Is it possible to have a high school setting in a tabletop game? It seems like no matter the genre...

Is it possible to have a high school setting in a tabletop game? It seems like no matter the genre, it would just turn into "how do I avoid high school to go on my adventures."

Other urls found in this thread:

youtube.com/watch?v=PCqpN1TkXo4
buriedwithoutceremony.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Monsterhearts-Skins.pdf
youtube.com/watch?v=Hh_vLKlz2Mc
youtube.com/watch?v=6jJE3d6GrgM
docs.google.com/file/d/0B9cu0IVYfHtiUVJFelpZOXdZV0U/edit?pref=2&pli=1
twitter.com/NSFWRedditVideo

BESM, M&M Mecha and Manga, MAID, and Mage off the top of my head.

If you're doing a high school game, you need to make it extremely location based.

Look at how games like Persona handle it, for instance.

Vocational classes and off-campus assignments. Attendance is only mandatory on certain days.

>Mage high school

This would be fantastic.

>Is it possible to have a high school setting in a tabletop game?
Why the everloving fuck would you do this?

PCs can skip school, but there are absolutely consequences


ALTERNATELY: the enemies are all vampires.

Nah man. Totally doable. Rita only attacks Angel Grove. Ever.

I've had a couple of games based around schools, not explicitly highschools but using a lot of the same tropes. A couple of Legends of the Wulin games inspired by Nihao Honey, where it's a martial arts highschool where kicking ass is part of the curriculum, and also a few games set at academies in the Nanoha magical girl setting. Normal classwork is mostly offscreen, with sessions focusing on assignments which lead to adventures. At one point we ended up shooting a demigod with an archeotech superweapon, which was fun.

if I weren't on my phone I'd post the pdfs for wandering monster high and the psionic expansion I forget the name of.

Because it's fun?

>It seems like no matter the genre, it would just turn into "how do I avoid high school to go on my adventures."

That's kind of the point of just about any work of genre fiction set in high school. Balancing the crazy stuff with teenager shit like the big math test, prom, and getting grounded.

Play it like Harry Potter. Classes exist solely for exposition or meeting/interacting with NPCs, as a reason why players can't go chasing every lead, and a source of consequences should they do. Otherwise, gloss over them.

Oh gee, I guess I have to accept that vague answer and be on my way. Excuse me, I'm going to go drive a railspike up my ass because it's "fun".

But most high school media is about those moments when they forget about high school and go adventuring.

Why the everloving fuck would I answer you?

Sure thing, you do you kid.

I think a better question is would it be possible to have a grade school setting?

Sorry but your picture is way cooler than your question.

Better yet, there are games like Monsterhearts and Teenagers from Outer Space where the school setting is central to the premise.

Magician's Quest: Mysterious Times comes to mind.

Play an RPG where you (mostly) don't "go on adventures.

Not the user you referred to, but:
> Why the everloving fuck would you do this?

Your objections to was not in the least bit any more specific. Why don't you think it would be possible to have fun, or why would it be less fun, to play around in a setting like that?

Why does she look so afraid and lacking in confidence?

Shyness and lack of self-confidence are standard waifu-bait traits.

add massive tits and her not realizing she's hot as balls.

Because while I enjoyed some of my classes and hanging out with my friends, I have found literally nothing enjoyable. Not that it was hell full of suffering for me or anything, but it was otherwise devoid of enjoyable things.

The reason high school settings have an appeal is because there's a lot of fiction built around high school students dealing with some kind high concept.

Maybe someone watched one of those Robot/Magic/Fighting Academy animes and want something like that.

Or they read Harry Potter and want something like that.

Or they watched Buffy and want something like that.

Or they want all three or a combination.

Like war for most soldiers? It's a thing that, I dunno, MIGHT have some RPGs related to it.

Adolescence is interesting from a narrative point of view because of the contrast between the adult and child in the same person.

>He doesn't think driving railspikes up his ass is fun
What are you, gay?

>eat aluminum
>polish railway spike
>shit thermite
It's really the only logical thing to do.

Animorphs: the high school is a center of yeerk recruitment and you have to deal with your growing case of PTSD and its effects on your social and academic life.

>Like war for most soldiers?
War at least has intense periods of action and glory associated with it. High school? That's just milquetoast.

If your high school has vampires I think it's a safe bet there's gonna be some action.

Really, high school is just like any other genre. It has its strengths, and it has its weaknesses. Some people like it. Others don't.

War is hell. And narratively fertile.

Adolescene might be boring, but it is narratively fertile and dramatic.

>you will never play a PS238 game in M&M

>missing an opportunity to go with Derrick-seid because of a jock meme

Every time

Tried it once. It was godawful. We tried to play it like we were amateur superheroes going out and following plot hooks. Our GM wanted it to be slice of life, and just for the intended plot hooks to be window dressing. Rather than communicating that to us, though, he just tried to stymie us at every turn, then threw a giant hissy fit when we took his obstacles as challenges rather than signs we should give up, and quit running it.

Darkchaid would also have been acceptable.

