Comedy Campaigns

[Michael Hopcroft]

Although the HERO System is not as commonly used for comedy as some other games, I've been seeing a lot of stuff lately that seems to be, if done properly, gamable but which involves characters who have traits that are distinctly humorous.

First of all, how do you model comedic characters? Obviously there are a lot of ways to use Disadvantages to reflect humorous traits. Characters with particular obsessions have Psych Lims, a character can have a Phycial Lim to reflect being clumsier than their DEX would indicate (i.e. they're OK in a combat but tend to trip on their own two feet out of it -- the Usagi Tsukino syndrome). How you would reflect a character who is naturally oblivious is a good question -- I'm tempted to try modeling Azumangah Daioh's Osaka-chan, but she would be difficult.

[Foxx!]

Michael Hopcroft!

How about Physical Limitation? Being oblivious is like being unable to see, hear, smell, or make logical conclusions but only some things and sometimes. This idea assumes that even if you are Mind Controlled, you will still be daft. Also, how about buying down INT and buying minuses to PER rolls.

Cheers!

[Foxx!]

Michael Hopcroft!

Another idea. Buy a very high INT with a 8- Activation Roll. The SFX is that the character occasionally thinks or notices things that normal people overlook.

Some Psychological Disadvantages you can use are Gullible and Careless.

Cheers!

[Susano]

Those are all excellent suggestions. In Osaka's case she "thinks different" (tm), and I would call that a Phys Lim. She can't make an Ego roll to not "be odd" because it is too deeply ingrained in her personality. Of course, she also suffers from ADD (of a sort) as well as a tendency to doze off in class. Tomo, BTW, has a serious case of ADD & hyperactivity, but in her case it might be an extreme Psych Lim. If she works at it, she can pay attention and calm down.

IMO, comedy campaigns don't work well, because not everyone is a natural comic. You can't script the jokes and not everyone is a master of improv. What you can try is to go the absurd route, but play it straight (the humor comes from tryingto be serious when confronted by utter insanity), or, everyone has a really good idea as to what they are getting into. In truth, if a group meshes well, the comedy often flows naturally, as a result of player interaction, and is not "forced" on the game from the outside.

[tkdguy]

I've tried to do comedic games, all of which fell flat. The problem is that comedy is subjective. I put in situations I thought would amuse the players; they just got annoyed. I also said things that made them laugh even though I wasn't trying to be funny.

[Foxx!]

I agree with Susano and TkdGuy. I've never seen a comedy campaign that was funny or memorable, and so I have never tried to do one. Yet every serious campaign I've been in has moments that are very funny and very memorable. Even if the characters don't do crazy things, the players still have fun suggesting crazy things. I don't know why comedy campaigns do not do well, but I think Susano has good advice.

Cheers!

[paigeoliver]

I find any game that is combat light will automatically become a comedy game.

Or just put player's that aren't used to doing detective work into situations where they have to do detective work.

[tkdguy]

Also, strange names or concepts for characters automatically get groans from the other players. Example: Cassius Clay Aiken, the singing boxer!

[zornwil]

Heck, I think our games are pretty funny often enough without trying that I'm not inclined to try to force comedy!

[Dr. Evil]

For me, I never try to invoke a laugh. Good comedy requires good timing. Next time you play and a character misses a roll, have something happen to them (a plot complication) that might be considered funny. Here are some other examples:

In SW: ANH, Han Solo & Luke broke into the detention cell and Han tries to tell the security watch there's nothing wrong. He does it badly, then blasts the console.

IN SW: ROTJ, Han Solo, highly overconfident, tells the gang he'll take out the guards at the Power station. Then, trying to sneak up on a stormtrooper he steps on a branch and alerts the guard. His expression is priceless.

Humor in a horrible situation can be funny without being ridiculous. For me, Xena and Hercules has some funny scenes - bordering on camp. Or several scenes from Shaun of the Dead.

What do you think is funny? Booger jokes? Someone slipping on something? A pie in the face? A potentially dangerous situation met with a light-hearted joke? Find what makes YOU laugh, then incorporate it into your gaming.

I once had a fearless Bounty Hunter in a D&D campaign fail a Saving Throw and run screaming out of the room, hands waving up in the air like a little girl. To me at the time, and knowing the character, it was funny.

Find your inner clown, young Padawan.

