[dogs] The nature of Traits? (n00b GM flounders a bit)
Noclue:
Quote from: daftnewt on January 22, 2008, 06:22:39 PM
but if i was building Clint would i write down "squints a lot, 1d6"? uh-uh -- waste of 'points', if you ask me. better to write down "jack of all trades, 1d6", since i can use that in anything.
This is me trying to imagine a conflict where Clint wouldn't be able to roll in his squinting d6.
David Artman:
Quote from: Noclue on January 24, 2008, 12:45:06 AM
This is me trying to imagine a conflict where Clint wouldn't be able to roll in his squinting d6.
The opposition is too far away to see the difference between "steely-eyed, intimidating squint" and "looking at me."
What's at stake is poorly served by intimidation tactics (ex: seduction or dealing with a superior or calming down someone who's terrified).
The opposition is emotionless or blind.
Took me a minute or two, but those are situations in which I'd call bullshit on invoking "Clint Squint: d6."
Indy Pete:
Darn, I gotta try me some of that 'Calling Bullshit' tactic.
The first game I played one of the Dogs took (roughly, can't remember exactly) Traits like 3d10 'I Am A Dog', 4D8 'Lucky', and 3D6 'Dirty Trick'. He was basically loaded for bear and could bring ALL of those Trait dice to bear in EVERY conflict. The fact that you roll (most) of your dice out in the open mean that from the outset of every conflict I just knew that I was going to lose: upon reflection that's no bad thing, but it was my first game and I had this totally temporal feeling of being gyped.
One of the other players afterwards gave me some advice along the lines of 'you should try to split the Dogs up', which (IMO) is a bit rubbish. I 'may' want to split the Dogs up for a better story or something but I don't want to be almost 'forced' to split them up so that I stand a chance of 'winning' in the mechanical sense conflicts. I think I just played the game wrong though :)
Thanks for the tip: I must remember to 'Call Bullshit' :) (I'm not being sarcastic, that's darned good advice.)
phargle:
Quote from: Peturabo on January 24, 2008, 01:54:10 PM
He was basically loaded for bear and could bring ALL of those Trait dice to bear in EVERY conflict.
In my experience, the players seem to get to use almost all of their traits in every conflict. (As a player, I did so myself.) It's a rare trait that can't be used all the time. At first, they just win and win and win. Then they start to realize that the narrative thread of their character isn't as fun as they wanted it to be, and then realize how rewarding it is to get to use that rare trait. I had one player thrilled when she got to use her shiny belt-buckle that her dad gave her, for example. Another player, realizing that he was not going to get to get much use out of his neat traits because he'd buffed his stats with experience, started shrinking his stats with fallout. I feel like the guy who takes Smart 4d10 and Capable 3d8, and who uses all of his experience to crank Good Shooter to 10d10, would rather be playing some other game.
I don't think players using all of their traits is a huge problem, but I've made clear to my players that they should judge for themselves whether someone is making a weak raise. I've also, on occasion, asked the players how they feel the NPCs cannot ignore their raises, and they made stronger raises or used their traits better.
David Artman:
Quote from: phargle on January 24, 2008, 02:34:49 PM
...I've made clear to my players that they should judge for themselves whether someone is making a weak raise.
Oh, absolutely... I was thinking of me as a player calling it. In the end, Trait invoking--and even creation--is a groupmind thing in which everyone checks each other; the rules even speak to this with the concept that the most discriminating player sets the bar, with the GM watching for dissatisfaction at the table.
And don't forget that the GM is also a player, with equal right to satisfaction with play. If everyone's having fun, your Traits (and supernatural dial and moral tone and lines/veils) have the right scope (setting, scale).
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