an OK game, but LaTorra and Koebel clearly didn't understand AW enough when they were making DW.
@@AliceLoverdrive Maybe you’re right. I can’t know that. But every group I’ve introduced DW to, have loved the game. And running DW has made me much better at running Monster of the Week.
@@garygrant6987 DW was my introduction to PbtA; and those divergences actually made it, for me and my family, a great "transition" game from the hard crunch games we were used to (D&D, Mekton, ect) to more narrative based systems, including other PbtA games.
This really has me sold on checking these out really. Just by hearing how the rules work though, it sounds similar to how some of the Modiphius games work, so I wonder if they were inspired by PBTA?
The Modiphius 2d20 system was originally created by the same guy who made FFG's "Genesys" system (Star Wars Edge Of The Empire, etc), itself an offshoot of their earlier WFRP3e. It shares some similar concepts with Genesys, albeit using normal d20s and d6s instead of EotE's narrative dice with the symbols.
@@NefariousKoel Huh, never knew that. You really do learn something every day
Can you do one for belonging outside belonging? It might be a little shorter but I've found that people have some trouble conceptualising how it works, so it'd be nice to have a video to point them to
I'm not familiar with it but I'll add it to my list! I love checkin' out new games
Hell yeah! I'd recommend Dream Askew/ Dream Apart, sleepaway, Galactic 2e and Balikbayan!
Good work sir, thank you
How about a Avatar Legends “Play and Learn” video?
This was very helpful for our campaign. Thanks.
I'm suprized Ironsworn or starforged was not on this video.
At the time of making this video, I hadn't actually played either (Starforged wasn't even out yet).
I've since played both and plan on tackling a video just on them, as their Oracle/GM-less stuff definitely deserves to be talked about at length
Some of the definition at the beginning of the video seem to me like splitting hairs. Anyways, I really enjoyed the style of the video. It also explained things very well! Thanks!
So... We gonna see a video for Avatar Legends when it comes out? :-D
This video has been super helpful, thank you! ❤
How about a Blades in the dark video? Good content, BTW, sub.
That is definitely one I've had on the backburner for a while now and need to get made. Will probably do something along the same lines as this video and cover the greater Forged in the Dark games, but maybe not. Hard to say.
Do you have any interest in making an Avatar Legends (PbtA) video?
IDK if it’s ever been requested (hell, i don’t think the system has any real actual plays or resources online) but I would love some help getting started with the PbtA game Worlds in Peril. It’s a superhero game like masks, however unlike masks it’s more of a generic superhero framework. With a power definition system, and playbooks split up into two different types (Origin books and drive books). Because it’s my first PbtA (coming from years of B/X, AD&D, PF1e, D&D4e, and WHFRP) I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. This video did wonders to help but the system seems to have specific quirks im having trouble getting around, like how the drive book is supposed to work and if it has a point progress system like what was described here (I think that’s what bonds are supposed to be?)
I would love to see your review/take on Iron sworn/Starforged, it's PBTA with 2d10 vs 1d6+stat to resolve fail, weakk, strong hits. Also what do you think of ICRPG and Into the odd likes
You are awesome!
How about Avatar Legends? The book is confounding me.
I do hope to eventually cover that one
If you have any questions for Sentinel Comics RPG, let me know! I was a playtester, and it's one of my favorite games to run as a DM, hands down!
I've absolutely loved reading over the rules! Definitely one of the best superhero systems I think I've ever encountered. Thankfully, I have an invitation from the devs to have a sit-down chat about it, so I'm planning on a number of Sentinel-focused videos in the not-too-distant future! :D
I want to see Blades in the Dark video one day.
Bro your like....actually funny. Nice job
Great overview video.
Nerdarchist Dave
Thank you much, Dave! I do what I can
You should cover the new Avatar Legends when it comes out! Loved this video BTW! Thank you!
Been reading it over the last few days, and definitely plan to do a video on it!
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide Sweet thanks! I'll subscribe to make sure I see that for sure!
Yeah love this game
do one on city of mist please!
Would love to see Legacy Life Among the Ruins 2e for the actual play
Being that Legacy Life Among the Ruins (and Rhapsody of Blood, the Castlevania-esque hack of it) have become some of my favorite ttrpgs, this might just need to happen
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide I've also fallen in love with it, and would love to see another's take on playing it to get some inspiration
10/10 great video.
Thanks so much! I'm always happy when my How to Plays come across well
so, do you take turns in these games? what dictates when you can use a move?
So, it really is just up to whomever. Usually at the GM I'll ask who wants to act, and then make sure everybody has an opportunity to so something. Otherwise there is no set turn order, and someone could even go twice in a row
Spotlighting is probably the best way of describing, Has the villain been caught allow then perhaps it would more intersting to see a hero and the villain duke it out for a couple turns, or could jump to everyone in term for equal screen time. Think of it like directing a comic book or movie.
Personally I tend to go the easy route of just going around the table.
