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The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained herein)


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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

Did I post this one yet?

 

Androgynous: +3 with Acting, Mimicry, Disguise (9 Active Points); Limited Power Only to impersonate the opposite sex (-1) Real Cost: 4

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary just tripped over it

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

This discussion illustrates another reason why people chose to use Powers over Skills. There is no clause the Mind Control even purchased as "Super Persuasion/Seduction" doesn't work on PCs.

 

Mechanically, no. However, when you use mind control to force a player's character into bed don't be surprised if you generate some extremely bad blood at the gaming table. Or if the player decides you are one of those sadistic evil game-master's who gets off on "raping" PCs. People get so caught up in mechanics that they forget the social and meta-aspect of gaming.

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

Mechanically' date=' no. However, when you use mind control to force a player's character into bed don't be surprised if you generate some [i']extremely[/i] bad blood at the gaming table. Or if the player decides you are one of those sadistic evil game-master's who gets off on "raping" PCs. People get so caught up in mechanics that they forget the social and meta-aspect of gaming.

 

Well, this is true. I think you generally have to discuss this sort of thing ahead of time with the player(s) in question. As a general rule, if it's awkward, uncomfortable and/or unenjoyable for the players(or the GM, for that matter), you probably shouldn't go there. One can also "tease" an outcome without achieving it--the mind control is interrupted short of fruition by a timely act of another PC(so long as the GM is giving them a clear opportunity to do so).

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

Also, people spend points on this stuff. They should get game value for doing so, even NPCs, imo. I don't want to manipulate or railroad players any more than anyone else, but they should be at least partly bound by the laws of the campaign universe, including the laws of social interaction. YMMV and probably does.

 

It most certainly does. If you are going to strictly render the role playing aspect of the game in mechanics you might as well just write a program that plays my character for me so I can go do something else with my time. If I'm at the table its my responsibility to role play.

 

From a strictly systemic bean-counter approach I understand where you are coming from. It makes internal modelling mechanical sense. But from a social and experiential gaming perspective I don't get it at all.

 

The demon queen thing is the perfect example: sure, mechanically you can force a PC to have sex with her. But should you? Maybe for some PCs it would be appropriate. But some it would utterly sunder the character.

 

What's more, demon's seduce - they seek the willing corruption of their pure victims. The fall to lust of the righteous man. Forcing the PC doesn't accomplish that goal. Maybe the player wants to role-play that fall, but maybe they will never want to play the character again if you force the issue.

 

Which brings us full circle: even though you have modeled a mind control form of seduction you will - if you are a mature, respectful, fun-oriented GM - still have to negotiate the seduction with the player. Which raises the question, what good was modelling it at all?

 

One problem I have with "modern" gaming which is theoretically "superior" to old school gaming is the notion every aspect of play has to be modeled and rendered mechanistic. Its great gaming science, but horrible gaming art.

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

Well' date=' this is true. I think you generally have to discuss this sort of thing ahead of time with the player(s) in question. As a general rule, if it's awkward, uncomfortable and/or unenjoyable for the players(or the GM, for that matter), you probably shouldn't go there. One can also "tease" an outcome without achieving it--the mind control is interrupted short of fruition by a timely act of another PC(so long as the GM is giving them a clear opportunity to do so).[/quote']

 

You have now gone full circle. If you negotiate with the player about whether the mind control will work in the end there is no practical difference between using a power and a skill. And, more importantly, no real reason to hard-code social interaction at the gaming table.

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

You have now gone full circle. If you negotiate with the player about whether the mind control will work in the end there is no practical difference between using a power and a skill. And' date=' more importantly, no real reason to hard-code social interaction at the gaming table.[/quote']

 

It's not about "negotiating" whether the mind control will work, it's about discussing with the player whether they're comfortable with their PC being

MCed. I.E., you're not negotiating whether it will be effective, you're negotiating whether it will be used at all. A 4d6 KA will kill a normal human child if employed against one, but generally isn't employed in-game, because that wouldn't likely be an comfortable or enjoyable experience for players and GM.

 

I think one has to have a set of guidelines one can live with, as a player and as a GM. I wouldn't "negotiate" interaction skill attempts on a case-by-case basis because you'd wind up with woefully inconsistent(and therefore "unfair") outcomes. I would discuss having a system everyone could live by and live with. I'm leery of "PC script immunity" approaches because it tends to destroy certain types of scenarios(anything involving con games, for example) and may undo the RP illusion itself. I'm open to "partial immunity", though--defining a point beyond which a player/PC will not go, and things which tend to make the player uncomfortable or feel awkward.

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

One problem I have with "modern" gaming which is theoretically "superior" to old school gaming is the notion every aspect of play has to be modeled and rendered mechanistic. Its great gaming science, but horrible gaming art.

 

Can I quote you on that?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary is ruminating on it

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

To me, the best analogy for role-playing a character is this:

When I create a character, writing up their stats, background, complications, personality and so forth, I am designing the "sphere" in which that character "plays in character". Those stats, background information, complications, personality(as originally RPed) etc. defines not only who the character is, but what they tend to do, say, and think in any given situation. Whenever that character is put in a particular situation that requires a reaction, the particulars of that situation may influence the size of the sphere(i.e., it may broaden or narrow that character's range of possible responses to the situation). If they interact with another character, and that character makes an effort to influence their reaction or decision, those efforts may or may not be successful. If they are successful, then they may significantly reduce the size of the sphere, to the point where, as a player, I have a limited set of RP options, and if I go outside of those options, I will be "playing out of character". When I RP out of character, I know there is a substantial risk both in-game and meta-game. In-game, I may be penalized an experience point for playing out of character. Meta-game, I may be adversely impacting others' suspension of disbelief and enjoyment of the game session.

Even within the mechanistic system we do have for interaction skills, there are bonuses and penalties based on the quality of roleplaying the person puts into "acting out" use of the interaction skill(and by extension, one could have bonuses or penalties for the target roleplaying their efforts to resist the skill use). A +1 to +3 Bonus(or a -1 to -3 penalty) is nothing to sniff at. It could make the difference between success and failure, in the face of an extremely skilful interaction attempt.

