Pacing, Advancement, and Replacing PCs

Stonetop runs slower than most RPGs. It has its moments of drama and intense action, but it also encourages dwelling on details of daily life. Finding the right pace for your group matters.

The key tension: how much time on expeditions/crises vs. the homefront. The game won't always tell you when to switch — that's deliberate. Use the End of Session wishes to calibrate. If players want adventure, nudge toward Seasons Change or offer an opportunity. If they want more downtime but the dice push a threat forward, telegraph it as something they can't act on yet.

If your group constantly works on projects or rushes off on adventures, pump the brakes. Remind them of obligations; if they ignore them, oppose their wishes; tell consequences of half-baked plans.

When sessions aren't covering enough ground:

• Skip the familiar. If you've played out West Road trips before, jump to arrival.
• Zoom out. Don't play out every interaction or room. Resolve courses of action with a single move and some description.
• Frame scenes aggressively. Start late, end early. Every scene needs a purpose.
• Push toward resolution. Don't escalate when you could resolve. Have foes flee or surrender when the tide turns. Capture instead of putting in a spot.
• Prevent swirl. If players spin their wheels, help them identify the goal and lay out paths. If they keep swirling, make a GM move that forces action.

PCs earn enough XP to Level Up every 2-4 sessions to start. The XP cost rises with level and players roll 6- less often, so it slows naturally. Leveling Up only happens at home, which encourages returning to Stonetop. Excess XP at Level Up threshold can also feed Burn Brightly.

Ideally PCs Level Up only once between adventures — players should see each new move in play before gaining another. If yours level twice in a row, consider: reset XP to 0 on Level Up; raise the XP requirement (10 + 2×level, or × 3 for steeper curve); tighten the End of Session questions; let players always Burn Brightly.

Past level 6, PCs become hard to challenge. To keep them honest: up the stakes (threats to the region, not just the village). Make 6- results hurt — high-level PCs roll low less often, so when they do, be irrevocable: capture them, sever a limb, kill someone loved. Be aggressive with soft moves. Hit them where they're weak. Present threats on multiple fronts. But let them enjoy their wins — they earned the chance to steamroll lesser challenges.

PCs exit because they die at Death's Door, retire after lasting injury via Convalesce, are lost when winter Surplus runs short, become threats (descent into villainy), the player decides to retire them, or the player leaves the game.

If a PC retires and stays in the region, they become an NPC. Default portrayal is yours; with everyone's agreement, the original player can portray them. Don't let them overshadow the PCs — they're retired. They can advise but not solve problems.

Epilogues matter. Play out a funeral or wake when a PC dies. Have surviving PCs speak. Let the dead PC's player savor the farewell. For PCs who leave, narrate departure and a glimpse of their future. Skip mechanics — these are vignettes for closure.

When a new player joins or a PC dies, the new character starts at level 1 regardless of party level. Don't worry about balance — a level 1 PC is plenty effective, and starting fresh lets the player develop them. Pick an unused playbook and a background that fits either a newcomer or a local stepping up.

Introduce them two ways: play it out (frame a scene with them arriving, or have them present when the PCs return), or time skip (they've been here a while; do Introductions normally; write love letters establishing connections to each existing PC). Once they're in, give them slightly more spotlight while they find their place. Handled well, a new PC deepens the game.