Mick Hand

Ancient role-player of many systems, styles and genres. Playing games keeps me older than I feel even if I’m younger than I look :)

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

I'm happy to announce that my Solo and Co-operative/GM-less RPG is ready for a public playtest.
You can read all about it at https://t.co/1p7KqA8RQk
It is now fully-playable and has had months of private playtesting, mostly be me and a few victims (I mean friends).

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

I've been posting detailed Actual Play examples too showing how to use the Framework for Solo play of D&D5E, with a solitary character. The First 6 sessions are available, telling the story of my Half-Elf Sorceress - Zephyr.

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

I've recently written my own Framework for playing Solo or Co-op RPGs. It's FREE and it's called Augmented Imagination.
You can find it all at https://t.co/7BMY7lRhQU (did I mention it's FREE). There's a page with buttons for all the Oracles so you don't have to flick pages.

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 31 The best rewards in most Fantasy RPGs are magic items and XP but there are alternatives… Gold (if there is something worth buying). Public renown. A Title (Knight of the Realm). Gaining an influential Ally. A Boon/Favour. A Map/Rumour to an exciting location.

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 30 Dragonbane, Coriolis & Vaesen ask EXPERIENCE questions at each session. Did you use your character’s Flaw? Did you show some aspect of their background? Etc. These nudge players into RP. Done wrong it would just be “Did I mention I was raised by wolves”

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 29 CONNECT In Brindlewood Bay players connect the clues to provide a wrap-up to the plot. The more clues the harder it is to explain and it’s a team effort to put forward a decent explanation. The GM doesn’t have any definitive solution so it becomes very creative.

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 28 SUSPENSE. 1st level characters fighting a Troll (turn to stone if in direct sunlight at the end of its turn). They kept stealing its blanket, so it had to recover it rather than use its action to hit them. Sun started to go down (1 in 6) and the suspense went up

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

There are games where Theatre of the Mind combat is enjoyable, with Zones like Modiphius’ Dune or Fate Accelerated. Both types are enjoyable but switch the game from one type of player skill (experience & detail) to another (narrative). Both still rely on imagination & creativity

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 27 TACTIC I mostly like RPGs with tactical combat. I particularly enjoy grids in D&D. I understand enough to make choices and take calculated risks. I’m not so keen on Theatre of the Mind for games where abilities focus on range and area of effect or move rates.

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 26 In my mind a NEMESIS has to survive a few adventures (hard to do fairly in RPG). Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes stories is an example and mostly survives by never being in the same location as the hero, or only there when it is socially impossible for the hero to act

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 25 As a GM I try to CHALLENGE the characters (and the Players) in various ways. Perhaps some monster that’s way too tough for a simple fight? Perhaps some situation with the added complexity of a moral dilemma? Perhaps negotiation with a hated rival is an option?

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 24 REVEAL I like an adventure with a slow reveal of the explanation or the “big bad”. Perhaps apparently unrelated encounters with goblins and rat-men and then a band of assassins, to eventually learn they are all controlled by a Mind Flayer or a Beholder or Cthulhu

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 23 RECENT New game, CORIOLIS seems like months of fun. Small ship (Firefly) on a much larger vessel that undergoes massive malfunction. Our ship & equipment is in a distant cargo hold. Wake from cryosleep and need to escape before it falls into the sun. Great start!

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 22 ALLY A new group of RPG characters begin as allies against the monsters. It doesn’t take long for the characters to become friends and then the players. Even online, different nationalities/ages, united by their struggles and triumphs even though it’s “not real”

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 21 UNEXPECTED When we knew we were about to face a Red Dragon, we drank potions of fire resistance, cast spells for temp HP, ate a heroes feast to avoid being frightened and we slaughtered the poor thing. Same monster as an unexpected random encounter…

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 20 In RPGs, the moment when one of the heroes first ENTERs a new room, before you know what’s there, is one of high engagement from the group. Sometimes you guess what’s coming, other times you might step on a pit, trigger an alarm or a glyph that summons a demon

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 19 DESTINY was one of the Angels in Captain Scarlet. It would make a good setting for an RPG with players as agents of Spectrum. It could be an action/sci-fi/horror mix with the sinister Mysterons murdering and replacing people to enact their revenge on Earth. SiG!

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 18 SIGNs & Portents was the in-house magazine for Mongoose, starting in 2003. d20 Conan, Judge Dredd, Babylon 5, OGL and expansions for D&D. Adventures, art, classes, articles on wider gaming topics, it was easily as worth reading as the better-known Dragon magazine

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 17 RENEW In Tales of Argosa PCs renew limited uses of abilities after a brief rest they make a couple of Will Saves and each success lets them Restore half lost HP or Regain a Use or (on a Great Success) Restore a lost Attribute Point. Makes for a meaningful choice.

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 16 https://t.co/p7AtppDDnj has OVERCOME, Create Advantage, Attack & Defend. 4 Actions cope with everything. Overcome handles Pick Locks, Persuade, Resist... The main challenge is new players always want to do a bit of damage to a foe AND trip them at the same time!

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

I was protected by Nondetection to pretend to be the Emissary of Orcus, but wanted to trick the demons into thinking the (honourable) Paladin was under my control. When they scanned him, he was! Also, talked him playing along rather than launching a suicidal crusade

[Mick Hand @hand_mick]

#RPGaDay2025 15 My sorcerer had to DECEIVE another PC (a Paladin), tricking them into accepting a spell (spiderclimb) so willingly fail the save. A note to the GM it was actually Charm Person! We were in the Demonweb Pits, approaching a meeting with a lot of powerful Demons