We’ve seen several posts on our social media feeds over the last couple of weeks of people asking for advice for new Handler’s. So we’ve compiled some of the best to help out new players.
State clearly before character creation that death is very likely.
Delta Green is a very deadly game; stress that there is no balance to achieve in character creation. You are a person with a job, and maybe a family; not a super human.
Let your players know the D&D/Heroic Fantasy mindset will get them killed.
You cannot understand, tame, or ultimately destroy the unnatural. Even failed Drive rolls can get a player killed.
Delta Green is about lack of player of control, that’s where part of the horror comes from.
Don’t take away player agency, but let them know that things can spiral out of control in a quick and deadly fashion (much like the real world.)
There are outcomes worse than death.
Death is a sweet release for those whose sanity and bonds erode away. Don’t forget the home vignettes to emphasize this.
Give enough clues and information to allow players to take action on their own initiative.
The Mythos and large conspiracies are all-encompassing things that are difficult to comprehend; be sure players feel like they have a way to interact with what is happening or understand what is going on.
Be ready to improv.
This could be said for all RPGs, but be ready for players to throw curve balls, they won’t always do what you want or expect.
Don’t roll dice unless failure has consequences.
Rolling dice is fun, but slows down the moment, takes people out of the game, and lessens the tension.
Don’t reward bravery – punish it.
This may not work for all Handlers, but it is one of my (Simeon’s) personal favorites.
And finally, if you just need inspiration, don’t forget to check out our regular entries on the site for Scenario Seeds, or the Delta Green Twitter, and the recommended media sections of the Agent’s Handbook and Handler’s Guide.