Of the three options mentioned in The Ultimate Skill, page 65(Interaction skills have no effect; interaction skills have the same effect on PCs as NPCs, with no resistance rolls; PCs can be affected, but get a resistance roll), I tend to go with the "middle ground" one, and would even support letting the player attempt to role-play their way out of the situation(but within the aforementioned sphere(that's the +1 to +3 for good RP, if they get the benefit and still fail, hey, it's a game, let the plot develop accordingly)). I wouldn't treat it as a "get out of jail free card", though. Maybe, if the game has something like "hero points", they can also use those to try to get out of a "forced" outcome.

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

Definitely belongs here

 

 

Paladin Benatar

 

A knight of love

 

 

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

15 STR 5 12- Lift 200.0kg; 3d6 [1]

14 DEX 12 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5

13 CON 6 12-

10 BODY 0 11-

18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13-

14 EGO 8 12- ECV: 5

20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6

10 COM 0 11-

 

5/10 PD 2 Total: 5/10 PD (0/5 rPD)

5/10 ED 2 Total: 5/10 ED (0/5 rED)

3 SPD 6 Phases: 4, 8, 12

6 REC 0

26 END 0

25 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 57

 

Movement:

Running: 5"/10"

Leaping: 2"/4"

Swimming: 3"/6"

 

Cost Powers END

 

4 Youre a heartbreaker Dream maker, love taker Don't you mess around with me! : Skill Levels +3 to EGO Rolls (6 Active Points); Limited Power Only to resist Interaction Skills (-1/2)

 

7 Sanctuary, give me some protection : Armor (5 PD/5 ED) (15 Active Points); Only When Serving Love's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4) 1

 

7 Whatcha' tryin' a do to my head? : Mental Defense (10 points total)

 

5 What are ya tryin' a do to my head? : Mental Awareness

 

10 Whatcha' tryin' a do to my soul? : Power Defense (10 points)

 

3 You got every advantage when they put out the lights : Nightvision (5 Active Points); Only When Serving Love's Purposes (-1/2)

 

2 It's not so pretty when it fades away Cause it's just an illusion in this passion play : Detect A Class Of Things: Illusions and Images 13- (Unusual Group) (5 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2), Only When Serving Love's Purposes (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4) 1

 

26 One day every eye will see truth before the light. Let it be done right now : Dispel 12d6, any illusion or image type power one at a time (+1/4) (45 Active Points); Only When Serving Love's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4) 4

 

20 Love is the light, shining over every mountain top : Dispel Darkness 12d6 (36 Active Points); Only When Serving Love's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4) 4

 

5 Firewalkers feel no pain from the coals : (Total: 13 Active Cost, 5 Real Cost) Fireproof I Armor (0 PD/4 ED), Hardened (+1/4) (7 Active Points); Only When Serving Love's Purposes (-1/2), Only Works Against Fire or Heat (-1/2), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Incantations (-1/4) (Real Cost: 3) plus Fireproof II +4 ED (4 Active Points); Linked (Fireproof I; -1/2), Only When Serving Love's Purposes (-1/2), Only Works Against Fire or Heat (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4) (Real Cost: 1) plus Fireproof III Life Support (Safe in Intense Heat) (2 Active Points); Only When Serving Love's Purposes (-1/2), Linked (Fireproof I; -1/2) (Real Cost: 1) 1

 

9 He'd speak in unknown languages She'd translate every word : Universal Translator 14- (21 Active Points); Only When Serving Love's Purposes (-1/2), Limited Power Conversations only, not reading and writing. (-1/2), Conditional Power Modified by "The Love Factor" - i.e. friendly speech is easily communicated, angry speech would be gibberish. (-1/4)

 

12 He could not make things possible But, she could make them holy, holy... : Change Environment - Sanctify to Love 8" radius, -1 OCV, Long-Lasting 1 Hour, Conforming (+1/2) (45 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), Only to Activate, -3/4), Only when serving Love's purposes (-1/2), No Range (-1/2), Requires A Paladin Skill Roll (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4) 4

 

Talents

4 Hit me with your best shot!: Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) (6 Active Points); Limited Power Does not stack with armor or other resistant defenses (-1/2)

10 Stand with me here together In the light of love now And forever : Divine Favor

14 I know that you're afraid You know that Im afraid, too But you gotta have faith; you gotta listen To what your heart is telling you : Fearless

12 You Better Run! You Better Hide! You better leave from my sight! : Turn Undead

3 As he traveled on a road of hope : Bump Of Direction

 

Skills

3 Knock me down, it's all in vain, I get right back on my feet again: Breakfall 12-

2 This hard road traveled on Will lead us home, forever : Navigation (Land) 13-

3 You can see all the lights of the diamond field The treasure buried in plain sight : Concealment 13-

3 Tightrope walkin', in the web of light : Acrobatics 12-

3 I'm gonna follow you, `cause this here's my town : Shadowing 13-

3 You don't know these streets the way that I do : Streetwise 13-

6 Hear the lion's song, voices cryin' like a desert wind : Survival (Temperate/Subtropical, Desert, Mountain) 13-

3 Oh will you heal me, will you take away my pain : Paramedics 13-

3 What are we waiting for ? We can't afford to be innocent. Stand up and face the enemy. : Oratory 13-

3 I'm gonna follow you, `till I know your timing : Teamwork 12-

3 We are strong, no one can tell us we're wrong Searchin' our hearts for so long, both of us knowing Love Is A Battlefield: Tactics 13-

3 Just tryin' to keep the handle on the blade WF: Common Melee Weapons, Whips

3 So you think you got it all figured out You're an expert in the field, without a doubt But I know your methods inside and out - Jack of All Trades

2 1) I'm gonna dance for you! : PS: Dancing (3 Active Points) 12-

2 2) Once there was a man, and his words became a song of love And his song became the golden dream : PS: Singing (3 Active Points) 13-

2 3) We belong to the light, we belong to the thunder: PS: Paladin (3 Active Points) 13-

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 200

Total Cost: 257

 

75+ Disadvantages

10 You're the right kind of sinner, to release my inner fantasy - Psychological Limitation: Sucker for love - must make EGO roll to resist Seduction or attempted manipulation based on friendship, passion, or compassion (Common, Moderate)

5 The wounded are much wiser -Distinctive Features: Battle Scars (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

5 Because hell, Hell is for children - Enraged: A child is harmed, endangered, abused, or neglected (Uncommon), go 8-, recover 14-

