                
Advice on Having Fun and being Successful in your endeavors
Most new NERO players are not new to gaming but are new to live role-playing. The two
are similar but with one major difference: In a live role-playing game, you must take the
initiative to be successful.
In a tabletop game with a game master guiding you, you usually are given options. The
game begins when the game master starts the adventure. If things slow down or the players
can't figure out what to do, the game master will throw in clues or a fight or something to
keep things interesting. And the game master is always there to make sure the players
aren't bored. In NERO, there is no game master. You have to find the adventure yourself. If
you can't figure out what to do, no one is going to come along and whisper clues in your
ear. Just like in real life, if you get involved and take an initiative, you will go much
farther than if you just sit around and wonder why nothing interesting ever happens to
you.
Believe us, there is plenty to do on a NERO weekend, and a lot of fun out there just
waiting for you - but you must find it!
Above all, remember that this is acting where the audience is also the cast; the more
everyone puts into it, the more fun there is. For some people, this means finding a group
of staunch allies to hang out with in the hope of becoming rich and famous; for others, it
means becoming the best individual in town at something so others will seek you out.
Imagination is the magic behind it all, and it's one of the many things that gets stronger
with use.
Now then, some generalized advice about how you can get the most out of NERO:
Create a believable character with an extensive background
Unfortunately, many NERO players have very sparse character histories that look
something like this: "I'm the bastard son/daughter of Baron So-and-So and I want to
regain the land/item/title that is rightfully mine." Period. (Amazingly, a large
percentage of the player population is made up of bastard sons and daughters of some noble
somewhere. There must be an unbelievable amount of hanky panky going on.)
A detailed character history is very important for getting the most out of your NERO
game. If you wish for the Plot Committee to throw things your way, be sure to put in
something they can use. Go ahead, put in that long lost brother, old enemy, biggest fear,
or greatest goal. And be sure to give us their names - otherwise, how will you know we're
sending out your arch-enemy if you don't even know what his/her/its name is?
A detailed history which names nothing for Plot to sink its teeth into is good for your
own role-playing purposes but will not give you any personal unexpected twists.
Further, sometimes the Plot Committee has a plot that they want to throw at the players
and they need a few good "targets." They will often go through character
histories and find interesting ones and then "reward" the players with (ahem)
some fun.
What it boils down to is this: If you want to advance and get the most you possibly can
out of NERO, you absolutely have to submit a character history!
Once written, your character history should be submitted to the local Plot Committee.
This should be your true history, and it may even contain information that you the player
may know but your character does not!
You should also prepare a version of your character history that your character would
tell others. (Obviously, the story you tell might be full of lies; you may not want the
truth to be known by everyone.) It should be presented to listeners in character at a NERO
event. You can write it out if your character can read and write.
You might also want to go to the Astrologers' Guild and have a chart cast for your
character. In order to do this, they will need to know the date, place, and time of your
character's birth (if known).
If you are unsure what kind of character you want to be, you might try the next option:
Be a monster or ten!
No amount of advice can guarantee that your first try as a PC will end you up with
exactly what you want. Try being an NPC to learn more about the game first. If you NPC,
you might end up as a zombie janitor, a sorcerer's apprentice, a bodyguard to a noble
mage, a death rogue, a winemaker, a veterinarian, an ogre, a mercenary spy, a spider, or
even a statue. You can't be a zombie or a spider PC but every role you play will give you
experience in spellcasting, fighting, disarming and setting traps, or solid generic
role-playing.
Now you go to your first big weekend event as your character. What to do?
Set reasonable goals for your character
Some new players come into the game imagining themselves as Conan the Invincible,
beating down all the evil monsters, becoming the toast of the town, and winning the
affections of commoner and noble alike. Others think they will be the world's greatest
assassin, sneaking through the woods, stealing from everyone, and becoming rich and
powerful. When due to their lack of experience they fail to accomplish these things in
their first weekend, these players then get upset. "This isn't any fun!" they
think. In order to get power in NERO, you have to be patient. No one starts off the game
as a nobody and ends up three days later being appointed a knight or becoming the head of
the thieves' guild. It doesn't work that way.
