AndreasDavour
Topic Author
Posts: 41
Joined: Mon 19 Dec 2016, 23:20

A way to bring Pride forward

Sat 02 Jan 2021, 14:38

I have noted that in my game, Pride is very seldom invoked. The same is true of the Dark Secret.

As these two are a way to bring in the personality of the characters more, I am thinking of changing the XP system somewhat. I'd like to hear if anyone have reactions on these ideas.

So, I'm thinking of changing the rules for how to invoke your Pride. I'm thinking of still limiting it to once per session, but to allow it to be invoked for any roll what so ever, when that personality trait applies. No more pushing, failing or whatever. Whenever your Pride can be argued to apply, add in a D12 to your roll. Go wild.
If you fail, rules work as written.

I'd change nothing about XP, so it would be as written. If your Pride was invoked during the session, you mark XP.

I think one reason Secrets and Prides have come up so rarely is that my players have been out in the wilderness all the time, and been banging their foreheads against site based adventures for which they have been unprepared. Instead of going out to seek reinforcements or skills and lore, they have persisted, and paid the price. They now feel they must persist or they will never find any treasure (their motivation). Had they been more involved with people at settlements, maybe their Pride and Secrets would have been used more. But, as you can succeed at most tasks just by pushing, it's too hard to invoke Pride. Thus these rules. We'll see about Secrets later.
 
Mr Oldtimer
Posts: 391
Joined: Sun 14 Apr 2019, 12:01

Re: A way to bring Pride forward

Sat 02 Jan 2021, 22:14

Well, if you feel that way, go ahead. And please tell us what your experience is after a while.
To me and my group, the problem seems to be my players just don’t give the Pride and/or dark secrets that much thought. Most of the time they rely on me giving them adventure hooks that tie in with their dark secrets and it’s really, really seldom they bring up their Pride, though I have never said ”no” to any of them when they argue why their Pride would work, no matter how they strech the description. If they want to use the Pride and at least bother to try and come up with a reason, I’ll allow it.
Unfortunately, only one of my players feel some interest in helping driving the narrative and take own initiative to incorporate the dark secrets. The rest just wants to be spoon fed a story, without having to do too much work.
If you have any ideas on how to alter that mindset it would be much appreciated.
 
AndreasDavour
Topic Author
Posts: 41
Joined: Mon 19 Dec 2016, 23:20

Re: A way to bring Pride forward

Sat 02 Jan 2021, 23:21

I think we have a similar problem, but maybe for slightly different reasons. But, maybe the same solution can apply? I am not sure a stick would do much, but a carrot might. The idea with tweaking how to invoke Pride is in a way to make it easier to reach for it.

I think that maybe the best way to get a Secret into play is to do like it works in Fate, and reward the player when you invoke their Problem. Some kind of players seem to be very vary of taking on narrative duties, or even just taking initiative. I know that some players feel daunted by doing "GM stuff", like deciding facts about the world och suchlike. For them I guess you just have to throw that Secret in their face, and dangle the carrot in front of them and hope they grab for "free XP". I have gotten the impression my players actually wouldn't mind bringing their Secrets into the game, but they don't know how. That might be the key for you, to find out what's your player's reason for sitting back and not stepping up and do stuff.
 
AndreasDavour
Topic Author
Posts: 41
Joined: Mon 19 Dec 2016, 23:20

Re: A way to bring Pride forward

Sat 02 Jan 2021, 23:24

Now when I've started to think about it. How about making the Pride XP grow with time? The first Pride is worth 1 XP, but if you fail and have to get another, that one is worth 2 XP? Hmm.. Might be a really bad idea. I will think a bit more about that one.
 
Mr Oldtimer
Posts: 391
Joined: Sun 14 Apr 2019, 12:01

Re: A way to bring Pride forward

Sun 03 Jan 2021, 01:16

Interesting. But XP is not the main goal for my players any more. The PCs have survived for a year and a half of weekly gaming sessions. They have all the XP they need. Well, almost. The drive for them nowadays is the story, to see what will unfold and what bringing Ravens Purge to an end will be like. What the resolution might be.
I’ve tied their dark secrets into the main story on numerous occasions and they almost always get surprised when I hint to them why something happened. Because they rarely read that line on their character sheet.
Well. I appreciate the thought and your input on this. I’ll be thinking about this some more...
 
eniaios
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun 20 Dec 2020, 21:03

Re: A way to bring Pride forward

Sun 03 Jan 2021, 20:09

I was under the impression that Pride and Dark Secret work exactly as you state. You can use Pride pretty much in every situation related to your, well, pride. And a Dark Secret's XP award comes into play when you present the adventurer with that problem or create an unexpected complication that makes matters worse.

But then, you have strange examples of Pride and Dark Secret you can't wrap your mind around, like "demons instinctively fear me" and "I trust nobody and I believe they are out to take my silver".
 
AndreasDavour
Topic Author
Posts: 41
Joined: Mon 19 Dec 2016, 23:20

Re: A way to bring Pride forward

Sun 03 Jan 2021, 20:25

In the Player's Handbook p.34 it says "Once per game session you can activate your Pride, when you fail your skill roll in a situation when your Pride is relevant". What I want to get rid of is that idea about failing. I'd like my players to use it more, so I am planning om skipping the bit about failing. The idea being that it will bring Pride forward, and not just be a "fallback". As it's so easy to just push, it tends to make Pride never getting invoked, in my games.
 
AndreasDavour
Topic Author
Posts: 41
Joined: Mon 19 Dec 2016, 23:20

Re: A way to bring Pride forward

Sun 03 Jan 2021, 20:26

When it comes to the Dark Secret I'm not sure I've thought it through enough yet, but I am leaning towards making it more in the hands of the players as well as the GM.
 
Mr Oldtimer
Posts: 391
Joined: Sun 14 Apr 2019, 12:01

Re: A way to bring Pride forward

Mon 04 Jan 2021, 03:05

In the Player's Handbook p.34 it says "Once per game session you can activate your Pride, when you fail your skill roll in a situation when your Pride is relevant". What I want to get rid of is that idea about failing. I'd like my players to use it more, so I am planning om skipping the bit about failing. The idea being that it will bring Pride forward, and not just be a "fallback". As it's so easy to just push, it tends to make Pride never getting invoked, in my games.
Just remember that the players don’t need to push their roll, but use their pride in stead. If you don’t make it obvious the PCs will be able to rest soon enough, a lot of players won’t risk the push and then the pride is a great opportunity to succeed anyways. If they just remember they have it...

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests