(copied from a private message I sent, regarding ideas for a 5E one-shot. It began as something simple and kind of stupid, and evolved into something less simple, and slightly less stupid [but still stupid]. It's basically a stripped down, kinda weird version of Fiasco) *************************************************************************************************************** This is more of a concept than an actual idea, and it probably will be a pretty unpopular one since it involves literally no combat at all. As a matter of fact, this isn't even really a 5E idea, it can just be a game. This game is designed for probably like 2-5 players, but any more than 5 and the logistics would be pretty difficult to manage. ANYWAYS! Here goes. Choose Your Own Adventure Books! Basically, the premise is that the party has some sort of artifact that allows them to travel back in time after death. The scenes are setup very briefly, using only about a paragraph. At the end of that paragraph, you give the players 2-5 choices (depending on the situation), and also let them come up with their own choices. For each response, flip a coin (/roll 1d2, 1 is tails, 2 is heads). If the coin comes up tails, that choice ends in death (even if it's random, comical death.... ESPECIALLY if it's random, comical death) and the party member get's to remake a choice for that scene, the die is re-rolled (even if they make the same choice, they can have a chance of success). Once each player has made a choice that ends with a success, and is established in a new scene, control of the story shifts to the next player. The new story-teller improvises a scene based on the set-up you gave for each successful result, and the round re-starts (giving the scene, establishing choices, and giving results establishing a new scene for each player). I guess there's really no sort of way to officially win or end the story, so it's up to the players when they decide to quit (or you could use like. a voting system for who had the best scene once a full rotation of story-tellers is complete [I.E. in a 5-player game, each of the 5 players has set-up one scene], and the player with the most votes get's a point, or something. i dunno) *EXAMPLE ROUND* Players: John, Ben, Timmy, and Jake. John: "You arrive in the tavern. The duke who hired you to assassinate the lord of the neighboring kingdom said he would have his contact meet you in this bar, but unfortunately didn't provide a description of what this contact looks like, or give any sort of viable way of knowing who it was. There are about 7 patrons in the tavern, all of whom stand-out in their own way, and a large ogre bartender. How do you Proceed?" Ben: "I want to ask the Ogre bartender if there are any unfamiliar faces in the tavern." (Ben's coin comes up as a heads) Timmy: "I'll subtly mention the codephrase we used with the Duke to each patron."(Timmy's coin comes up as a heads) [Note: Even though the story-teller didn't mention that a codephrase was used, players can improvise small details as long as they don't drastically effect the scene. In this case, if the original story-teller thinks that the use of a codephrase might substantially change the possible outcome of the scene, he could ask him to think of a different choice] Jake: "I want to approach the buxom female elf sitting in the corner of the room, and offer to buy her a drink" (Jake's coin comes up as a tails) John: "Alright. Ben, the Ogre nods his head, and points at a shifty-looking gnome sitting at the counter, about four seats down from where you stand. Timmy, most of the patron's stare at you with utter confusion as you walk past them whispering "The fuzzy cock crows when the dog drinks water." After 6 strange looks (and a very hard slap by the buxom elf), a gnome sitting at the bar replies "While wearing your mothers pantaloons" indicating that he is the contact. Jake, you approach the elf with some degree of swagger, and at first she looks mildly attracted to you. Unfortunately, you're so overcome by her beauty that all you can manage to say when you speak is "Hey doll, wanna practice makin' half-elves?" Unbeknownst to you, she is a member of the local bandit clan, and has no problem swiftly drawing her dagger, and slitting your throat." At this point, Jake continues making new choices, and getting new resolutions, until a success. Once Jake gets a success, control of the story shifts to Ben, who performs a similar process. ********************************************************************************************** VERY long, sorry about that. but tell me what you think? Questions/comments/concerns/corrections/ideas/suggestions/criticisms/etc.