10 Once again, I'll walk the coals Tiptoe through the minefields of your soul I've come to take you home - Dependent NPC: Various people who need help 8- (Normal)

15 Just like every cross you ever carried, every badge you ever wore Every vow you ever taken, every oath you ever swore - Psychological Limitation: Once committed, never backs down or changes course. (Common, Strong)

15 Hunted: Cause somewhere, somebody keeps a list Of the evils that men do 14- (Mo Pow, Watching)

5 In love and war we stand alone Trustin' nothin' but our own, red vision : Fated always to be alone; lovers, friends, and companions always turn out to be temporary Custom Limitation, Destiny

10 Somethin' brings us together, keeps tearin' us apart - Unluck: 3d6: Only with personal relationships (-1/2)

110 Totally Awesome Bonus

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 257

 

 

 

Quote:

So fear no evil

The God i know is Love, Love

Is a battlefield

 

We are young, heartache to heartache we stand

No promises, no demands

Love Is A Battlefield

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

I really should look up all those lyrics and credit the writers....

 

I took the lyrics from probably a dozen different Pat Benetar songs.

I wrote the haiku in the "Quotes" section, but I basically cobbled it out of pieces - Love is a Battlefield is a Benetar song, Fear no evil is from a psalm, and God is Love is from the gospels.

 

Edit: I'm thinking of adding martial arts, with the quote "Put up your dukes, let's get down to it!"

And maybe I can sneak Stealth in after all...

 

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary suggests figuring out how to load that HD file....[ATTACH]31080[/ATTACH]

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

I was going through the rules on the Stunning effect on Change Environment, and it can be resisted through making a CON roll. Here is the revised power with a CON roll modifier, and I've changed it to 20 minutes Extra Time.

 

Lovemaking Skill: Change Environment (-4 to CON Roll, Stunning), Costs Endurance Only To Activate (+1/4), Time Limit (1 Turn, +1 Turn per point the Skill Roll succeeds by; +1/4); Extra Time (20 Minutes, -2 1/2), Requires A Roll (PS: Perform Sexual Technique Skill roll, -1 per 20 Active Points modifier; Must be made each use; -3/4), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), No Range (-1/2). Active Points: 63. Real Cost: 12.

 

For each point higher CON modifier, the ability will cost about 1 extra real point. Technically, I suppose there could be a difference in male/female time required (like five minutes for men and twenty minutes for a woman), but it seemed easier to just write it up as a twenty minute ability.

 

Anti-Fertility Implant: Life Support (Immunity: Pregnancy); Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, -1/4), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 1 Season (-0). Active Points: 5. Real Cost: 4.

 

I was playing around with how you could do "the Pill" in a more advanced setting like cyberpunk or superhero, and this is what I came up with. It's basically an implant under the skin that lasts for 3 months. Since it's an implant, no focus limitation.

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

Since the topic has been broached, I think it might be useful to briefly discuss and compare the different ways you can handle social interactions, and persuade, influence, manipulate, coerce and control both PCs and NPCs in Hero System(and rpgs in general). I'll briefly give my view of the pros and cons of each approach(Roleplaying, PRE attacks, Interaction Skills, Mind Control, Mental Transform, Summon, Followers, Contacts, Social Combat, Bluebooking, Psychological and Social Complications/Character Backstory, and DNPCs).

 

Roleplaying--the original, oldest and possibly most widely-used approach to social interaction. Everyone has spoken "in character" at least once in their gaming lifetime(most likely). Two or more characters meet and converse, and the outcome is determined by a sort of mutual consensus of player(s) (and GM, if an NPC is involved), and said outcome may also be roleplayed out, storied out, or handwaved/"fades to black".

Pros--1. Entirely consensual--there's no issue of whether an outcome was "forced" on a player(even if coercion was used by a character within the scenario)

2. Naturalistic and comfortable--for those who are enthusiastic roleplayers and love to play out their character's interactions and reactions, the roleplaying approach may feel most natural and comfortable to them

3. Beneficial to those who are good at it--those who are good roleplayers are likely to accomplish more in-game by making use of this approach

4. Enhances the game mood/story/atmosphere--playing in character and interacting via roleplay can help to immerse players in the game and enhance the gaming experience for all participants

5. Flexibility--because of the negotiated, consensual nature of "free-form" roleplay, a broader range of outcomes may be possible, sometimes based on "what would be an interesting or fun direction to go with this?"

Cons

1. Inconsistent and sometimes anarchic--Often when free-form roleplay is heavily employed, the outcome of such interactions may not be consistent. Players may sometimes play out of character, GMs may sometimes be more or less accomodating, and multiple players may vie, in character, for the GM's attention/response. The results may come to resemble a "rap session" more than a tabletop gaming session.

2. Overly favors good roleplayers--Those who are especially good at role-playing may achieve outcomes that the characters they play likely could not, within the parameters of their PCs abilities and the setting/task.

3. Detrimental to less skilled roleplayers--Those who are not especially good at role-playing may become frustrated at their inability to achieve character goals in social interactions, especially when the character they play realistically should be more successful at such undertakings.

4. The Player/GM knowledge/lack of knowledge problem--This problem can occur even among skilled roleplaying groups. Basically, the player may possess knowledge or skills that their character lacks, or vice versa. They may then endeavor to take advantage of this knowledge, or suffer due to the lack thereof. In order to offset this, a GM is required to remind the player that their character lacks or possesses said knowledge, and in the latter case may even have to "spoon-feed" them the information, in order to advance the story.

5. Miscellaneous--Extensive roleplay can be time-consuming and "run out the clock" on accomplishing in-game goals(such as defeating a villain in combat). Some players may be less comfortable with speaking in character or roleplaying extensively. GMs handling a RP situation where less than the full group is involved may inadvertently neglect the rest of the group for extended periods of time, leading to boredom and/or frustration.

 

Next up: PRE attacks

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

Presence Attacks--another long-time standby of Hero System, predating the introduction of social interaction skills. Basically, the GM or player declares what their character is attempting to do with a given social interaction(which may involve acting it out or giving a brief soliloquy), the GM applies appropriate modifiers according to the situation and capabilities, and then rolls the character's PRE/5 in d6, plus or minus any modifiers, and compares it to the target(s) PRE(or EGO, whichever is higher). Based on the result, 6 different levels of effect can occur(PRE-1 or lower, PRE+0-9, PRE+10-19, PRE+20-29, PRE+30-39, and PRE+40+). The target is then affected accordingly and will respond accordingly.