[Steve]

I have run a comedy campaign, and the old chestnut is true. Comedy is hard, especially over the long haul.

The premise was straight out of anime: a high school setting and high school student PCs; strange local legends and a few odd NPCs; each of the characters was built as a martial artist (150+100 Video Game level characters using Ninja Hero powers for that level; and, all of the characters were staying at the Kamiyama School, one of the local dojos, as boarders.

I called it "The Kikaitani Chronicles." Kikai=strange/wonderful and tani=valley

If anyone is interested, here is the campaign document's description of the setting:

On the north-western edge of Tokyo lies the suburban area known as Kikaitani-cho (Mysterious/Wonderful Valley Town). Away from the busy life of central Tokyo, the traditions of an earlier age hold stronger sway. This place is rich in history, and tales of heroism by warriors of the past. It is bounded on two sides by small twin mountains, Kamiyama (God Mountain) and Oniyama (Ogre Mountain). The valley is dotted with tract homes on its southern end, farms and homesteads on its north end. A multitude of shrines also exist all across the valley, many are the site of legendary events of long ago.

Near the foot of each mountain lies two well-respected and ancient schools of martial arts (Shorinji Kempo to be precise) founded by two brothers from China over eight centuries ago. The Kamiyama School and the Oniyama School have maintained a semi-fierce rivalry as to which is the superior style of Kempo from their mutual founding. Due to their common origin long ago, both are very similar and share many special techniques. The main difference in the two styles is that Kamiyama-ryu Kempo is more acrobatic and evasive, while Oniyama-ryu Kempo emphasizes endurance and raw power. This rivalry may slumber for a time, but it is inevitably resurrected due to some problem or other that occurs between students of the two schools. Each school has been passed down through the same families since the brothers first arrived and took local brides centuries ago. In addition, there are other schools of martial arts in the valley that also occasionally strive to be known as the best in the valley.

The current master of the Kamiyama School of Kempo is Yoshi Kamiyama, a withered old man nearly 70 years of age who is still quite skilled despite his advanced years. He loves to tell grand tales of the valley’s past, and seems to enjoy putting a scare into the more impressionable local children with his “ghost stories.” One of his favorite stories is of a young kami (goddess/spirit) named Reimiko, a very beautiful but mischievous goddess who was punished by the elder gods for causing troubles among the younger male gods. She was sealed inside a hidden cave in Kamiyama to sleep until her “true love” released her. The elderly Yoshi sometimes teases the local boys with his stories, and that if they aren’t careful Reimiko will awaken and drag them to the Kami Plane for an eternity as her husband.

His wife, the outspoken matriarch Xian Kamiyama, retains much of the willowy beauty of her youth. She is an extremely formidable fighter trained in a form of Wing Chun style Kung Fu, and arguments between this couple of martial arts masters can turn physical pretty quickly. But they love each other fiercely, so any outsider threatening one or the other of them would have to face both of them. One of the rumors about her is that she married Yoshi after he defeated her in her home village. Neither of them will confirm any of the stories about how they met and became married.

One of their grandchildren is Natsumi Kamiyama, a 1st Year Sr. High School student, and current heir to inherit the dojo. Her mother died when she was a very young child, and her father is a dedicated salaryman in Tokyo. He does his best by her and sends money, but has left her upbringing to her grandfather. Yoshi is on the lookout among the young male martial artists for a husband for Natsumi, much to her distress. It’s not that she wouldn’t like to get married, but she would prefer to pick someone herself rather than submit to an arranged marriage. Natsumi is an accomplished and honorable martial artist, and she is quite enthusiastic about her training. This, along with her height, has kept the boys at a distance. She is rather tall for a Japanese girl (5’3”) and somewhat plain of face, but she is well-built and athletic.

On the other side of the valley is the Oniyama School of Kempo, headed by Tenmako Oniyama. The wizened Tenmako is the same age as Xian Kamiyama, and the two of them have a long-standing dislike of each other. She is a fearsome old ogress by many accounts. Stories from long ago are that Tenmako and Yoshi were once involved, but the rivalry between their two schools drove them apart. Yoshi went to China to perfect his skills and came back with his Chinese bride, and Tenmako married a local man. Tenmako traveled extensively throughout Japan in her youth, and knows techniques from many styles. She is now grooming her grandchildren to be superior martial artists, and takes great pride in her School.

