Ask Me Anything: McButterpants

That's Frank Frazetta's Gollum in your avatar.
Are you a bigger Frazetta or Tolkien fan?

(and were FF's renditions of Middle Earth the closest to your imagination, after reading the books?
What fantasy artist do you think got closer to JRRT worlds? )

What do you think of The Black Hack so far, especially compared to something like 5e? =]

What's the deal with Scotch? Explain it to me like I have no idea (because I don't).
Why do you like it? What makes it different from other liquor? Why is it so expensive?

Who is your favorite ttrpg medi personality (youtuber, Podcaster, or whatever)?

Also, what's a system your really enjoyed reading but feel "Yeah, no I'd never play that..."

1. What's the story behind your username?
2. What's your worst RPG experience? The best?
3. Who was your favorite character you've played?

4. Who was your favorite character someone else played in a game you were in?

Do you have a favourite kind of horror fiction when it comes to books and who are your favourite authors?

More Frazetta and Conan than Tolkien. I came across Frazetta when I was young. I remember being blown away. He did an amazing job of capturing movement in his work. Also, it was mostly swords & wizardry. It was how I pictured the world of Conan. I loved it. I had another Frazetta work as my previous avatar (Dark Kingdom).

I grew up around the time where jacked up vans had art like this splashed across the back panels. I remember wanting one of those vans with a Frazetta on the side.

I enjoy Tolkien, but the darker sections of the book. I haven't read the books in a while, but i was listening to the Hobbit on audiobook recently. I stopped to do some other things and have to get back to it.

My absolute favorite part of TBH is roll under your stat. It makes so much sense. In 5e, and many other games, you roll your stats at the start of the game, then never use them again. I love that a PC uses those stats to roll against and then works to improve them as the game progresses. I think it's a great system, especially for PbP.

I do like a bit more crunch, though. Not 5e crunch. I'm am not a min-max kinda player, so complex builds are not my thing. I still need more time with TBH to test out other sections. I'm curious how leveling will work out. The idea of carousing to build out your PC sounds really cool. I'm curious how it works in play.

Oh, man, those vans were awesome! Big mag wheels, airbrushed paint job, porthole window in the rear, shag carpeting on every surface, racing stripes... They were the epitome of cool back in the mid-late 70s & early 80s.

Coolest one I saw had a wizard casting a tiger-shaped lightning bolt on one side sweeping into a sword-swinging barbarian on the other side. The second coolest I remember seeing was a Land of the Lost themed van with Marshall, Will and Holly in a yellow raft on one side, Sleestak and Grumpy the T-Rex on the other.

Such a lost era of vehicular self-expression...

Ah, Scotch. Scotitty, Scotch, Scotch, Scotch. It's a silly hobby. I used to drink beer and wine. I still do, but those are more social drinks. One day, I went with some friends to a Scotch tasting at a local liquor store. They had bottles from all over Scotland and the world. I just liked the flavor.

Scotch is a sipping drink. You pour a finger or two in a glencairne glass, neat, inhale and sip. It should be enjoyed over time. Ignore TV and movies where they slam a huge mouthful. My goodness! That's gross, and it's a waste. You have to enjoy it. If the flavor is too intense, you can use iced rocks to adjust. If it's too strong, you can add a teaspoon of water. I prefer to sip slowly and roll it around on the tongue to enjoy all the flavors.

I'm not an expert. I can't really identify flavors. But, I do like a complex drink. My favorite is Lagavulin 16. My wife thinks it's rancid stuff, but I really enjoy it. Hints of burnt rubber and iodine with a peppermint finish. I know, I'm really selling you on the stuff. Right now (well, not right this minute 'cause I'm working) I'm enjoying a bottle on 12 year old Bunnahabhain. It cost about $67, which is a pretty decent price. Very complex flavors. Great drink for the price.

Why is it different? Two reasons. First, Islay Scotch burns peat to get the smoky flavor. It adds the complexity. Without peat, Scotch tastes the same as any other whiskey. Second, you usually have a long aging process. The flavor mellows with age. I typically buy no younger than 12 years (it's stored in old wine barrels for 12 years). I would buy older if it's on sale. I typically spend $50 - 80 a bottle. I don't like paying more. That's about $4 or $5 a shot. It's like having a Starbucks.

Anyways. I spoke way too long on the subject. I should note that I only have one dram per night, and not every night. DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

Thanks for the run-down. I've always wondered about Scotch but never knew anyone who drank it to ask. Like most people, I've seen it on TV and in movies but never really had a chance to experience it IRL.

I tend to avoid alcohol bc I lack the gene to process it very well so I'm both a lightweight and the hangovers hit me like a hammer.

Very interesting about the scotch. There was just one field between my school and the Jameson distillery in Ireland and the scent of it was always in the air. Yeah I know whisky isn't scotch though.

I can relate to a dislike of cold weather. I also live in a place where the winters are snowy and cold and I don't like it.

My favorite right now is Seth Skorkowsky on YouTube. He has an easy going approach to his videos. He tends to be very positive, only reviews games he's actually played, and gives solid advice. If you want more Seth, he also does a great show with Jon Hook called Modern Mythos - largely Call of Cthulhu related.
This is a tough question. I don't have a tonne of experience with systems. I've been pretty happy with most of the games I've read so far. I feel like I want to give everything a shot. I have found that there is a big difference between reading and playing. Some things sound horrible, but work out really nicely at the table (and vice-versa). I guess if I were to pick something I've played it would be Harnmaster. It's probably too much crunch for me.

