I got to play Humblewood last night!
Gabriel ran it way back in the day (see his review), but this was my first exposure. Our good friend Josh ran it for his usual table and, after hearing me bellyache about it at length, an invitation for yours truly was secured.
It was a great experience! I’ve been playing so many RPGs lately, but almost always with my wife, Gabriel, and our friends. Other than Josh, I didn’t know anyone at the table. Add that it was my first time playing Humblewood, and it was a very different experience than a lot of the gaming I’ve been doing lately. Here are some of my takeaways.
Familiarity is King
Humblewood is genius, and I think a lot of it boils down to two things.
- It runs off 5e. You already know how to play.
- All the fantasy species are anthropomorphized animals (think Redwall). You already understand the dynamics of the fantasy world. You already understand your character on a level that would require acres of reading homework.
That familiarity allows Humblewood to feel immediately accessible. It’s like tuning into a favourite show, even as a first timer.
As we tighten the screws on the Blood Prairie ashcan version, I think this is a good thing to keep in mind. I want people to feel like they already know the game and the world. I think we’re most of the way there on that; if you want to see the ashcan version, comment below. You can let me know how you think we did.
Play Big
Sometimes when I join a new group, I’m tempted to keep a low profile. I never have as much fun as when I go big!
PCs (like Players) aren’t around forever. You might as well take them to their limits. The worst thing that can happen is you find a way you don’t want to play them. The more you kick those tires, the sooner you’ll have an idea of who your character is. And the more the people at the table understand your character, the more they’ll be able to play off it.
Sometimes it’s easy to think being small is the same as being selfless. Don’t do that! Give as much of yourself as you can; any table worth playing at will give you twice that much back. That was my Humblewood experience. I played a Roosterman (Gallus) Barbarian, so I went in cocky, crazy, and with the bloody-minded attitude one usually finds only in reptiles and poultry.
So play those characters big. That’s the only way they grow.
Thanks for reading these rambles! If you enjoyed the player advice, check out our DM Tips. If you’re more into reviews, these Mothership Micro-reviews may be of interest. If your real passion is supporting indie TTRPG creators, bless you! May you roll many twenties! Stop by the ol’ adventure store, and follow your heart; may I recommend Drawn from the Margins?