Running Crown & Skull - Storm Point Asylum Review & Tips

As per one of the viewer's requests, I made this extra talky "session recap/what I've noticed/tips and stuff" video about how my first Crown & Skull game went and how I prepared for it as the DM.
The video quality is still meh, and sorry for all the images from the book being low res...one day I'll get everything right. But the path of progress is not a perfect one.
If you like what you see and want to help me unleash my creative thinking bursts into the interwebs more often, consider gifting me a mini:
/ barlowkeep
ko-fi.com/barl...
--- Useful Links! ---
My Narrative Nuggets Video: • An Easy GM Tip to Mana...
My Keyboard Soundboard Video: • Unleash Epic Sounds in...
Origin of the Mapless Dungeon and by far the best explanation: • D&D Doodlin': Mapping ...
Paladin Prose video about mapless dungeons (short and concise): • Mapless Dungeons in D&...
Get your copy or some of the other amazing Runehammer guddies - www.runehammer...
Character creation app made by Chris - crownskull.run...
House DM on avoiding combat (I am sure there is another video focusing on 3 things to enhance encounters or smth like that...but it is also mentioned here for different reasons...just check the guy out ok?!): • Why Telegraphing Dange...
--- Other Links ---
Background music I used in the video: freesound.org/...
oath music: freesound.org/...
Outro music by: Barlow Keep

[@RyanR-lw7fu]

I'm really loving all your Crown and Skull content, and I wish you could keep it coming! I know Brandon ( the C&S creator) is generally uncomfortable with it, but some actual gameplay of your group would be awesome to see!

[@BarlowKeep]

I have no idea if I would be comfortable with it, to be honest...but then again i was sure that i won't be cool with having a channel, and here we are :) The biggest problem for me and my group would be the language. We don't play in English and I localize a bunch of stuff. Far from it that we are not "fluent" enough to be understood, but it would be much harder to achieve group flow and there would be a lot of hick-ups and miss-understanding between us. This would mean that we need to rehearse these live plays, which beats the point of the game. I would also like to do more stuff on C&S, but I would wait a bit more before doing anything lore related. And I really wanted to do reviews & tips for the HEX Zines but they are Runehammer Patreon content, i think i would need to structure the video in such a way to obfuscate it for people that don't have access to the zine to avoid handing out Patreon stuff for free ...but such a video would be on the borderline between comprehension and total confusion. If you have any ideas what you'd like to see, pop a comment here and I will consider it! This video was actually a viewer request Thanks for the comment!

[@samchafin4623]

That picture of your journal is amazing!!

[@BarlowKeep]

Thanks! I will be posting more of my journal...but then it's about time I start writing it in a single language 😅

[@shadowwerekurtwolf]

Thanks for the video!

[@BarlowKeep]

Thanks for the comment! Glad you like it :)

[@monomakes]

Sounds cool.

[@BarlowKeep]

Oh! Well thank you, kind sir!

[@TheJimmy000]

I think its suggested that majority of equipment that defeated foes have get destroyed/too badly damaged during combat

[@BarlowKeep]

Hey, thanks for the comment! Well yes, I mentioned it briefly here… The thing is that my players kind of disarmed the enemy and took his daggers, and I tried explaining that the dagger is in subpar shape, but they insisted that if it could have been used to stab them 6 seconds before… it can be used for the same thing now. I think it really is a gray area that expects the players and the GM to strike a deal at the table per case.

[@JD77ATH]

Again a really well timed and helpful vid as I 'm just prepping my first game with C&S. I'm still a little concerned how the players will react to the no combat attributes and no roll to hit rule.

[@BarlowKeep]

Thanks! It really depends on the player and is quite individual, but if they approach it with an open mind, it should be fine. :) I’ve run the first adventure for two groups now, and both times, as soon as the action started rollin' , all was good. The most negative reactions were concerning loot and getting paid in-game

[@monkeymule1286]

My table rescued Uruhito, and I ran face first into the asymmetry of the the system. Enemies can't hurt other enemies, the player facing architecture meant this old froggish sword father was outside the rules as written when it came to him joining the fight with the Butcher. I really like this game and the new things its trying, but it's missing some fundamental components and it lands in the tables lap, to get it to a workable state.