The NERO game gives every character the potential to make a name for themselves. It is
not a guarantee. You have to start off small and earn your rewards. All those powerful
characters you see in the game started off the same way you did.
You can get a lot of gratification from playing NERO as long as you set reasonable
expectations from the start. Vow to pass all tests to become a member of a guild. Aim to
impress someone important and be hired as part of his or her entourage. Start an
adventuring group and make a name for yourself through your costumes and role-playing
skills. Strive to put together all of the pieces of the weekend plot and impress the
nobles with the information you have gathered. Make sure that your character knows the
consequences of your actions first. Find out what you can and cannot get away with, or
you're liable to run afoul of the local laws or step on the wrong toes. If you just walk
on in and start your own Thieves' Guild, it's certainly not going to make the current
Guild very happy with you.
Most importantly, have the right attitude when doing these things. Introducing yourself
as "the greatest fighter on the planet" or otherwise pumping up your ego will
only alienate others, make enemies, and hurt you badly in the long run. Be humble and
prove yourself through your actions. . .and then when you are powerful and mighty later,
you can honestly brag about your skills.
Learn the local food chain
Probably the most embarrassing way to get into deep trouble is to insult, attack, or
trust the wrong person. If you're new in town, act like a tourist. Stay at the fringes of
things until you have a feel for who the important people are and who you want to collect
as friends and allies.
Find a mentor. There are many veteran players who are willing to advise new players,
from telling them how to avoid being poisoned to telling them where to go for training in
various skills. You can often tell who these people are by the large number of people they
greet and are greeted by as they wander through town. Anybody who does not look foul
tempered or Terribly Important is usually willing to answer questions about the latest
gossip, grudges and adventures. A good place to start would be to check out the local
guilds.
Don't be afraid to ask questions! Most people are willing to answer. There is a common
misconception that all the nobility want nothing to do with the new folk in town, but you
may be surprised at how well you are received. Everyone is always looking for new allies
and sources of information, and if they are too busy to help, they just might recommend
someone who can. In general, you should make powerful friends. They will be useful.
Look for adventure
Adventures rarely just come up and bite you on the nose (although goblins may do so).
There are no neon signs saying "Adventure Here!" You have to look for them.
Some are easier to find than others. If you hang around the tavern a lot, sooner or
later someone might come in looking for mercenaries to help on a quest. Joining a guild,
the Royal Army, the Town Guard, or a noble team is a good way to immediately get involved
in lots of interesting plots.
Another way to find adventures is to walk through the woods. Monsters are known to camp
out in the woods, and often you can even find hidden caves worth exploring or other
strange goings-on. Don't just hang around town waiting for them to come to you!
Pay attention to rumors. Some chapters will even give you a sheet at check-in filled
with rumors. Others will have NPCs in the tavern whispering rumors. (Some have both.) The
rumors may say things about other players (gathered from their character histories), about
political intrigue, about monster abilities, or the local history. These rumors are not
all true! There may also be rumors about things happening at that event which could lead
to an adventure or perhaps even give you a clue as to how to get past a certain encounter
in a module.
For example, once a Rumor Sheet had the statement: "Wizard Glick has been seen
walking around town carrying a large sponge very protectively." A module that weekend
took place in Wizard Glick's home. In the module, a note found told the players that to
get through a certain door, they needed a "skeleton key." The sponge found in a
washroom in the module was the "key" needed (since a sponge is essentially a
skeleton). Players who remembered the rumor about how important the sponge was to Wizard
Glick had a head start in figuring out this puzzle, and realized that the sponge was more
than a mere atmospheric prop. (And yes, that was an extremely hard puzzle. No, they're not
usually that hard, but on the other hand, don't expect to be spoon-fed in NERO.)
