I got it, I like what I've read so far. I'm really leaning towards running it with Deadlands Reloaded, but I have a few questions for ya'all more experienced SW GMs out there. First, is there perhaps another setting/genre you would recommend instead? Next, if DR is OK, can anyone recommend a good intro adventure for it, to get the players into it's mood/style? Also, are there any tips anyone can give me for running DR with SW, or any setting you might recommend instead? Almost all my GMing experience has been with Cyberpunk and Espionage settings, with forays into fantasy, so the horror and western genres are going to be new to me.

DEADLANDS RELOADED?


 If you really tweak it and file off the serial numbers - the basic premise of "Big Trouble In Little China" or even "The Golden Child" could work very well in that setting. (both movies are using a similiar mythos and McGuffin)


 You just gotta move it back in time to that time period.

 The original scipt of "Big Trouble..." was set in the old west...then it went through several script changes.


- Ed C.

I can only give you one hint: Stay clear of the Explorer Edition. I got extremely bad reviews on the German forums - full of errors, and they stripped all the tools away you need to build your own stuff (like race templates, SF and WW2 equipment or military vehicles). It doesn't even have a character sheet and the area effect templates, only a link to the disastrous downlod section of the official HP.
It's only useful as a cheap player handbook, and even you'll have to deal with a shitload of mistakes.

I'd rather look for the old revised edition or wait for the new hardcover version.

About introductory adventures and official settings, I can tell you nothing. I've been a strict hombrew GM with SW.

Huh? (though we are getting off topic here)  I have heard almost entirely good things about the Explorer's Edition (probably helps that it's only $10).  Two of my gaming buddies whose opinions I respect said it had everything you need.  I'm still working off the first edition, but the things missing from SWEX seem minimal.

Anyways, (and still not really on topic), my main advice to you Sigmund, is at the system level.  The Toughness level in SW, I have found, is really sensitive and tweaking it on the high or low side of the sweet spot can make opponents either way too tough or too easy. So don't be shy to adjust the toughness levels on the fly if PCs are never doing any damage or always crushing.

I've used SW only for my own homebrew contemporary adventures, so I don't really have any good advice for you on Deadlands.  Sounds like fun, though.

Quote from: walkerpAnyways, (and still not really on topic), my main advice to you Sigmund, is at the system level.  The Toughness level in SW, I have found, is really sensitive and tweaking it on the high or low side of the sweet spot can make opponents either way too tough or too easy. So don't be shy to adjust the toughness levels on the fly if PCs are never doing any damage or always crushing.

Agreed.

Another hint, although more aimed at players than at GMs: Tricks and Tests of Will are your friends. Group coordination is your friend.
A group where everyone whacks for himself will go down quickly. A group where character A intimidates the orc chieftain and the rest whacks him while he's weakened will be fine.
The combat quick-reference sheet should always be kept handy to keep your new players aware of their possible maneuvers and their effects.

I never had a Toughness problem - everything can go down with a bit of patience, luck, tricks/ToWs and wise bennie usage, and if it doesn't, no one forbids you to flee and fight another day (preferably with a weapon with a nice flat damage bonus - you have just one skill for every way of fighting, so don't hesitate to switch from longsword to Lucern hammer when an orc warrior in plate mail steps up).

Quote from: walkerpHuh? (though we are getting off topic here)  I have heard almost entirely good things about the Explorer's Edition (probably helps that it's only $10).  Two of my gaming buddies whose opinions I respect said it had everything you need.  I'm still working off the first edition, but the things missing from SWEX seem minimal.

I couldn't get around yet to take a look at it myself, but the main facts that were stated in other forums are pretty severe weaknesses:
- no Race templates means that you have the to pull off races completely off your ass  with just the main book, without any examples and guidelines - unless you buy the fitting Toolkits or own an old edition too
- no WW2 stuff means no Indy Jones with just the main book - unless you buy the Pulp Toolkit or on an old edition too
- no SF equipment means no Buck Rogers with just the main book - unless you buy the SF Toolkit or own an old edition
- no military vehicles means no military campaigns with just the main book - unless... well, you should have gotten the idea.

And I can't stress out enough what a pain missing character sheets and area effect templates are. Especially gamers without regular internet access (quite a many among my acquaintances) should be badly served by this.

Of course, if you own the old editions or buy the supplements, you are fine, but I dislike this turn. Formerly SW was one of the few game lines where supplements are only nice-to-haves and where could have years of fun with just the main book and a few bits of tinkering.

Shane has stated publicly on the Pinnacle site that SW:EX is just a "filler" product and does not (and was not intended to) replace the "Full" rulebook.
=

Explorer is a great edition for the players to have.  The GM should still get the actual rulebook.

Quote from: SigmundFirst, is there perhaps another setting/genre you would recommend instead?

Seriously, the only setting/genre that you should be getting into with SW is the one that you (and maybe your players) find the most interesting. If that's Deadlands, roll with that. If that's actually something else, go with that.

I've used it to successfully run:

Conan
Star Frontiers (!)
Firefly
Feudal ('realistic', if actiony) Japan
and for a while I started working on a Dune conversion (with Mentat, Bene Gessrit, etc as races) but I got pulled into another game... It would have totally worked, though.

So seriously, go with what you like. The system can totally handle it.

QuoteNext, if DR is OK, can anyone recommend a good intro adventure for it, to get the players into it's mood/style?

I'm not 100% on the background of Deadlands (I only had/ran Hell on Earth back in the day). How about:

One of the horsemen run through a town, destroying most of it on his way across the country. The town is rebuilding itself. Two gangs have come into town, each with their own leader, faction and goals (perhaps one is a privateer/mercantile faction with shady deals and an echelon of mages, the other a traditional heavily armed proto-mafia). Many of the townspeople, led by the mayor and the town preacher are fighting back.

The players walk into this mess on their way through the area. What do they do? Who do they support? When things look like they're getting steady, that's when the zombies attack.

Musts: Gunfight (x2). Magic duel. Effects of that magic rock stuff. Zombies.

QuoteAlmost all my GMing experience has been with Cyberpunk and Espionage settings, with forays into fantasy, so the horror and western genres are going to be new to me.

I agree on the toughness: I had to change a baddie's toughness on the fly once or twice because I accidentally made him too hard for the PCs to damage. The other is also true: I've had to boost up the baddies sometimes because I created a team of 8 dudes who I realized had something like a 10% chance to hit any of the PCs. Just be mindful of that kind of thing (especially when the players or you roll high, and yet notice that it's not good enough) and adjust on the fly.

-Andy

Wow, thanks for the responses. I really appreciate the heads-up about the toughness of opponents.

I really might look into the Big Trouble in Little China thing (love that flick). I actually run a BTiLC inspired adventure in Alternity/Dark Matter which was a big success. Although it was modern, it wouldn't be too much trouble to switch the time period. I really like your idea too Andy K... maybe even throw in a twist like the merchant faction actually being a clan of werewolves or something. I might just have to do both, and make a mini-campaign out of it