Iâve been out of town for an event this weekend, but got to catch the last three hours of Impulseâs GIGGS D&D stream on the drive home! So hereâs some initial thoughts:
BEARD HILARIOUS
10/10 commitment to the bit
Pix is a phenomenal DM. Writing, narration, story-crafting, guiding the players without being overbearing, managing the interface, acting as the NPCs, the passion in his voice in every single momentâclass act the whole way through. Incredible work on his part.
Scar staying in character even when he doesnât need to be in character is so very Scar.
Gem being the only sane woman of the group is also very Gem.
Max is so punchable. Grian is doing a great job.
Of COURSE Impulseâs character left home in search of technology. Impy is just playing himself.
(Also Scar snickering through Impulseâs intro of âIâM BROGHINI DUDESTONEâ is the cutest thing I love them)
First die roll of the campaign: Maxâs backflip. Could not be more fitting given what happened at the end of Session Zero.
Bro Dude nailing the backflip when Max flubbed it is HYSTERICAL
Iâm so glad the dice gods smiled upon that one
Bro and Ruby liking each other immediately is adorable and so very in character for Impulse and Gem. The dad and favorite daughter will find each other in every universe.
Grian calling Mr. Wizard by a different random name every time is very funny
This just in: Ruby smells like feet
The first hour of roleplay is a little awkward and cringy as they try to feel out their characters and find the balance between goofiness and story progression, but I mean my first campaign was the same way so I get it
Had to go back and watch the âtraining sessionâ after stream ended and honestly Iâm glad I missed it the first time. The secondhand embarrassment is real. As a fellow chronic low-roller I feel the pain but GAH.
The goblin fight is fabulous (and with the benefit of hindsight I cannot BELIEVE how much foreshadowing there was in that encounter)
Bro Dude putting himself forward to protect his new friends, Ruby turning around to save Redmond, Max directing Mr. Wizard to help Redmond because âdonât worry about me I can handle myselfââmmm delicious
Also totally normal about the fact that Impulseâs character was the only one to take damage and had to take shelter behind the bar after being wounded. Definitely not having whumpy thoughts about that.
Also Scar constantly asking advice from the magical voice who whispers in his ear (Pix) is very funny
I didnât realize until I went back and watched the start of the stream that Bro and Mr. Wizard had known each other for approximately fifteen minutes at that point. The whole âah here you go Wizzyâ and throwing him a bottle across the bar made me think theyâd been old friends for years. The dad and favorite son will ALSO find each other in every universe.
Also Mr. Wizard calling Broghini âBrosephâ is my favorite
Pix taking this opportunity to demonstrate how a Short Rest works is genius
Bro Dude being perfectly happy on a cushion because âIâm close to the ground anyway, doesnât take muchâ is the most adorably charming of things
Pixâs narration continues to shine, the man can paint a PICTURE with his voice alone, my word
The gang starting to get the hang of the roleplay as they go off into the woods!
Impulse being the leader of the group for a bit is very cute, and his explanation of âyeah I can feel the earth underneath me guiding the wayâ was a brilliant little bit of improv
Also the brief attempt at a Scottish accent was very cute
Love love love Pixâs inspiration mechanic and using it to reward good roleplay decisions. Excellent way to incentivize players into making a story out of their encounters rather than just trying to hit things really hard.
Iâm honestly kinda glad Pix let the bear get away, even though it meant Impulse missed out on this encounter
Max continues to be the most annoying and also the most charming all at once
âBWAUGH GET OUTTA MY HEADâ
âAre you from Cardiff??â
Owen Finrod. Owen Finrod. OWEN FINROD. Pix you are aware that thatâs like calling someone Joe Legolas right.
As soon as Joe Legolas expressed concern about the Boar Moss I was like âOop. I know what the twist is.â
âOwen.â âAye.â âDo you want to see a backflip??â
Pixâs snuffling and snorting noises are almost uncannily good
âWe should be sneaky.â âI pull out my bagpipes.â
On one hand, Iâm glad that there are some braincells in this gang and Ruby was being nice and stealthy and scouting ahead. On the other hand, Iâm also glad that this campaign runs on âalways pick the funniest option possibleâ and let Max thoroughly ruin it.
âIâm leaning into the anti-rizz that is my characterâ is actually a brilliant acting choice on Grianâs part. Yes, it makes his character annoying, but it provokes fun interactions out of the other players, rather than just letting them take a back seat and move from one combat encounter to another without roleplay or storycrafting. As always, Grian knows how to bring out the best in his friends by being an obnoxious gremlin, and the world is better for it.
âI see DINNER!â âI see an idiot.â
This just in: Ruby flipping a âvulgar symbol with my handâ at Max is the only thing that gets him to stop playing the bagpipes. Sibling energy.