Rumors on Rumor Sheets are also "split up" onto more than one sheet so that
no one person gets all the information. This requires you to role-play with other players
to find out what you need. For example, if we want you to learn that Cerik the vampire
lives in a cave on the edge of town and that a strange old hermit vampire hunter named
Phil has information about the cave's whereabouts, this information is going to be placed
in many different rumors spread out on many different Rumor Sheets. You will see
"There is a vampire living in a cave near town," "A crazed hermit lives in
the woods," "The hermit knows all about vampires," "The hermit's name
is Phil," "Cerik the Vampire hates Phil," and so on, each on a separate
Rumor Sheet. In order to find all the information you need to go on this particular
adventure, you will have to talk to as many people as you can to see what rumors they have
heard.
Other clues and rumors will be dropped into game in in-game ways, and will often be
aimed at new adventurers. NERO tries whenever possible to always have a few modules for
beginning players since the more experienced players already know how to get involved in
the NERO plot. NERO will drop these clues to allow new players to get involved, but all
too often these "clues" end up in the hands of experienced players anyway
because the new players do not seize the opportunity.
For example, one time the Plot Committee had a messenger deliver a treasure map to the
wrong group (on purpose) after first plowing through a second group and dying while in
their view. The second group looked up for a minute and then kept on walking. Despite the
Plot Committee's help, the inexperienced group handed over the adventure to an experienced
one instead of trying to do the adventure themselves.
Another time, an NPC came up to a group of players and began engaging them in a game of
cards. Meanwhile, a poor street waif (who was the real start to the adventure) literally
had to fall over the players to get their attention. Because the group was so distracted
by the card playing NPC, they paid no attention to the waif, who then found another group
to go on the adventure. Remember that anything and everything you experience may be
important!
Take the initiative; do it yourself! Only one person can make you a hero and that's
you. The more you know, the more you can get out of NERO. This leads us to the next point.
Get information
The person who first said "knowledge is power" wasn't kidding. Consider
information as a type of treasure to be obtained, for in NERO it is as valuable as gold.
It could make the difference between life and death. Characters have died in the past
because they didn't prepare well enough by asking the right people the right questions.
Be smart about it. Too often, new players walk up to the tavernkeeper or a guild leader
and say "Know of any adventure hereabouts?" - which if you think about it is a
pretty silly question. "There's adventure everywhere around here!" is the usual
answer. Instead, ask if they have any work they need done or if they know anyone who does.
Ask if anything unusual has been happening lately. Take a news item you have heard about
or a piece of gossip and start a conversation. Most importantly, offer something in
return. Nothing is free!
There are lots of people in-game who can give you all sorts of help. It is surprising
how infrequently people take advantage of information easily available. Often NPCs will be
given important plot clues but told not to give them out unless the players specifically
ask. Other times information will be "sold" by other NPCs. Even more
importantly, other players may have information that you need but you don't realize it
because you never talked to them about it. Be prepared to pay for important information,
either with money or with information of your own.
Along these same lines, don't hog the information you have! Unlike regular treasure,
you can give away information and still possess it. Not sharing information has hurt many
players. Often major plot events for the weekend require the putting together of clues
obtained in various modules, each obtained by different groups. Sometimes the groups think
that sharing the information means that they will not get to go on the penultimate module
they theorize will end the weekend event and so they don't talk to anyone about what they
discovered. Whenever that happens, the weekend plot goes unsolved, and everybody loses.
To reiterate: The best way to get lots of important information is to talk to everyone
you meet, especially if it is someone new. "Hail, fellow! What brings you to our fine
town?" is a good way to get the ball rolling. If it seems that the nobility seem to
be at the center of many plots, it is mostly because they actively greet every new person
they see and they find out everything that is going on around town. This also explains why
gypsies are usually also involved, being the outgoing folk they are.
Again, keep in mind that players can also start their own rumors. Some of these will
drive you nuts and others will save your life. There have been characters who were left
alone when they first came to town because they were rumored to be an agent of a very
powerful Lord who would take revenge if they were harmed. Other players let rumors spread
that they had no need to go about heavily armed or armored for unspecified reasons. In
both cases, the players started their own rumors and stayed alive because of them.
The more you know about the people and the world in which the game takes place, the
better you will be able to quickly understand what information is important and what
isn't. Read your in-game history and pay attention to any updates you may learn through
newsletters, Rumor Sheets, and in-game by talking to others.