Pros

1. Compatible with Roleplaying--because PRE attacks require a certain level of RP in order to be attempted/successful, they tend to encourage roleplaying on the part of players and GMs.

2. Concrete Effects Achievable--because PRE attacks are systematized, clear effects and levels of effect can be achieved, satisfying the need of players and GMs to have such concrete effects achievable in a given situation.

3. Can be defended against--characters can buy higher EGO, PRE defense, or make an EGO roll when a GM rules it appropriate, in order to resist the effects of PRE attacks.

4. Flexibility--among the various interaction approaches, PRE attacks are nearly as flexible as straight roleplay, since there are a wide range of situational modifiers, and players and GMs still have substantial leeway in determining how exactly their character will "act out" the effect of a PRE attack.

5. Combat utility--PRE attacks may be used in combat and are a good method to permit roleplaying to have a substantive effect on combat interactions as well as social interactions(e.g. battlefield morale).

Cons

1. The Blunt Instrument Problem--a PRE attack, compared to straight roleplay and to social interaction skills, is a bit of a "blunt instrument". It can often seem like a brute force approach to accomplishing social interaction goals.

2. Inconsistent results--because dice rolling is involved, one can roll lower or higher on the dice, resulting in highly variable outcomes to PRE attacks.

3. Potential for abuse--because the results table is tied to specific levels above the target's base PRE/EGO(i.e., +10, +20, etc.), a very high PRE can lead to having a character who has something akin to an "Area Effect Mind Control, 0 END Cost" at a very high level, and this could feel coercive/abusive to players or the GM.

4. Lower PRE = less success. A PC with a lower PRE score is at a major disadvantage both when making and defending against PRE attacks, and may become a little frustrated by their greater challenge for achieving social goals.

5. Repeated use becomes less effective. Unlike Roleplaying, social interaction skills or other methods, repeated use of PRE attacks for the same purposes against the same targets is increasingly less effective, per the rules. It therefore is of limited utility for situations where social interactions with the same parties are frequent.

 

Next Up: Social Interaction Skills

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

Interaction Skills--First introduced to the Hero System in the Espionage game, interaction skills were integrated into the Hero System as a whole in 1989, with the release of Hero 4th. Basically, they sub-divide various types of social skills and interactions into about 12 "official" PRE-based skills: Acting, Bribery, Charm(fka Seduction), Conversation, High Society, Streetwise, Trading, Persuasion, Oratory, Animal Handler, Bureaucratics, and Interrogation. Through use of these skills, characters can attempt and accomplish discrete (and discreet) social interaction tasks/goals, advancing a game's story line in the process. The player describes what they are attempting, the GM applies appropriate modifiers, possibly including permitting a complementary skill use attempt, makes their roll, then the GM decides whether an attempt to resist is appropriate, and if so, makes or allows an EGO roll to attempt to resist the effects(modified by how much the player or GM made their roll by). If the target fails their roll, then the level of result achieved is generally based on both how well the character made their skill roll, and by how much the target failed their resistance roll. In some campaigns, GMs may permit use of the Extraordinary Skill Rule, which allows skills of 18+ to be used to attempt to accomplish "impossible" tasks(such as seducing a convent full of man-hating sociopathic lesbian nuns) which are normally only accomplished through the use of powers such as Mind Control or Mental Transform.

Pros

1. Compatible with both PRE attacks and Roleplaying--interaction skills may be used in conjunction with roleplaying and PRE attacks(giving or receiving benefits to or from either). Because GMs may give bonuses to/from PRE attacks and from roleplaying out the skill use, they tend to encourage such roleplay.

2. Allow PCs to accomplish things their players couldn't--because the PCs may use social skills not possessed IRL by their players, those PCs may be better able to accomplish things that their players are singularly incapable or less capable of roleplaying out.

3. Allows nuance and differentiation not easily possible with RP/PRE attacks--because a PC may be better or worse at some types of social interactions than others, the use of Interaction skills is highly effective at modeling this, and may even permit PCs to "specialize" in particular areas, with one being especially skilled at charming upper crust elites, and another especially skilled at gaining information from the criminal underworld and negotiating backroom deals.

4. Puts reasonable limits on what can be accomplished via RP alone--if a player has, IRL, a great ability to "charm" people, but their character doesn't, then the GM can simply respond to any attempt that goes what beyond they believe the character would actually be capable of by saying, "well, your character isn't especially skilled at this, why don't you make your 8- roll, I'll give you +2 for good RP though". That way, the player doesn't get something for free that they should have to pay points for.

5. Allows characters to accomplish the impossible(within reason)--use of the ESR(Extraordinary Skill Rule) may permit effects which come very close to resembling(or in fact be effectively identical to) actual powers such as Mind Control or Mental Transform. In the right setting, this may enhance the atmosphere of the run as well as providing players (and sometimes NPCs) a Crowning Moment of Awesome.

Cons

1. Inconsistency--because skill roll resolutions use 3d6, and resistance rolls also use 3d6, it's quite possible for a character who has a very high skill roll to still fail with some regularity, even when doing so would seem to go against the general grain of the character/setting.

2. The Roll-Playing vs. Roleplaying problem--at the extreme, social interactions may boil down to a series of opposed rolls, with all the drama and atmosphere of a tactical wargame scenario. GMs and players have to be careful not to take their interaction skills for granted, and to invest at least some effort into a) roleplaying out their use, and B) not overusing them

3. Abuse potential--characters with extremely high skill rolls may become nearly infallible in their use, and may abuse them accordingly(do they really have to serially deflower every convent and farmer's daughter/wife in the whole country?). This is especially problematic if the target of their skill use is another PC(or if the GM is targeting a PC repeatedly or with an exceptionally problematic interaction goal(e.g., coerce/seduce a PC into going against a core belief)). This problem can be addressed in a variety of ways: skill roll caps, excluding the ESR, and penalizing PCs for abuse as "acting out of character"(or just having them face real consequences for their abuses and excesses).

4. Is it a power or a skill?--at very high levels, interaction skills begin to resemble superpowers or magic. To the extent that this begins to tread on game balance, or overshadow the superpowers/magic of others, this can be problematic. It may also be the case that the effect sought by the player/GM is better modeled as an appropriately limited(or even unlimited) form of power such as Mind Control or Mental Transform.

