Questions about Dynamic Campaigns

[Delvidian]

One thing we do in our group is give experience points to the GM same as the players so their character doesn't fall behind. One shouldn't be penalized for GMing.

[Exxar]

Originally Posted by Delvidian

I think that kind of No-Mana Fish Out of Water setup would be fun if ALL the characters were affected, but it quickly becomes problematic when only some of the characters are rendered impotent. Players pick their characters based on their shiny bits; take them away and they're just...normal.

This is a problem I've been thinking about for my planned ISWAT campaign. If you have different PCs with different power sources, and you end up in a world where only some of them don't work, you have some PCs that function normally, and some that function in a vastly reduced capacity, not to mention them suddenly feeling plain and not fun. As a result, I'm inclined to postulate that each character, for his own personal use only, carries with himself his default mana level or whatever on whichever wolrdline you go. Local variances still apply, but if for example a wizard would end up in a world that's low-mana on average, he'd still operate as in normal mana. If he'd stumble upon a very low-mana zone on that world, he'd function as if in low-mana, etc. This approach has some interesting implications, but so far they seem quite nice and don't introduce any problems.

[Fred Brackin]

[QUOTE=Exxar;1155634 I'm inclined to postulate that each character, for his own personal use only, carries with himself his default mana level or whatever on whichever wolrdline you go. Local variances still apply, but if for example a wizard would end up in a world that's low-mana on average, he'd still operate as in normal mana. If he'd stumble upon a very low-mana zone on that world, he'd function as if in low-mana, etc. This approach has some interesting implications, but so far they seem quite nice and don't introduce any problems.[/QUOTE]

That's just giving the character Mana Booster (or possibly Mana Damper for a mundane) for "free" more or less. This is fine if that's what you want of course but soem peoplew ould prefer to put it on the character sheet..

An option purely for the Mana users is the assumption that Raw Mana particles flow in between worlds by default and that any breech of the dimensional walls cause a small-scale "spurt" of mana into the world in question.

This would do something similar to raising No Mana to Normal Mana in a 10 mile radius for 24 hours and then Low Mana for another 24. The higher the world's Mana level the less drastic the effect wold be. Complicate as desired, i.e. Normal for 5 miles and Low for another 5 for 24 and then only Low for 5 miles etc. Mana users won't be useless but the clock is ticking.

This does fit basically with how Mana works in the Merlin Timelines and that might be considered an advantage.

[Exxar]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

That's just giving the character Mana Booster (or possibly Mana Damper for a mundane) for "free" more or less. This is fine if that's what you want of course but soem peoplew ould prefer to put it on the character sheet..

Yes, pretty much. But since it's a campaign-wide switch, I don't find it necessary for inclusion onto character sheets. I know my players certainly wouldn't want it that way :)

Oh, regarding the possible Mana Damper you mentioned for mundanes - my idea was for characters to use the better of their native and local levels, no matter if they actually do have Magery or not. So if your native mana level was normal, for example, and you ventured into a low-mana world, you'd function at normal mana, but if you ventured into a high-mana world, you'd operate at the high-mana level.

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

An option purely for the Mana users is the assumption that Raw Mana particles flow in between worlds by default and that any breech of the dimensional walls cause a small-scale "spurt" of mana into the world in question.

This would do something similar to raising No Mana to Normal Mana in a 10 mile radius for 24 hours and then Low Mana for another 24. The higher the world's Mana level the less drastic the effect wold be. Complicate as desired, i.e. Normal for 5 miles and Low for another 5 for 24 and then only Low for 5 miles etc. Mana users won't be useless but the clock is ticking.

This does fit basically with how Mana works in the Merlin Timelines and that might be considered an advantage.

This is an excellent treatment for magic users, and while it does add great flavor, doesn't quite fit my needs, especially since it's only for magic and not other power sources.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Delvidian

I think that kind of No-Mana Fish Out of Water setup would be fun if ALL the characters were affected, but it quickly becomes problematic when only some of the characters are rendered impotent. Players pick their characters based on their shiny bits; take them away and they're just...normal. Once you've bested uber-nazis, demons and an alien menace, it's hard to get jazzed about fighting a giant rat. As a change of pace, it might be refreshing, but how do you make it more fun than frustrating?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but up until a recent switch-out all the PCs in the group besides the one belonging to the GM of my proposed scenario were either powered by magic, or more-or-less non-powered (one super soldier with a little bit of psi that doesn't define him)... If everybody gets their shiny bits taken away at the same time, they all get to RP a session where they're "just... normal" together, which could have some potential for novelty IMHO. For best results, obviously, the scenario challenge should be something they can resolve using their fully-functioning social skills, investigative skills, etc rather than a nerfed version of the epic battles they're used to or it's going to feel a bit lame.