Remember, everything you read or hear isn't necessarily true! There is no such thing as
an unbiased history. Like histories in the real world, our in-game histories have been
written by people with viewpoints which may skew perceptions of various events. Further,
there may be facts of which the writer is not aware. There are bound to be biases and
mistakes. Don't believe everything you read!
Keep notes of your adventures and the information you obtain in them; you never know,
they may be important some day. Players who keep notes are already step ahead each time a
new game begins. When Lola the dwarf comes to town, the smart player can check his or her
notes and know that Lola appeared in town a year and a half ago, was looking for her long
lost brother, had the key to the Mystic Orb, was the cause of the riots or 594, and had
the first line of a riddle that would lead to great wealth. Re member that in NERO, plots
do not start and end at an event but run constantly, and the player who has the
information can take advantage of it.
Get as much information as you can as often as possible. The largest cause of boredom
among new players is not assuming that everything they see and hear is potentially
important. (Remember the story of the card player and the waif!) Curiosity may have killed
the cat, but it also got her involved in lots of adventures along the way!
Don't assume everyone is your enemy
Be suspicious and careful, yes, but realize that sometimes more can be accomplished
through cooperation. Often groups have failed because they distrusted everyone.
Here's an example: A group of adventurers found a deaf girl tied up and being held
hostage by goblins. They killed the goblins, and then took the girl along but refused to
untie her. As it turned out, she was the only one who could get through a magical barrier
that caused great damage due to sound. Because the group treated her so badly, she refused
to help and the group could not complete its quest. Remember, if you screw up, no one is
going to come along and make things all better. You lost, and later, another group that
won't screw up will take the treasure and the credit. You'll just have to do better next
time.
Sometimes in modules key encounters are placed at a crossroads. If you treat the NPC at
the encounter unfairly, then the NPC may tell you the wrong path to take or may not tell
you the information you need.
Use common sense here! Not every evil thing should (or can) be killed outright.
Sometimes a powerful being is sent into town merely to frighten you. Maybe it is there to
provide you with information, or maybe it's just there for your role-playing fun. And not
every plot can be solved with a sword.
Always remember your quest. Perhaps you may have to treat an evil person nicely so that
you may get the information you need. Sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and put
up with the obnoxious shoe salesman you'd like to kill because he knows which path to
take. And remember that the person you harm or kill may just resurrect with full memory
and come back for revenge (Yes, NPCs can resurrect too!).
On the other hand, there is no such thing as paranoia! There really are lots of nasties
out there trying to get you - as well as some of the townsfolk. The first thing to
remember is to trust only the people you know. The second is that a target leaving the
battlefield at high speed is harder to hit than one charging straight at a group of 20th
level death knights. Until you can be sure of having a decent chance of survival, running
is a valuable tactic. Not every NERO battle is necessarily winnable.
Organize your time
Don't spend all weekend out in the woods hunting monsters. It's a lot of fun and a good
source for treasure, but let's face it, while you're out there, you have no idea what is
going on in the rest of town. Don't misunderstand us - if that's how you have fun in NERO,
then go right ahead! The most important thing is to have fun. If you measure success for
your character as earning money and going on lots of modules, then go that route, but if
you judge success by whether your character gains status in the in-game society, then
you'll have to get involved. You'll have to talk to people in town, figure out what the
weekend plot is about and who the important characters are, and what you can do to get
yourself involved in it. You have to be there and force your way in. Don't later complain
that the plot didn't involve you when you weren't there to get involved in it!
Similarly, don't equate long-term success in the game only with gaining money and XP.
The two do not necessarily go hand in hand. If you spend all your time hunting for
monsters out in the woods, you will never make the contacts in town you need to make in
order to get that fame and fortune you desire.
Start a Group
Don't wait for a group to ask you to join, start your own! A good sized group should
contain around ten people so that there will always be about six ready for any module that
happens to show up.
Get a good mixture of character classes. Don't wait until the middle of an adventure to
suddenly discover that you need a thief in order to get into a certain room. An unbalanced
party has been the downfall of many an adventuring group.
