Rewarding

Its that time of year again...

Time to re-watch those classic movies, to meet loved ones and give gifts! With a spirit of sharing I have an idea I wanted to share.

Most RPGs allow for conditional bonuses, a +2 boost if you are putting in extra effort... Most RPGs also offer bonuses for good role playing. Extra XP points or a re-roll if your head is "in the game."

Usually the GM hands these out, but there is no reason the players themselves cannot award an MVP!

When the game is over, have players nominate and decide from themselves who did "the best" for the day! The reward for this winner should all be decided upon by the group, players and GM.

Even better the reward should be something appropriate to what made that player stand out. Paying close attention in a dangerous fight scene can boost defense for example. Or helping explain a complicated plan to others may temporarily boost a character's intelligence.

In addition to the rewards granted, this mini election also has some secondary effects.

Chiefly, it helps prevent a GM from picking favorites. A referee and judge who is partial to one side will not be making good and fair decisions. The players can help do that instead by choosing who they think did a great job. It may well be the same player who is chosen as the best for every game. But if everyone feels that way then that is where the story goes. Encourage that good behavior.

Another thought on voting this way, is that you might ask players to vote in secret, to justify their nomination, or take turns picking a winner themselves. This can help draw attention to elements of game play others were not noticing. If one player wants to reward behavior other people missed or thought unimportant, that players voice is amplified when acknowledgement is given. Acknowledgement and recognition help to round out of game for everyone involve. To help prevent it from being an event for 2 or 3 "active participants," and some "observers."

Obviously you want your involvement in the game to be good for everyone at the table. A MVP award if just another way to ensure everyone is contributing and that those contributions are welcome.

Blind Ante

I had a recent request from a player to have a hidden talent of their character. The player wanted to give the character a sense that they were special in some way, but their true nature is unknown. It reminded me of a few years ago when I was playing around with destiny. I liked that experience for myself and I thanked my player for giving me some creative freedom over his character. Quite a privilege.

This doesn't break any rules, other players can impact a way a character fleshes out. So to can the narrator, or even the enemies of a game. Still, to decide secretly what magical qualities the PC has will be a lot of fun. Believe me I immediately had idea, seconds after I was imbued with the power.

I'm excited for this and I'm offering it up as a suggestion even though I haven't tried it yet. Allowing your fellow players the detailing about your character could be a very creative opportunity.

Be careful of course. Wouldn't want to find our you have only one arm when you begin play. Stick with the idea above, something nobody (in the game) would know. Only the Narrator (and destiny) will reveal the truth.

Or be bold and go in without any knowledge. Simply assume the role you have been dealt!

A wild time indeed!

Relationship Round Robin

The beginning of an adventure can often be confusing. Many plot points need to be identified on day one. One such challenge in the beginning is coming up with a reason every hero knows each other. It is a good first move to establish how the player characters want to interact with each other. Cooperation, compromise and conflict, seen early by just asking, "how do I know you again?"

Sometimes it can be tough to think of a reason 4, 5, 6, or more heroes are teaming up. It took the MCU a whole movie to have the avengers assemble. One trick to tie everyone together is to create one relationship for ever player.

Each player character is related to one other. A knows B, B knows C, C knows D, D knows E, and E knows A.

For 5 heroes you have a circle of 5 relationships that establishes a connection to to be played off of later.

This relationship can be just about anything. Could be family, could be romantic, could be strictly business. It can be an active affair - A and B are attending the same school, or it could be former, C and D - are divorced.

Whatever the explanation because each person is tied to two others, the whole table has a step in the door to building a relationship.

Whether the player characters love each other, or tolerate each other, it can be very puzzling if they are just strangers.

Bonus points if you include NPCs many heroes know as well.

Remember its all make believe, nothing happens unless you say it is so. So say it out loud and add some details to why the heroes are in it to win it!

Player Asymmetry

One of the expectations that can challenged in a team game is of equity. Plenty of conflicts and challenges are approached by people who don't have the same level of resources to offer. But that doesn't mean their contribution is without merit. Look at the American Revolution, where a bunch of under provisioned dissidents took on a global superpower. The drama is still there even if the match-up is "unfair."

Of course for fiction the challenge to the players should be on par with what they are able to accomplish. fighting 50 foot killer robots is not something the normal police can do, leave that to superman. But, a story can involve both Superheroes and those without such powers. Dynamics between players who are mismatched like this can be very interesting. 

Just make sure there is a challenge suited for each level of power. Or try to be creative in ways the little guy can take on Goliath. Such a game might be the most rewarding, if teamwork is made between people of different means.

Ssshhhh...

Typically when a game begins the heroes address each other and introduce themselves. Sometimes players divulge everything these is to know, where they come from, their hopes and dreams. Sometimes players have short divulges, "my character's name is bob, and he likes to fix things."

Almost never do players refuse to share something about their characters, nor do they lie. But, having a secret would be a great element to role-play with.

I've tossed around the idea before and never use it enough, but I encourage you to have a secret character sheet. Anything about your character that would be too embarrassing or damaging to make public can go on this secret character sheet. Throughout game play the other character can find clues and learn more about you. They may have known that Bob was an auto-mechanic, but they may never have known he was deep in debt.

Talk to your GM before you make any big secrets for your character. But, you could make a whole adventure around players finding out each others dirty secrets. Try and it out, and tell me how it goes.

Or maybe, don't tell me. Hush-Hush and all that.

Wu-Bai

Art By: Alexis Heikkinen

I'm back with another concept, this one a little short and sweet.

One of my favorite video games is Total Wars Shogun: 2. One of my favorite parts of that game is the little text spinets you get when you select new units and buildings. I won't pretend to be an expert on Feudal Japan, or on Shinto Buddhism. But, I always appreciate that window into another time and place. I shall always be on the outside looking in, but I think the game developers did a fair attempt to keep it authentic. But, again I don't really know how is really was.

One thing I am more confident about, regarding Buddhism, is the idea of impermanence. Indeed as part of the Bushido code, death, or more appropriately endings, is a core essence to why the Samurai act as they do.

This got my thinking of the recognition of endings in a place you might not expect, say an Elf. The immortality of elves, is super common in most fiction. So is an Elf's long view point of the world. If your existence continues ever and ever,  it might be hard to think of the void, or a state of non-being.

I'd love to delve more into this, but again I am only the outsider looking in. For now I offer up Wu-Bai. Who, while immortal, recognizes that his eventual death is part of the wider natural world. This is what led him to train as a warrior.