The boar encounter is also fabulous. First boar felled by two arrows from Ruby and Bro. Impulseâs character stepping in front of his friends and getting wounded again (heehee). Mr. Wizard defending Bro with a well-placed Magic Missile. Max healing Broâs wounds with âa little neck rubâ. And Bro cutting the Twig Blight down in one fell swoop.
âI just missed a golden opportunity to give you neck kisses.â âMaybe next time. There will be more opportunities for Cure Wounds.â âCanât wait.â Impulse shjdjgghsj
True to form, the party spent so much time arguing about the dead boars and razzing Scar for âKing Great the Legendâ and nominal determinism that it actually caught me off guard when we got back to the plot and started arguing about the moss instead
Mr. Wizard getting a divine lightning bolt of inspiration to perceive the true nature of the moss is a fantastic bit of story; the idiot character finally proving to be the one with the key to the entire mystery is just great storytelling and I love it when the dice do that
And the way the party then puts it all togetherâRuby remembering the goblins that werenât goblins, Bro realizing that they showed up mysteriously while they were out training, Max speculating about the cellarâall of them bonding over putting other this perfectly formulated mystery
Only to be broken with the slap upside the face of âDOES ANYBODY WANT TO EAT THE MOSSâ
Cannot. Express. Enough. How much I love Max putting the moss on his tongue. Totally understand why Pix gave Grian a point of inspiration for that one. Actually the funniest possible option and it worked beautifully for the story.
âCould shove it up the boar.â Impulse my gosh if Skizz was here youâd give him a headache
Trick question: How many knuckleheads does it take to break down a door?
Max stealing Rubyâs idea and acting like he came up with it himself after his own idea didnât work is very annoying and therefore very good character work
Ruby getting her time in the limelight to pick locks and vault walls and see in the dark
Impulseâs quiet âgood job Rubyâ I hjshdjkgh
Love love love the tension before the final encounter. I know exactly what that feels likeâcreeping forward, tense as all get-out, almost forgetting youâre playing a game because youâre both looking forward to and dreading what youâre about to find. And the reveal is just *chefâs kiss*
(Also Mr. Wizard turning Max into a light source is very funny)
âI PULL OUT MY BAGPIPESââ
Impulse having âother choice wordsâ to describe Marchessa ROFL
Impulseâs character once again the first one to get hurt heeheehee
âMax, get those neck kisses readyâŚâ âIâm puckering up!â
Bro missing his first swing at Marchessa, but taking a huge chunk out of her leg as she retreats
Everybodyâs laughter as they realize Grian is considering using Create and Destroy Water on the barrel of badness
I felt like I was watching a sports game as I listened to Grian deliberating what to do and literally pumped my fist in the air when he chose to use Bless.
For two reasons: One, mechanically, itâs the smartest choice to help his teammates win the climactic battle of the campaign.
Two: I love role reversals. I love it when the annoying, selfish, idiot character does the right thing when itâs right down to the wire. Max is self-centered and foolish at every other time, but when it really matters, he prioritizes the well-being of his teammates over revenge and even his own glory. Thatâs good character work. Thatâs tasty stuff right there.
May or may not have giggled like a schoolgirl and, had I not been driving, would have kicked my feet at Impulseâs description of the brutal way he finished Marchessa off. Like okay sir. Go off.
Word of the day is âschlorpingâ
Just saying, btw, the fact that the Grey Ooze made from Broghiniâs blood was so powerful is a pretty good indication of Broâs strength. Itâs sort of a weird compliment, if you think about it.
Honestly, I feel bad for Redmond. Iâve got a soft spot for the characters who were manipulated and coerced into doing evil things. Poor dude was nothing but a tool, and he wakes up and has to face the reality of the lie heâs been a part of for years.
Max like âgive me one good reason I shouldnât have the dwarf cut your head off right nowâ and Redmond like âhonestly I deserve worseâ and Bro like âas much as I like swinging my axe I think weâll let him liveâ đĽş
God bless the GIGGS not being murder hobos and actually having some mercy and kindness despite their rough edges
âRedmond, would you like some boar?â
The stunned and humbled and grateful and cautiously hopeful tone that Pix puts into Redmondâs voice in response to that line oh my GOSH
âLetâs help him up the stairs.â âYeah. Come on, Redmond.â Gem and Impulse you sweethearts
No spoilers for the final scene, but letâs just say that Pix is a fabulous storyteller in every way.
AND GRIANâS NAT 20 ON THE FINAL BACKFLIP!!!
Overall, very very fun. A cozy romp. Loved hearing GIGGS take their wobbling baby steps into D&D for the first time and then finding their footing and going full-send. Iâm already getting attached to this squad of morons with the stupidest names ever, and thatâs an excellent sign. Hereâs hoping we get more from this group in the future (and maybe a certain Skizzy)!!