You do not need approval of any marshal to start a group (but you should let the Plot
Committee know for future events).
Once you've established a group, don't fight among yourselves. Pick a leader. The
leader should not be a dictator, but instead listen to all suggestions and pick the wisest
action. Having a leader is most important in stressful situations. There is no time to
call a committee meeting to decide whether to retreat from a battle. The group should
delegate the authority for snap decision making to one person, and then follow that
person's orders. If it turned out that person was wrong or made a mistake, that can be
dealt with later.
Most parties that fail on modules do so because of poor leadership. If the group wishes
to be successful, it must have someone to give them direction. Nobody likes to be bossed
around, but some carefully worded instructions in a friendly tone of voice can carry a lot
of weight.
A player who insists on doing things their own way and who runs off on their own will
usually die because of it. You need to put aside differences in order to accomplish your
goals. If you're constantly running off or arguing with your group, it won't be long
before no one will invite you to join them and no one will help you out.
This is not to say that you should sacrifice your individuality or your personal
role-playing quirks. It simply means that you've got to remember that you are not the only
one involved. If you go wandering off in the middle of a module, you not only risk serious
harm to yourself but also to the success of your group as a whole.
Have a battle strategy for your group. Any plan for fighting should include protecting
your healers and mages. The plan that seems to work best for most groups is a sort of
fighting wedge, where two fighters protect the mage behind them who can then cast spells
over them. Healers should stay in the rear and throw healing spells at the party's backs.
Necromancers should be up front throwing damage causing spells with the mage (unless there
are witnesses around!). Come up with your own strategies and then practice!
If you don't have your own group with which to adventure, you can also align yourself
with an already existing group. Or have your group align itself with another group. The
nobles sometimes need adventurers to act as spies or messengers so that they won't get
caught doing the dirty work. The Mages' Guild is always looking for apprentices. The Royal
Army may be looking for recruits. The tavern almost always needs guards, entertainers, and
servers. All of these ways will lead to adventure and if not, at least you'll get paid!
Write your own plots
Believe it or not, most of what the Plot Committee does is coordinate. Some things you
will encounter on a weekend are completely plot inventions, but quite a few actions are
started by players. The Plot Committee has been there to distribute threatening letters,
provide an NPC for a specific "discovery," or otherwise react to suggestions
from players, and players are always surprised when they discover that an interesting plot
twist was created by another player in-game! So make your own plots - use your
imagination!
Here are some suggestions of ways to get yourself known in town, involved in plots, and
earning game money:
Sell out-of-game items. For example, you can make some chainmail and sell it for real
money and game money. Or perhaps you have some old junk jewelry you want to donate to NERO
and sell as game jewelry for game money. If allowed by the campsite, you may be able to
sell food (or at least baked goods).
Sell in-game items such as potions, scrolls, alchemical solutions, and armor repair.
You can sell NERO weapons and armor for real money and game money.
Sell a service. Start a bodyguard's guild. Open a massage parlor and sell backrubs. How
about a funeral parlor? There's always a need for someone in town to gather information
and become the Town Sage.
Start a competitive guild. There is no reason why you can't start a second armorsmith
shop or alchemy guild or thieves' guild. How about an Adventurers' Guild run as an
employment agency where you can find adventures for other players (for a fee of course!)?
Start a school. Every player needs other players to teach them skills they need. Maybe
you can train people in real skills as well as game skills. It is one thing to teach
someone the skill in-game Pick Locks but it is another thing entirely to teach them
out-of-game how to do it!
Blackmail somebody. We'll leave this idea to your own devices.
Become a "Robin Hood" stealing from the rich (Hey, compared to peasants, all
adventurers are rich.). You can decide later whether to give it to the poor.
Use your imagination! There's plenty of ways to get involved!
To be honest, it is hard to really pre-plan what you will be doing in the future
because the plot can go racing off in all sorts of unpredictable ways (just like in real
life), and the key is to remember that if something more interesting comes along, don't be
tied to your idea of what you want to do.
Have your own adventures
Get your group together on non-NERO weekends and run your own adventures for practice.