Originally Posted by Exxar

This is a problem I've been thinking about for my planned ISWAT campaign. If you have different PCs with different power sources, and you end up in a world where only some of them don't work, you have some PCs that function normally, and some that function in a vastly reduced capacity, not to mention them suddenly feeling plain and not fun.

Anybody who would feel excessively plain and not fun while temporarily de-powered in the game can excuse themselves from it by giving up the discount for Limitations that take their powers away (included in most Power Mods), unless the GM is requiring them.

Originally Posted by Exxar

As a result, I'm inclined to postulate that each character, for his own personal use only, carries with himself his default mana level or whatever on whichever wolrdline you go. Local variances still apply, but if for example a wizard would end up in a world that's low-mana on average, he'd still operate as in normal mana. If he'd stumble upon a very low-mana zone on that world, he'd function as if in low-mana, etc. This approach has some interesting implications, but so far they seem quite nice and don't introduce any problems.

I disagree. Problem #1: Everybody with a Power Mod Limitation that gives part of its discount for a required ambient environmental condition or substance (eg: Mana) is getting points back for free. Problem #2: Everybody who pays full price for their powers or who takes a Power Mod that doesn't depend on ambient conditions is going to be angry at you because of Problem #1.

[Exxar]

Being de-powered for an extended period of playtime is utterly un-fun, period, and -10% is definitively not worth such a consequence. This is, of course, under the assumption that the PCs will be in such worlds for more than just a couple of scenes. If you visit several worlds within a single playing session I fully agree with you.

EDIT: You still get the "bang" for those -10% due to local variances in mana level or whatever, de-powering attacks, plot devices etc.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Exxar

Being de-powered for an extended period of playtime is utterly un-fun, period, and -10% is definitively not worth such a consequence. This is, of course, under the assumption that the PCs will be in such worlds for more than just a couple of scenes. If you visit several worlds within a single playing session I fully agree with you.

EDIT: You still get the "bang" for those -10% due to local variances in mana level or whatever, de-powering attacks, plot devices etc.

So how do you handle somebody with, say for example, Chi -10% on their powers, which comes with countermeasures and a behavioral Pact but no environmental conditions? Do they get to ignore the behavioral Pact if the game's plot takes them somewhere that makes it impossible to perform (to keep them even with the magic people), or do they lose their powers by act of plot?

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Exxar

This is a problem I've been thinking about for my planned ISWAT campaign. If you have different PCs with different power sources, and you end up in a world where only some of them don't work, you have some PCs that function normally, and some that function in a vastly reduced capacity, not to mention them suddenly feeling plain and not fun. As a result, I'm inclined to postulate that each character, for his own personal use only, carries with himself his default mana level or whatever on whichever worldline you go.

My situation is a bit simpler in this respect, because I'm running a Cabal campaign in the Infinite Worlds. So three of the four characters are magic-based and one's a psi. Since they were recruited by a fairly rational organisation (unusually so for the Cabal) the possibility of ending up in zero-magic worlds was considered. Since those are of little interest to the Cabal, the main thing is to be able to escape. The psi can get them out if he can find a worldgate (this might involve long journeys) and the fellow with a "magic item" that does Jumper bought enough Cosmic on it that it works in zero mana. Making loss of powers a manageable disaster seems more reasonable than saying it can never happen.

[Exxar]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

So how do you handle somebody with, say for example, Chi -10% on their powers, which comes with countermeasures and a behavioral Pact but no environmental conditions? Do they get to ignore the behavioral Pact if the game's plot takes them somewhere that makes it impossible to perform (to keep them even with the magic people), or do they lose their powers by act of plot?

I would not put players into a situation where they would be de-powered for a significant amount of playing time due to a -10% limitation, no matter their power origin and no matter the specifics of their power modifier. In this case, I'd find a way for them to maintain their Pact.

[Exxar]

Originally Posted by johndallman

My situation is a bit simpler in this respect, because I'm running a Cabal campaign in the Infinite Worlds. So three of the four characters are magic-based and one's a psi. Since they were recruited by a fairly rational organisation (unusually so for the Cabal) the possibility of ending up in zero-magic worlds was considered. Since those are of little interest to the Cabal, the main thing is to be able to escape. The psi can get them out if he can find a worldgate (this might involve long journeys) and the fellow with a "magic item" that does Jumper bought enough Cosmic on it that it works in zero mana. Making loss of powers a manageable disaster seems more reasonable than saying it can never happen.

An excellent solution! It's just that I prefer mine to be a campaign switch rather than based on the specifics of party composition/background story.