5. The "no skill <> no ability" problem--just because a character lacks the Charm skill, that doesn't mean they can't get a date! Just because they don't have anything above familiarity with Persuasion, they doesn't mean they are incapable of lying effectively. Where interaction skills are used, the GM has to work out how interactions which don't use said skills develop. This is likely to just lead to roleplaying, which can tend to undercut the whole point of having interaction skills in the first place.

 

Next Up: Mind Control

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

I don't think and IME' date=' roleplaying, skills and Pre attacks aren't mutually exclusive and can compliment each other and bring more depths and fun to a game.[/quote']

 

yes, I've noted that under pros for both PRE attacks and interaction skills. Where I focus on Cons is when any method tends to be used exclusively in a game.

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

Mind Control--around since 1st Edition Champions, this is pretty much the original method of flat out coercing/manipulating/controlling a character(including a PC) into doing something they wouldn't normally do or are even violently opposed to doing. It is useful for powers and situations where such a compulsion/coercion fits the scenario or setting or character. The character attacks with MC against the target's DMCV(unless it's MC based on CON), subtracts any mental defense and compares the results to the target's ego. 6 levels of effect are possible(EGO-1 or lower, EGO+0-9, EGO+10-19, EGO+20-29, EGO+30-39, EGO+40+) and a variety of options may permit supplemental effects(target forgets what happened while MCd, target thinks their actions were natural, target and others aren't aware the MC happened/is happening, commands are sent telepathically and always correctly interpreted, etc.). The target has a very good chance to resist(in most circumstances), getting an immediate EGO roll to attempt to "breakout", and another every higher time increment thereafter(with a cumulative +1 per attempt, unless the MC is continuing/constant). The MC can be broad, or very narrow(single emotion, set effect(run away in fear), etc.).

Pros

1.Concrete Effects Achievable--Because MC attacks are systematized, clear effects and levels of effect can be achieved, giving players and GMs the ability to have such effects achievable in a given situation.

2. Can be defended against--all targets get a breakout roll, and may buy mental defense, higher ego, bonuses to break out, damage reduction and damage negation in order to make themselves more difficult(or even nigh-impossible) to affect with MC.

3. Specificity and flexibility--MC attacks can be used to get a character to perform an action(or not act) exactly as the character wishes them to. It can, properly defined, precisely model a limited but coercive effect upon target(s). It could, for example, model something like a religious geas, compelling a knight to pursue a specific "sacred task" or quest on behalf of their deity.

4. Combat utility--MC can have very broad combat utility, permitting characters to manipulate others into attacking each other, ignoring the character or even surrendering/letting the character get away.

5. WYSIWYG--a player whose character is attacked with Mind Control knows exactly what the possible consequences of a failed breakout roll are. There is no "unfair surprise" element. To the extent a player accepts the use of MC in a game, they consent also to the possibility it will be used on them(within reason and assuming said use isn't abusive).

Cons

1. Explicitly Coercive--MC, by definition, compels a character to perform actions they wouldn't otherwise perform, up to and including acts which go against the very nature of their personality/core beliefs. Players and GMs who abuse such abilities are likely to generate strong hostility from the rest of the game group, even where use of MC on players is generally tolerated/accepted.

2. The "I spent 75 points on this and it's frackin' useless" problem--one of the glaring game mechanics problems with mental powers generally is the breakout roll problem--essentially MC is one of the few attack powers which has a "second chance" to fail--and a very significant chance at that. This was a provision likely put into the system to placate players concerned about turning into "meat puppets" in combat(and who apparently still didn't want to spend points on extra EGO or mental defense--sorry, editorial comment there.) The net effect is that MC tends to be either underwhelming or overwhelming, with little in-between.

3. The "I spent 150 points on this and its completely unstoppable" problem--the opposite problem, where the MC is so powerful that the breakout roll is a mere formality, and a player subjected to such is likely to feel like a meat puppet in combat.

4. The Puppeteer problem--players don't generally want to feel like puppets, and GMs don't particularly want players to turn major NPCs into puppets either.

5. Mind Control is Eeee-vil: There's not a lot of genre fiction about benevolent mind-controllers who use their powers for the common good of humanity. Probably a reason for that. One of the powers with the highest potential for abuse(since so much of getting what you want depends on getting others to do what you want or give you what you want, if you actually have the ability to compel them to do so, the temptation to use that ability may become overwhelming over time).

 

Next: Mental Transform

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Mental(and Social) Transforms--This ability was introduced to Hero System as of 4th edition, although Champions III did introduce the concept of the Transform attack first. A Mental Transform, aka "psychic surgery", permits a character to alter, adjust, add or remove Psychological Complications(and in a variant form, Social Complications) from a character. When used to add one or more Total Commitment level complications, it may effectively turn the target into the character's willing, obedient, enthusiastic slave. The character attacks vs. the target's DMCV, rolls the dice of transform and compares it to the target's ego. When the cumulative roll exceeds 2x the target's ego(plus the total points in added/removed complications divided by 5), the target is completely transformed. The transform is usually reversed by re-use of the same ability, telepathic therapy, or natural recovery(target typically recovers 4 points of EGO per month). Sometimes a Transform may have a partial effect, or a transitory/more limited psychological effect.

Pros

1. Concrete and lasting effects available--Mental and Social Transforms can be used to get a character to consistently behave the way the PC or NPC wishes them to. Such effects may be long-lasting or even permanent, depending on circumstances.

2. Can be defended against--characters may buy mental defense, power defense, extra ego or extra body, damage reduction and damage negation in order to make themselves more difficult to affect with MT.

3. Specificity and Flexibility--mental and social transforms can be defined in many different ways, to achieve many different effects. They can even be used to "cure" a target of a crippling Psychological or Social Complication.

4. Combat limited--MT, unlike MC, is less likely to be effective in combat(because it generally requires attacking multiple times), making it less of an "instant win" power, comparatively speaking.

5. WYSIWYG--MT and ST are both explicitly long-lasting mental attack powers. In any campaign where they are used, players will be aware that there are lasting consequences to being successfully attacked with such powers. Again, no unfair surprise element, so long as players are aware such powers exist and they may be occasionally subjected to them. Some players may even view it as a unique roleplaying opportunity, to play their characters under the influence of such powers.