Your GM sounds pretty bad. If you're gonna run a genre high school game, you should focus on the "genre" part first the "high school" part second. No one wants to play a fucking Degrassi game.

People didn't watch Buffy because it was a high school dramedy. They watched Buffy because it was a high school dramedy where the characters fought monsters.

Yes, but they're not talking about 'just HS' they're talking 'HS and wacky hijinks'.

Yeah, hence the "it was godawful." Don't do what OP wants to do; that way lies madness.

A long time ago I had the concept of regular high schools but where spellcasters would be a thing, and this would mean different groups of casters coming from different schools would get into feuds and battle. So maybe something like that.

Puberty hit PG like a truck and she wasn't prepared for it.

>All those weird gothy kids are actually wizards
>They get into turf wars with other goth kids

I think that works better as a plot device in a larger urban fantasy setting, but you're really limiting yourself if that's the extent of the game.

I was just giving out an idea I had as a teen. Thought it could work decently well in a tabletop RPG.

>the nerds who play D&D are actually practicing old fashioned hexes and wards
>they're warlocks
>the swim team is actually learning elemetal magic, obviously based around water. They get in fights with the geology club.
>The science freaks are actually alchemists

Hah, that reminds me of the time I was doing worldbuilding and decided that the local elven wizard's academy had an intramural soccer/whatever league because the heads decided that they were tired of having their student's legs snap like chicken bones whenever they met up with physical resistance, or get tired running the spires of the buildings and start relying on teleportation, wasting precious spell slots.
One of the coaches was a world-famous mercenary who got called in because one of the university's professors was his friend and called in a favor.

>All of this is actually a poorly-kept secret. The staff largely ignore it, except for a few helpful teachers.
>New teachers and substitutes are not told about it because the others think it's funny
>The principal is a hard-assed but fair vampire.
>The PE coach is a Werewolf.
>Set in the 90s, because latchkey kid dynamics are more interesting than smartphones and helicopter parents.
>GM has a long playlist of alt rock music including Green Day, Offspring, and Red Hot Chili Peppers

It would be interesting if it didn't take place exclusively in the high school but involved the lives of the protagonists in general.

What a sick sad world would that be?

LA LA LA LA LA

>the shop teacher is an orc who hides his green skin with grime and coveralls
>the history teacher is a mummy, whose assistant ends up teaching everything that's not Egyptian history
>the swim coach is a selkie
>there's a bunch of slime monsters that keep gunking up the toliets

Monsterhearts.

A slighty angrier Daria could be a pretty good Witch.

So basically MonMusu with christmas cakes?

youtube.com/watch?v=PCqpN1TkXo4

Not a focus on monstergirls. I thinking legitimate, old fashioned orcs and mummies and werewolves. Not much that wasn't already monstergirl-y about a selkie, but not everything has to be monstergirls to have a fun setting.

Ran a Persona game, players loved it. School life eventually became more rewarding than fighting baddies for them.

I guess that would work way better.

Still could be a funny idea for an haremshit.

What system did you use?
Honestly, I've been meaning to run one, but I can't gather up the nads to do it because I'm pretty sure it would kill my players' trust in me as a DM.
Pic also relevant.

Personally I'd prefer it if the school is superficially normal. It's only when you start looking deeper that things get weird.

This is topical! I'm going to be playing in a game of young superheroes in training, attending a university to get the certification they need to become a full-fledged superhero: because only the most badass of badasses can be superheroes. Everyone else who has superpowers -but is not as badass as the superheroes- can only use them for self defense.

Whereas the ones that have the certification can use their powers to be a superhero. And as superheroes, they have to do their absolute best and be the best examples humanity has to offer, or else the media will tear them a new one and they'll be shunned, perhaps even hunted by the other supers!

Of course, if anyone on campus finds out about your secret -because you have to keep your powers a secret- then you will be booted from the program so.. no one can use their powers willy-nilly like that!

It's going to be awesome.

Future prom queen coming through

We heavily modified Mage the Awakening and gave people access to a few powers based on the theme of their Persona, but to recharge Mana; you'd have to actually spend time with your Social Links. 30 Minutes and a successful Resolve+Composure roll would net you mana equal to your successes. Your Social Links can only give out a number of Mana as they have permanent Willpower in any given week (4 on average.)
Since several players would adopt NPCNAMEHERE because it was the easiest Justice social link or whatever, they'd end up having to schedule time with NPCNAMEHERE first during the week.

buriedwithoutceremony.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Monsterhearts-Skins.pdf

So user, what were you? Witch or Ghost?

>Cute girls with giant robot arms

Love it

>The jocks are actually musclewizards and musclemages

I'm just tired of haremshit, and I don't think it ever works out as a game.

I've tried freeforming stuff where we dance along the edge of silliness and stupidness with monstergirls, and let me just say: it's not as fun as you think it would be.

(cont'd)
Didn't use any time during the week to study for the test? Well you are at -2 to your Roll to pass it.
Didn't pass the Biology Test? Suddenly Kim doesn't think your as smart and cool as she thought you were and is gonna hang out with Alex this weekend. Oh no, she's your Empress Social Link...sucks for you.