Kijoko Oniyama is Tenmako’s granddaughter, a 1st Year Sr. High School student, and often will act like the reigning queen of Kikaitani High School. She has great pride in her skills, and it drives her to seek after ever greater levels of ability. She has hated Natsumi since they were in grade school together, and looks forward to the day when she finally crushes her rival in martial arts. A busty beauty with long black hair worn in a loose ponytail, she has left a long trail of broken hearts behind her. She enjoys her power over men, but quickly grows bored with her conquests. No man has ever been able to resist her for long, and anyone that did would only inflame her passion. She is a bit of a bully at heart underneath her gorgeous exterior, but she acts honorably in a fight. She is Captain of the Women’s Martial Arts Club on campus.

Kenrei Oniyama is Kijoko’s older brother, a 2nd Year Sr. High School student, and Captain of the Men’s Martial Arts Club at Kikaitani High School. Solidly muscled, he lords his prowess in martial arts over his classmates. While his sister seeks glory without completely sacrificing honor, Kenrei seeks victory at any price. He acts honorably only as far as it will maintain his place in society, but does not believe in the ways of honor. Any threat to his supremacy would earn his hatred, and he acts even more the bully than his sister ever would. He finds Natsumi fascinating, but she is repelled by his odious personality and bullying ways. Any male character who develops a relationship with Natsumi would have to contend with Kenrei. Any female character that stood up to him could earn his undying passion.

There is a single ninja clan in the valley that has a small holding on the western side, the Kunoichi Clan. The ninja women of the Kunoichi Clan are well-trained fighters and stealth artists, and follow a strong code of honor. Little is known of their ways, but two of the younger generation attend Kikaitani High School. The eldest, Hitomi Kunoichi, is a proud beauty who is an expert ninja. Some might say that her pride is her biggest flaw. She is a 2nd Year Sr. High School student. Her little sister, Kurumi, is a spunky tomboy who likes to fight. She is a 1st Year Sr. High School student. Their elder brother, Ayumi, is attending nearby Kikaitani University.

One of the two major Shinto shrines in the valley is run by the Hiko family. A terrible demon is said to be buried underneath the temple, held fast by powerful spells and wards. The elderly shrine priest, Sho Hiko, lives here with his niece and nephew. His nephew, Shun Hiko, is more interested in studying Karate and Kobujutsu than learning what it takes to be a priest. His niece, Yumi Hiko, is taking the teachings seriously to become a Shrine Priestess, but is a somewhat shy girl with a graceful beauty.

Another notable Shinto shrine in the valley is maintained by the Shisaki family. Descended from the original samurai overlords of the region, they are an ancient and honorable clan. They also maintain the largest shrine in the valley. The elderly head of the family, Katsuhito Shisaki, is said to be very strong in spiritual power. Many stories of mysterious doings around the Shisaki shrine are commonplace, and strange-colored lights are occasionally seen at night around the sacred tree near the shrine. Shisaki-ryu Kendo is said to be quite excellent.

The wealthiest family in the valley is the Asagiri clan. They, along with the Shisaki clan, held a great deal of power up until the Meiji Restoration. The Shisaki clan retired from politics to follow a spiritual life, but the Asagiri clan threw their resources into business and industry. Over the decades since the Second World War, they have become a force to be reckoned with in a multitude of industries. The young scion of the family, Naka Asagiri, a 1st Year Sr. High School student, is a proud boy who fancies himself a swordsman. He is quite good at Asagiri-ryu Kendo, but he doesn’t practice as much as his father would like.

Finally, we come to Kikaitani Senior High School, where the campaign will be based around. Built in the early 1950’s, it has begun to show its age despite expert maintenance. The main building is three stories high with the traditional clock tower in the center. It follows the traditional architecture of the time it was built, being both functional and imposing. Freshman classes are on the top floor, Junior classes are on the middle floor, and Seniors have the ground floor. Incoming Freshman must get used to trudging up and down stairs. There is also a new gymnasium building donated by the Asagiri clan. The faculty of Kikaitani Senior High School is an eclectic bunch of odd sorts, and the Principal is a very mysterious sort who delegates most of his duties to the Vice Principal.

There are other colorful families who live in Kikaitani and places of note, but the preceding are the best known. Such things as aliens, ghosts, gods, magic, and curses are scoffed at by modern Japanese, but here in Kikaitani many things are possible….