If you want to write an adventure module for your own group to have, that's fine - but it
cannot affect regular plot. In other words, your character can go on an adventure where he
gets 15 magic swords, becomes 33rd level, and rules the world, but when he shows up on the
next NERO adventure, none of it has happened. ("Gee, it was all a dream!") Go
ahead, use our rules, we don't mind (as long as you don't charge admission).
Your own in-game "modules" (for informational purposes only) can be performed
without NERO's approval and can be allowed in-game as affecting plot. For example, if your
group arranges a meeting with another group to discuss an alliance, then that is perfectly
allowable and encouraged.
Don't whine!
If you are an active player, chances are some other player will eventually want to
kill/capture/arrest you. The "good guys" and the "bad guys" are always
at odds, and both sides have had their share of successes and failures.
If you decide to play the world's sneakiest assassin, understand that there will be
other players out to stop you. If you are the most honorable knight, there will be
dishonorable people out to put you in your place. Don't take it personally and don't get
upset if they get you. You'll just have to try harder next time.
Don't cheat!
If you fight unfairly, refuse to count damage points against you, or argue constantly
over every spell, then two things could happen: (1) Everyone else will say "Well, if
he's not counting the damage I'm doing to him, then I won't count the damage he is doing
to me," and then no one is having any fun and (2) you will be reported to a marshal
who may bring disciplinary action against you. We have kicked out cheaters in the past;
don't think it won't happen to you.
Remember that the "R" in NERO stands for "role-playing."
Bashing something/someone may be good exercise but it may not always be the best way to
get ahead in the world. Not every problem can be solved by beating it into the ground.
If you are the world's best fighter but you don't care a bit about making a believable
character, acting appropriately to situations, or even wearing a decent costume, you will
never get very far in status in any NERO group.
Staying in character is the key. Don't make references to out-of-game situations. Don't
say "I just bought my second proficiency," say "I have been training and
can now do twice as much damage as I once could." If someone asks your level (an
out-of-game question since levels are not in-game), respond by saying something like
"Well, I can now cast 5th level spells, is that what you are asking?" If you
want to get ahead in NERO, you have to become your character.
This point can't be overemphasized. New players who put some time and effort into their
costumes, try to constantly stay in character, and put a serious concern into role-playing
will find that it won't be long until the old-timers will notice, perhaps hire them for a
quest, take them on as bodyguards, or otherwise get them involved. Then before they know
it, they are in the thick of things. This is not an exaggeration; ask any experienced
player.
If it needs help doing, help do it!
There are many NERO committees doing the work needed to make each event a memorable
one. Every person on these committees is there by virtue of being a dedicated volunteer
who has shown the needed abilities. Look around you at a weekend: the committees are all
around you, sharing the hassles and the fun. The only difference is that they get tired
before they miss a night's sleep.
The idea is simple: NERO is as much fun as it is (and as cheap as it is compared with
other such groups) because it depends on the work of volunteers.
Help set up an event or clean up after one. Hammer a few nails or paint something for
the Props Committee. Write and run a module or a weekend. Train to become a marshal. You
will meet dedicated NERO members this way, and many of them will form an opi nion of you
that will carry into in-game situations. Besides, the usual method of handling tedious
preparation work is to bring up old adventuring stories - exactly the thing you need to
get the best advice!
Whether you start a legendary adventuring group, do brilliant work designing and making
props, or become a first-rate writer of modules and weekends, you are what makes NERO as
great as it is. . . so do it!
Introduction to NERO The 4 Critical Rules Play Testing Rules Gaining Experience Playing Fair Spell Packets Common Questions SKill Chart Justifying Anachronisms Races Classes Combat System Your First Event How NERO Works Event Gear List Resource Links Player Advice
Copyright© 1988-2003 NERO International Holding company, Inc., All
Rights Reserved
NERO is the Registered Trademark of NERO
International, Inc. US PTO Trademark Registration Number 2,270,409
Unauthorized use of the NERO Name, Logo, or Game System©
is strictly prohibited.
The NERO Rule Book© is Copyrighted 1989-2003 by
NERO International Holding Company, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
| .gif)
.gif)
.gif)