Ditching class is easy if attendance is computerized. Get a couple teachers to vouch for you and/or hack the database...every HS game will have at least one computer nerd, and school security sucks.

Not as a game, as an anime.

(though honestly I don't know about Maid. I guess in all-weeb group it could work)

My god his hair looks like crap.

I could see a Huldra tossed in there as either the teacher for Home Ec, or one of the "popular" girls that nonetheless have something about them (in this case, the tail and hollow back) that the students learn very quickly not to bring up.

Reminds me of the time we had students or teachers with odd physical attributes that nobody could bring up, OR ELSE.

Obligatory.
youtube.com/watch?v=Hh_vLKlz2Mc

Oh yeah?

"I'd (omega)tap that.png"

As for the topic: Yes, quite easily.

I was expecting this
youtube.com/watch?v=6jJE3d6GrgM

>not as a game, as an anime

I just don't understand people who think replicating some harem/slice of life anime could possibly work. Players are real people, so even if they play characters they're still going to act and react like real people.

Anime characters, especially ones in haremshit, never act like normal people.

>legitimately nerdy girl with giant tits
I wish they were real

A high school game helps add time management as something the players have to deal with. Not only that, but actually exploring the personal lives of the PCs becomes something much more in reach, because you have this huge part of their every day that's stuck dealing with this obligation.

Groups that really take a shine to something like this will find themselves doing interpersonal stuff even when not in school. Fighting the monsters happens, but we really need to know how Jimmy the fire elementalist's date goes too, especially since the rest of the group is stalking them, making sure it goes super smooth. Not even to protect from a surprise monster-of-the-week attack, just to shoo off unsightly hobos while they walk in the park.

Meanwhile a group that isn't taking to it will be glossing over the actual high school part. Only are figuring out how to get out of class so you can get back to fighting monsters. The classic murderhobos who just can't shake the habit.

Considering the high-school hacker is pretty much already PC material, you're on to something there.

Come on man I can pull out cooler things than that. What's cooler than real pictures of things?

Post more man. Do you have them Africans Black Metal Fans?

>wanting saggy tits
Moderation in all things.

You mean like this?

I really want more context on this picture.

clearly a proper british mother and her patriotic son took a family photo.

It's a young Hideki Kamiya from platnium games and his mom.

you delivered

...

I seriously love high school settings. I'm currently running a teen superheroes in high-school (pic related, kinda?) game and a Monsterhearts one.

In my opinion, it's all about measure and the way you handle things, just as said, don't make it all about the teen drama aspect, but make sure it features as a bit of a background, lingering aspect. Like in Buffy, for example, the monsters of the week were always related to whatever issue was happening at the time with her personal life.

When she was insecure about being the Slayer and really being a hero to her friends, she had to save a whole dimension from monsters.

When Xander was feeling invalidated and useless to his friends, he had an episode centered around him where he literally saved the world.

I was a Werewolf.
I love Monsterhearts and I love atypical adaptations and ways of playing each skin. In the group I DM for, I have a Queen who's the dumb jock team Captain. And a nerdy female Werewolf who's the sweetest thing around and allergic to fur.

>It seems like no matter the genre, it would just turn into "how do I avoid high school to go on my adventures."
If your players actually want to play a goofy high school game you won't have to worry about this.

I'm not sure. I think I was a Ghost or some really fucked up Mortal.

Nerd werewolf is always a good idea to me.

In the last game I was an Infernal. I'm not sure if it was the best game of my life or I still have PTSD, probably a little of both.

Considering Infernals are a bit of a stand-in for abusive relationships and addiction, I can't think of any way it could be played in a way that doesn't leave you with PTSD.

I've never been on the player end of things, but I'd love to play a Vampire, Queen or Ghoul.

Dirkseid or Dougseid are more "accurate", but Chad is a shorthand name for "douchebag jock".

But why would she care if douchebag jock was staring at her? It sounds like she's more worried about her appearance than annoyed at his attention or even nervous that Darkseid-sempai might notice her. There's no need to make him the jerk.

Step it up senpai

docs.google.com/file/d/0B9cu0IVYfHtiUVJFelpZOXdZV0U/edit?pref=2&pli=1

>The politics teacher is an deamon
>Economics is a dwarf who constantly steals pencils
>The resident ghosts are exorcised on such a routine basis that a betting lot has appeared
If your want to go real indepth
>the skeet/target shooting team is a bunch of mechmages constantly trying to get the weapons just right.
>school fights are a supervised and regulated occurance, due to several incedents with wild magic, and now take place in a bunker and are watched vai scrying
>The english teacher is a dragon who has memorized every work of any note and can voice every character,
>the wrestling team is all muscle wizards

This is getting into Hogwarts-level stuff. I thought it was just supposed to be a superficially normal high school.

Damn it, you guys are making a high school game look appealing. Now I'm going to have to go mention it to my group and have them laugh at me.

>ctl+f Monsters & Other Childish Things
>no results
Here, educate yourselves.