1. I am easily amused, especially by toilet humor. Someone farting, burping or retching in a movie or TV show will have me in tears. I know ... I'm weird. King of Queens had a show titled Fatty McButterpants. I changed it to Farty. It still makes me giggle.
2. Worst experience - running Rime of the Frostmaiden. The players ended the session outside of Sunblight tower. They all agreed that they were going to search the location at the next game. I prepped all three floors only to have them turn around in the first 5 minutes of the next session and head to a different location. Best experience - Curse of Strahd at Argynvostholt. The team figured out . Everyone was very happy, including me.
3. Favorite Character - I don't have a lot of experience with her yet, but I'm playing Zindra in my Temple of Elemental solo game. She's a young, petite Ranger. I envision her as innocent and quiet, but tough as nails. She's somewhere in between a young girl and a skilled huntress. It's been fun to explore her character. Unfortunately, she just got kidnapped, so she's out of the mix for a bit, but she'll definitely be back.

Ah! I love Seth Skorkowsky! I'm working Scott Brown into my in person Interface 0 session this week lol.

Thanks for answering!

One player had a human barbarian. He had a pretty elaborate backstory. It was odd, but we managed to fit it into the game. Jaer, the Barbarian, was born in Chult (a tropical island in Faerun), but ended up in the frozen north of Icewind Dale. We ended up having a side quest to deal with Jaer's mother and find out what happened to her brother. I don't think I lived up to the players expectations, but he was happy enough. It was such an interesting story that I wanted to explore it more. Maybe I'll steal parts of Jaer for a PC in a future game.

I wish I could find more. I am always looking for great horror stories and movies. I've read a lot of Steven King, of course. His older short stories tend to be better, but 'It' was one of my favorites. I've read some Koontz and Clive Barker. Horror novels are like horror movies - you have to sit through a fair number of bad stories before you find a gem. My preference is psychological horror vs physical horror.

Hahaha! I figured you were going to laugh at me for saying I liked those vans. I remember drawing pictures of vans with big fat wheels in the back and crazy scenes on the side. I don't think I've ever seen one of those vans in real life, just pictures and TV.

It was -13C and snowy today. I think we've had about a foot of snow so far. Ugh, I hate it.

Thank you very much for taking an interest! I downloaded the Scott Brown incident to listen again. I remember it was funny, but don't remember the specifics.

One of my favorite episodes - How the Beholder was Invented (https://youtu.be/H6EUjfRTOyo)

You and I need to have a conversation on this subject. Sadly it won’t be over a dram or two, but I’ll message you on Discord.

Ummm are you on Discord?

On the subject of van art, saw this today

Assuming you went, how was Intrigue Con? And do you ever go to game nights at the local hobby stores?

I did go to Intrigue Con. It was great! I played DCC on Saturday morning, Alien Saturday afternoon and Forbidden Lands on Sunday morning. It was nice to meet other local players. I was invited to join one group, but they haven't called yet. 😔 The Con runs every spring and fall, so I'll be back next year.

Are you attending the RPG Alliance Con in November? It's online for the first two nights, but in-person in Calgary on Sunday. I wasnt planning to drive down for just the one day. Also, there's BSer Con in January (online also).

I have run a couple of one-shots of Call of Cthulu at a local Gaming Cafe. I will probably run more, but I don't really like one shots. I feel pressure to railroad the group so we can get it done in one night. I might try again, but I don't run 5e so there is a lot less interest.

I haven't decided about RPG Alliance Con. I've been twice, and it's great. Excellent people, great industry support and donated prizes, and the venue Dickens Pub has this hangover burger that's amazing.

I also am a fan on of horror and would be happy to swap recommendations.

What's a mechanic in a ttrpg that emulates horror in some way, and that works well?

If Connor McDavid ran for mayor of Edmonton, could anyone actually run against him and have a chance at winning?

I wonder if we can get a Discord channel to post recommendations? I'm happy to share books that I like. I just listened to Haunting of Hill House. I loved the story, but needed more actual horror. The TV show did a better job of adding the scare factor.
Horror is all about tension. The fear that something bad is going to happen, or the horror of going through a terrible experience. I'm trying to think of situations where the dice pulled that out.

I like that CoC and Delta Green have Sanity, which adds a second way for your PC to "die". You now have to watch over two aspects of your health to keep your PC payable.

A fragile characters is a must. It's hard to be scared if you have a superhero. You can still do it, but the horror is not your PC experiencing the horror, but those around them experiencing it and your PC unable to do anything about it. DG uses Bonds for this. Maybe you don't die or go insane, but you drive everyone you love away - great stuff.
Probably not. Edmonton is definitely a hockey town. I'm one of the odd people that don't watch hockey. I enjoy the game, but it's a big time commitment. I hope he gets a cup one day. Someone that good should reach that goal at least once.

We do have channels for books, TV shows, movies and all kinds of stuff on the GP discord server. That would be a great location to have those conversations, I think

My error. I must have muted it. Thanks!!