Cons

1. Explicitly coercive--because it can alter a character's personality and subvert their decision-making in a lasting way, MT can be used to not only make characters act against their personality and core beliefs, it can even change their personality and core beliefs to the extent of being the complete opposite of what they were(e.g., a magic spell which brings forth their "mirror universe" equal and opposite persona). Players subjected to this, or GMs who have players subject major NPCs to this, may react strongly and adversely to it.

2. The "why would I ever buy mind control when I can enslave people forever and never worry about breakout rolls" problem-- Simply put, MT tends to overshadow MC, because it's not subject to the same limitations--the targets don't get a breakout roll, and the effects can potentially last for the entire campaign(or until the target dies). Some players may be tempted to buy such an incredibly effective ability instead of(not just in addition to) MC.

3. The "this never works in combat" problem--because MT tends to be expensive, most players can't afford to buy enough to rapidly transform opponents in combat. With lower dice totals than MC, characters with moderate amounts of the appropriate defense may even be nearly immune to the effects of the MT.

4. The "Free Followers" problem--characters who use this power a lot may wind up having a bunch of mind-slaves they didn't pay points for. In the event a GM permits this, they should either hint to the PC that their hold over their slaves may not be as secure as they think, or require them to spend points on buying them as followers.

5. MT is Super-Evil--It's one thing to temporarily MC a PC in combat, it's another to make them your butt-boy for the next several sessions. Needless to say, most players aren't terribly "cool" with the latter idea, and may upend the gaming table and leave the group if such a scenario is unilaterally imposed on them. Only if the player(s) is willing to go along with such a storyline should a MT or ST be employed against their PC.

 

Next: Summon

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Summon--This power enables a character to call upon the services of an NPC character, monster, demon, created being, etc., to perform any sort of task(combat, non-combat, social, etc.) and then return from whence they came once their service is completed. As written, summoned beings arrive without being explicitly under the control of the summoner, who must either win an EGO vs. EGO roll contest, or purchase an advantage on the summon(from Amicable to Slavishly Devoted) to have a summoned being more inclined to do as the summoner wishes. The summoner may even purchase the power with the Extra Tasks advantage, to have a summoned being available to them on a long-term or even permanent basis. If taken with the Any Specific Being advantage, and possibly the Summoned Being Arrives Under Own Power and Summoned Being Must Inhabit Locale, it may become a sort of de facto Mind Control, and a completely effective one at that.

Pros

1. Concrete and lasting effects--the summoner may summon a being to serve them directly in some capacity--combat, non-combat, socially, or even sexually. The being may stay and perform a set number of tasks, until they break free or until the summoner dismisses them from service.

2. Can be defended against--the summoned being may make an EGO vs. EGO roll to try to break free of the summoner's control, unless they are already Amicable or better-inclined to the summoner. A GM could probably define a "defense" for a specific being(such as an EGO-5 roll or X points of Mental Defense), to circumvent Summon being used as 100% effective Mind Control.

3. Specificity and Flexibility--Summon may be used to procure/command the services of different types of beings and even specific beings. It can represent a magical summon, a customized and quickly manufactured robot servant, or even a drone straight out of a birthing matrix.

4. Compatible with Roleplaying--a GM or even a volunteer player may roleplay the summoned being, providing an opportunity flex their RP chops and likely enhancing the gaming experience for everyone. Summoners may also negotiate the services and payment of the summoned being, providing further RP opportunities.

Cons

1. The Free Followers Problem--Summon which is highly reliable and frequently used may result in PCs or NPCs who have lots of varied loyal servants and haven't really paid fully for the benefits of having them around nearly all the time. If the summoned beings are nearly permanent, the GM should probably require players to pay points for them and buy them as Followers.

2. Summon as Mind Control--as mentioned above, a summon taken with the proper advantages(any specific being, Slavishly devoted, +3) is effectively an absolute form of mind control. As such it has a very high abuse potential.

3. Summoned beings unreliable and controlled by GM--beings summoned by a PC are NPCs whose actions and reactions are ultimately controlled by the GM. As such they may not be as reliable as those under other forms of influence.

 

Next: Followers

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

If nothing else, I'm updating a lot of materiel to 6th edition finally

Hyborean Dancing Girl

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

8 STR -2 11- Lift 75.8kg; 1 ½d6

13 DEX 6 12- OCV: 4/DCV: 5

13 CON 3 12-

8 INT -2 11- PER Roll 11-

8 EGO -2 11- ECV: 2 - 2

13 PRE 3 12- PRE Attack: 2 ½d6

4 OCV 5

5 DCV 10

2 OMCV -3

2 DMCV -3

3 SPD 10 Phases: 4, 8, 12

3+3 PD 1 Total: 3/6 PD (0/3 rPD)

3+3 ED 1 Total: 3/6 ED (0/3 rED)

4 REC 0

20 END 0

8 BODY -2

20 STUN 0

Total Characteristic Cost: 21

 

Movement: Running: 8m/16m Leaping: 4m/8m Swimming: 4m/8m

 

Talents

3 Beautiful: +1/+1d6 Striking Appearance (vs. all characters)

2 Sensual: +1/+1d6 Striking Appearance (vs. [Males])

1 Graceful: +1/+1d6 Striking Appearance (vs. all characters) (3 Active Points); Conditional Power Only while dancing (-1)

6 Her flesh is too pretty to ruin with wounds: Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)

 

Skills

3 I am skilled and graceful: Acrobatics 12-

3 I can tumble: Breakfall 12-

3 I can be anything you want me to be: Acting 12-

2 I am clever with make up and costumes: Disguise 10-

3 I can hold any position you choose: Contortionist 12-

2 You are so fascinating, please tell me more: Conversation 10-

2 I'd be so grateful....: Persuasion 10-

3 Surely you realize I can't be hiding anything in THIS outfit: Concealment 11-

3 I am light on my feet: Stealth 12-

3 ...: Charm (without saying a word) 12-

3 Trained (Jack of All Trades)

2 1) PS: Concubine (PRE based) (3 Active Points) 12-

2 2) PS: Dancing (DEX Based) (3 Active Points) 12-

1 3) PS: Singing (2 Active Points) 11-

2 KS: Carnal Knowledge 11-

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 49

 