Cool vid. Thanks a lot. :D
Perfect!
Any plans to cover Root: The RPG?
Consider it on the list of games I need to check in on!
Would you start with masks as a first time game?
I would say Masks is probably the best introduction to PbtA games that you could find, so absolutely!
I only know the first edition of Urban Shadow. What is the difference with the second edition?
New playbooks, new faction mechanics, and they've just generally updated a number of the rules. At least from what you can see in the Quickstart Guide on drivethru, whiiich is all that is available right now. I imagine we'll see more once it has its full release
What game you going to do next???
Sentinel Comics RPG is actually my intention for my next HtP video. I received some stuff from them, no strings or requirements attached, and ended up binging the book in a couple evenings I go so into it. Plus some other...interesting ideas surrounding it...
Is there one for spies like James Bond (like the old Top Secret/S.I.)?
❤
I don't understand something. Is there an equivalent to D&D 5E where the GM sets a DC (difficulty)? It seems like easy tasks should require, say a 7 or higher for completely successful result and a extremely difficult task should require a 12 or higher. How are different difficulties handled in PbtA games?
Nope, no difficulty numbers or anything. It is a little hard to explain why, but these games just aren't concerned with that kind of play. With stat modifiers ranging from -2 to +3 at most, already that has a lot of sway over a player's chance of success. Plus the nature of just what a success or partial success means, with them often requiring a player only choose certain benefits from a list, or gaining something while the GM also gains something to oppose them with...it's just a very different approach to this kind of stuff.
It is a style of play that probably isn't for everyone, but I've found that in practice it is extremely satisfying.
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide Thanks for answering! I'm still trying to get my head around this style of play. It seems a little odd that the same player would have the same chance of a complete success to bribe a poor guard vs bribing a rich noble. How does a GM handle that?
@@Loopy_D_LoopI think the other players and GM must discuss the explanation of a successful but unlikely event. Anyway, there is a very likely chance that the dice will give success with the condition (especially in the early game), and that means that the NPC noble would promise to do something terrible if players screw up.
Is there any hope for an Actual Play 'n' Learn for City of Mist? I am losing my mind trying to understand it.
I would say that is definitely a possibility. I love City of Mist. It's a little weird in ways, but one of those things where once it clicks it suddenly makes a ton of sense. Best I can summarize here is that it is like PbtA combined with the aspects from Fate. But I do hope to cover it more in depth
@@TheDungeonNewbsGuide After watching both your videos on the respective systems, I definitely can see how CoM is a bit of a hybridization of the two. I've been talking with more people about my inability to make sense of the mechanics, and I think I have a better grip on it. I would still love to see your explanation as you have a style of explaining that really resonates with me.
@The Dungeon Newb's Guide id love to hear you talk about it! I myself am looking to get into it.
It's both simpler and more complicated at the same time.
One more thing: I started delving into the different PbtA systems and there are TOO many. I can't choose. How do you navigate this landscape? To make matters worse, someone added that I could also look into FitD and No Dice, No Masters... what are those?
So much research!
So, there are simultaneously too many PbtA games...and not enough, I think lol. One of the benefits of PbtA is that each game made under that umbrella tends to have a really tight focus when it comes to setting and genre, to the degree that mechanically each one is hard to play outside of that small box. Like, Masks is a great teenage superhero game. But if you want a gritty, adult superhero game, Masks literally doesn't really work.
So, there's an overwhelming number of choices, to be sure; however, that's because there are so many niches to fill. Honestly, what I do is just think "What kind of ttrpg do I want to play/run" and look to see if there is a PbtA game that does that. Or just glance through until you see one that sounds like fun. Honestly, there isn't a perfect way to approach it. Mostly, I go by recommendations from others on what I should check out.
Forged in the Dark would be the games that spawned off of Blades in the Dark, which...is also a PbtA game, technically! It's like the PbtA games I described here, but with a LOT more rules/crunch. The FitD games are a ton of fun, but definitely harder to get a handle on. If PbtA is a bike, then FitD is a motorcycle. Blades in the Dark is like a heist game set in a magic, steampunk city (think the video game Dishonored). It gets into the action fast, and has a lot of mechanics for building and advancing both as individual players, and as a gang/group/etc. So much fun, but there is a lot more to learn, especially for the GM! Other FitD games cover multiverse adventures(Sig - City of Blades), monsters building a dungeon (Wicked Ones), and magical girl anime (Disaster Peace), each with their own levels of complexity (Disaster peace is much easier to grasp than others). Lots of fun to be had, but definitely more work to learn.
No Dice, No Masters is one of those I've heard mentioned a few times, but I couldn't tell you a think about it. I love the name, and always try to remember to look into it when I hear it. I am also very good at forgetting.
Weird question is there a one piece inspired version or just pirates a friend of mine is trying to run a one piece game and he might use use pbta or just use parts of it ?
Not that I'm aware of, sadly, but it's entirely possible. There are many, many PbtA games out there. More than I could ever keep up with