[@BarlowKeep]

Hey thanks for the comment! There is that exact same question on Crown&Skull discord, here is what people's ideas were: 1. Think of it as 2Dx damage 1 die per attrition bigger depending on atk value maybe? 2. Look at the equipment list and match what weapon the enemy has. Flat damage only to keep it simple. Id ignore fancy gear effects for NPC allies 3. Maybe treat as companion 4. Maybe create a quick attrition to damage die chart. Something like this: Basic = d4 Equipment = d6 Flesh = d8 Destroy = d10 Brutal = d12 This is what Henk himself said: we’ll, as written he’s really weak i’d just have the gm handle him or ask the dice.. etc I am guessing that means "just wing it on the fly". I would most likely use the method 4 and buff/nerf accordingly...I would still use his tactics as they offload some thinking on my side, and whenever i am not sure about something i would roll yes/no rolls to generate outcomes. I know this is more on the "rulings and not rules" side of gaming and it seems to totally undermine tactics ...and we'll i hear ya. But i think that it brings out much more emergent gameplay and improv :) I don't know if you follow Runehammer closely...and it is never stated in the book but I get the vibe that we should be interpreting these rules as "a collection of core ideas" somewhat more than a fleshed out system. It is full of holes for DMs to fill with their own ideas...you might be repealed by this, and if so there is always the "best of both worlds" where you get a different, more complete system and add some of the C&S concepts to it. Then again...this is Volume I of 5 so these holes might even be "patched out".

[@DrBrille]

On page 326 there’s an interesting bit about Build-to-miniature. Could you maybe demonstrate that? Like, creating a character from a miniature or toy knight or whatever. Just an idea for another video 😉 I really like your videos 😊

[@BarlowKeep]

Interesting idea! Thanks! I skimmed over that page and didn't see it as a video idea...but now that you mentioned it, i am getting a couple more ideas around it pop into my head. Expect something along those lines in the next couple of weeks :)

[@DrBrille]

I tried to use the method on some Lego. Warning: no production value 😂 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHKneWBubq16iZIfeature=shared

[@BarlowKeep]

@@DrBrille hahaha nice, I thought about using lego as well! I spent the last week torturing my brain to come up with something vid worthy around your proposal... and I think I have it...stay tuned 👀

[@DrBrille]

Looking forward to it 😊

[@Finniganmydog]

I have been following and support Runrhammer for 8 years and I have Crown and Skull. However, I am unable to see past the mechanic if only getting gear via character points and not via game play. This breaks verisimilitude for me and means I will never play this game.

[@BarlowKeep]

Understandable, that is what got some of my PCs to reject the game altogether...but I think it can be homebrewed to a satisfying level...then again there are other cool ideas here that could be used as just "plugins" for other games.

[@DrBrille]

Where can I see your Kult content?

[@BarlowKeep]

I don't have any on the channel at the moment. I wanted to do it, especially talking about the ways to build up tension and maybe demonstrate how i do it. There are also the prep tips, some interesting mechanics, and all that...but at the end i figured that it is too explicit for youtube. I still really want to talk about it but in a way that isn't going to get me shadow banned by the algo.

[@DrBrille]

@@BarlowKeep One of the questions I always ask myself is: what kind of adventure is Kult for? So a video about prep would be very interesting. The whole thing about creating adventures around the characters using their dark secrets kinda puzzles me, although I love the idea! The Kult Tarot cards would make it even more interesting I think - given that you already made videos about tarot and other cards. Although, I do understand your concerns about being banned from the KZbins ;)

[@BarlowKeep]

Hmmm you are giving me some great ideas! For next week, I already have a short vid prerecorded and I'm gonna post that cuz next week will be wild with the amount of stuff i have to do "in the real world" But after that I'll surely use some of these. Thank you so much for helping me build this community!

[@jimmybrook7119]

How long was character creation?

[@BarlowKeep]

It took us around 30 min - 45 min using the Character creation website. They knew nothing about the game, it was before I'd made these videos...so they wanted to go over everything. i think PCs that are acquainted with the game can make a fully custom character in about 20 mins. Using a template from the book you can get this down even further. Beware, if you are using the online character creator on a smartphone...DO NOT press the back button on the phone (use the one on the website) or it will delete your progress.

[@jeanMvang]

​@@BarlowKeepthis happened to me multiple times lol