Total Cost: 70 100+ Matching Complications

70 Base Points

10 Social Complication: Hyborean dancing girl Frequently, Major, Not Limiting In Some Situations

15 Hunted: Hyborean monsters from the world of Conan, evil wizards, bloody handed barbarians, etc. Infrequently (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish)

5 Caveat Emptor: Hyborean dancing girls often have psychological or other inobvious flaws: Unluck, Destined to be the bride of a God, favorite bauble turns out to belong to an evil cult that wants it back, weakness for black haired blue eyed men, tendency to hinder a warrior in combat by kneeling and embracing his legs just when a monster is looming menacingly, etc

 

Total Complications Points: 70

 

Background/History: It all started with the famous Mr. Surbrook (Susano) posting a number of the Hero write ups he is so well known for under the title "Hyborean Monsters from the World of Conan." Well, actually it started with Robert E. Howard writing his famous Conan stories, but then a long time later came the Hero System, and then of course Susano came along to express the one in terms of the other. Then someone asked "Where are the Hyborean dancing girls?" With an opening like that, what could I do but say "Here they are!" and present them? They've gone through a couple of revisions since then, and this incarnation updates the concept for 6th edition. If you want one, I'm afraid they've gotten more expensive.

 

Personality/Motivation: Varies. A dancing girl is often a slave, but they may be whores, thieves, influential courtesans, royal concubines, assassins, spies, or any or all of the above.

 

Quote: "I don't know how you got in here, barbarian, but one scream and the guards will MMFF! MFM! M....mmmm....kiss me again like that and I'll show you how to get past the guards...."

 

Powers/Tactics: CENSORED

 

Campaign Use: Built on 70 Base Points plus 30 Complication Points, the Hyborean Dancing Girl is designed to fit the guidelines for a "Competent Normal." 30 pts are left unspent for customization or Skill growth. Available for Sale (100 pt Follower for 20 pts) or Lease (Example: Summon two (for the price of one) 100 pt Dancing Girls for 25 pts, delivery to civilized regions only (Hyborean kingdoms and some Shemitic city-states) (-½ limit “must inhabit locale”) allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery (-5 limit extra time) Payment in Cash (-1 ¼ Limit Expendable OAF: Gold) for a low, low total of 3 Real Points - ask about insurance against Cimmerian barbarians carrying off your dancing girls!)

 

Appearance: It is an age undreamed of, in a purple and crimson and golden universe, and even the drudge scrubbing the floor is beautiful, her soiled rags and the marks of toil only serving to highlight the charms of her vulnerable femininity that invite your hungry gaze and stir thoughts of seduction or of ravishment - what do you think the dancing girls look like?

 

Character sheet by

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Copyright Palindromedary Enterprises

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Followers

This perk permits a character to have a sidekick, an entourage, or even a whole army of (reasonably) loyal allies, worshippers, paid henchmen or followers. The cost of the follower(s) is based directly on their point total and total number. The follower, once purchased, is written up by the player and/or the GM, and is generally role-played by the GM. Sometimes a base or vehicle can have followers as well.

Pros

1. You get what you pay for--Followers will generally have a benefit to the character equal to their point cost to them. An extra helping hand in combat, a skilled specialist in noncombat, or a faithful companion and supporter in social situations, a follower is a highly valuable thing to have.

2. They generally do what you want them to--While the loyalty level of a follower can be somewhat variable depending on backstory and writeup, they generally will perform any reasonable task that the character sets for them. Fanatically loyal or slavishly devoted followers may even perform disgusting, criminal or suicidal actions on behalf of their "beloved master". While repeated abuse of a follower may lead to their leaving or even attacking the character, some followers may have greater tolerance than others.

3. Specificity and Flexibility--since followers are created by the player or GM, with specific writeups or duties in mind, the construct is capable of representing virtually any kind of servant, sidekick, or companion.

4. GM-limited utility/ubiquity--because the follower's actions are determined by the GM, the follower's availability to the character in a given scenario is also limited by the GM, and the GM has the option to limit their availability in any situation where they feel the follower's abilities might "short circuit" or unbalance a scenario(e.g., 50 armed followers showing up while the character is fighting a one-on-one duel).

5. Compatible with roleplaying--since a follower is played by a GM, players may enjoy interacting with their followers during down time or critical moments ingame, and this may enhance the gaming experience for everyone else as well.

Cons

1. Sometimes, you get less than you paid for--it's possible for a GM who is a little uncomfortable with a PC's followers to roleplay them and limit them in such a way that they wind up acting more like a DNPC(and one of lesser competence, at that) than a follower.

2. The "Sidekick, slave, same thing really" problem--players may come to treat their followers like personal servants, and GMs then have the extra duty of reining in such abuses.

3. Face Time with Bucky is time not spent roleplaying with other players or with other NPCs. It can detract from the gaming experience for the PC to spend too much time RPing with his followers, and even feel a bit like an RP "circle jerk".

4. Inconsistency--some followers may be fanatically loyal and never betray their master, while others may be loyal only to the almighty gold piece and not show up when badly needed. The Hero System used to have an adder reflecting the varying loyalty of followers, but for some reason did away with this.

 

Next: Contacts

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Contacts

This perk gives a character a valuable ally, supplier, mentor or connection, who can provide them with information, services or even equipment/transportation/combat assistance in certain situations. The contact is not as ubiquitous or as obedient as a follower is, but with a higher roll can become pretty reliable. The character declares their reason for making a connection with the contact, and the request they are going to make, the GM applies modifiers, then the character rolls to determine whether the request is acceded to or rejected.

Pros

1. Compatible with roleplaying--the player and GM can RP the process of communicating with the contact, and so long as it's interesting(and brief), it can enhance the game experience for the whole group.

2. Specificity and Flexibility--because the contacts are generally chosen for specific purposes, and because a character can have a wide variety of contacts, the system is quite capable of meeting the many and varied needs players may have for such connections.

3. GM limited ubiquity and utility--because the GM roleplays the contact, and may determine when they're available and what they're able to provide the PC with, there is a means of preventing abuse of the contact perk.

Cons

1. The "because I said so" problem--as in the case of followers a GM may be uncomfortable with, they may also clamp down on a PC's contacts, in order to forestall the PC acquiring something the GM deems too useful(and thus a threat to short-circuit a scenario). Needless to say, this is potentially frustrating for players.

2. "contact, slave, same thing"--at high contact roll levels, PCs may come to take contacts for granted and abuse their use of them. It then falls to the GM to have the contacts react appropriately and rebalance things.

3. face time with Nick Fury is time not spent roleplaying with other players(see followers, above)

 

Next: Social combat

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Social Combat

This is pretty much a brand spanking new approach to social interactions(introduced and detailed in the Advanced Players Guide, Vol. II), although there was an antecedent in an old Adventurers' Club article which proposed something similar. Basically, AIUI, in social combat, characters have several new stats which supplement Presence: Social Combat Value(offensive and defensive), Social defense, Savoir Faire(effectively, social recovery), and Composure(equivalent to STUN). Social Combat attacks roll PRE/5 in d6, plus any modifiers, subtract social defense, and compare the results to PRE(or something...). In addition there are both basic and advanced social combat maneuvers, which enable the "combatants" to attempt and achieve various social effects.

Pros

1. It's New! And It Hasn't Been Tried in Hero Before!

2. Structuring social combat like real combat may have some appeal to gamers who are leery of roleplaying social situations, because it's structured in a "tactical" way and they may be more comfortable with that.

3. It's compatible with roleplaying--well, probably. It seems like a fair amount of roleplaying is involved, just as one might expect a character playing a martial artist to devote some effort to describing their maneuvers and actions in some detail.

4. By formalizing social interactions, it may elevate them to parity with combat interactions.

5. Nobody's used the system yet, so nobody's figured out how to exploit and abuse it yet.

Cons

1. It's a brand new system! With New Stats to purchase! And New Maneuvers to buy! And New Rules to learn!

2. The level of detail/kludge may be a turn off to some roleplayers, who may be more comfortable with just roleplaying and rolling a PRE attack or interaction skill roll(opposed or unopposed)

3. The gamers who this may be designed to appeal to may just flat out remain indifferent to gaming out social interactions, no matter how much free pizza and mountain dew you offer them.

4. Players who are resistant to being influenced by NPC PRE attacks and Interaction skills are likely to remain resistant to NPC influence, even when "defeated" in "social combat".

5. Time spent in social combat is time not available for actual combat, so a group may have to choose one or the other for a particular session.

 

Next: Bluebooking

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Bluebooking

Bluebooking is essentially a form of roleplaying which can take place before, during and after a sit-down game group session. It is generally a Player to Player or Player to GM sort of thing, and can be conducted via written notes(e.g., passing a "blue book" back and forth) or via e-mail/phone RP session. It is usually used when a player or GM wants some extra opportunity to RP out a particular sub-plot or mini-scenario, and may also be used to RP more sensitive or controversial situations and interactions. Sometimes bluebooking may be public and involve group participation, but most of the time it's confidential or semi-confidential.

Pros

1. Compatible with roleplaying and other systems--nothing in bluebooking prevents the use of other social interaction resolution systems. It can enhance the individual enjoyment of players and GMs.

2. Provides a way to cater to individual RP interests without eating up everyone else's time

3. Provides confidentiality and helps mitigate the problem of player knowledge

4. GMs and players have flexibility in deciding when bluebooking is appropriate

5. Something to entertain the group with between game sessions--it's sorta like community fan fic in that way.

Cons

1. The other players may wind up missing half of what's actually going on

2. Bluebooking can be overdone--to the extent that a player is really playing a completely different game than everyone else

3. The GM may have to do extra work

4. May be detrimental to group cohesion if they begin to distrust what a player is bluebooking a GM about

5. The interactive stuff posted between sessions may begin to resemble bad fan fic, or even bad slash fic, and quietly turn off some players

 

Next: Psych and Social Complications and Character Backstory

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Psych and Social Complications and Character Backstory

The psychological and social complications(and to some extent, reputation and distinctive features) a player or Gm assigns to a character, and the backstory they give them, helps to flesh out that character's personality and motivations. They may have a rigid code of honor, or come from a broken childhood, or be a former slave. All of these things may influence or even dictate how the character behaves and is received socially. The frequency and intensity of the complications determines how often they will come up in game, and how dramatically it will affect their reactions and interactions with others.

Pros

1. Fully compatible with roleplaying--depending on the complications, it is also highly likely to be compatible with virtually every other approach on this list. Can greatly enhance the gaming experience, by fleshing out and justifying the character's personality, motivations and reactions.

2. You pay for what you get--Complications, by definition, complicate the character's life. Even though there may be occasional side benefits to strong psych lims(bonuses to breakout rolls, for example), for the most part they will come up in situations where there's some detriment to sticking to your guns(e.g. The Killing Joke always escapes to kill again, and you can never bring yourself to do him in for good).

3. No unfair surprise--a character who buys Lecherous for their character will hardly be shocked that said character hopped into bed with a Succubus without much prompting. Nor will a character who is Greedy be surprised to find themselves tempted by an offer to sell off a few of their more expedient moral principles in exchange for a little extra something in an envelope.

4. Flexibility and specificity--you can precisely and variously define psychs, socials and backstory in almost any way imaginable, so that virtually any code of conduct can be concretely represented and any social drawback or motivation as well.

5. Gives the GM ideas--permits the GM to come up with ways to engage the player/PC's interest and investment.

Cons

1. The "target on my back" problem--when abused, gives the GM carte blanche to mess with a PC, jerking them around using their complications and backstory

2. Can complicate an entire scenario--a complication which seems relatively innocuous may become massively problematic when the only apparent way for PCs to resolve a situation conflicts with one character's psych lim or backstory

3. Can be time-consuming--certain complications can lead to a PC making fairly heavy demands on a GM's time to resolve/roleplay out, leading to resentment from other players

4. "and that is why I am your king"--a back story which isn't carefully laid out may have inconsistencies or other problems which can crop up later--things which make sense to one player may make no sense to others

5. Player hostage-taking--the opposite of target on my back; PCs learn an NPCs complications and begin ruthlessly using them to manipulate them; GMs tend to hate this

 

Next: DNPCs

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Re: The "Essay"(ESSE/UEH) Project(Warning: mature/controversial content contained her

 

The Bluebooking option is what my group's campaigns have used with regard to some romances and other situations, precisely because others aren't supposed to know what's going on, and because it keeps the relationship from eating everyone else's face time.

 

JG

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