01-23-2011, 10:33 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boston, MA
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Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
Does anyone here actually make (or play in a game that uses) Reaction Rolls for NPCs? I tend not to just because my players tend to approach interactions with either extremely sensibly or extremely inanely, so I calibrate NPC reactions according to what seems most obvious. The downside to this, though, is that my players end up feeling like they spent points on Charisma and Status for nothing, as they never see an obvious mechanical benefit. (I try to keep it in mind when roleplaying, but it is easy to forget...)
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01-23-2011, 10:38 PM | #2 |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
Yes, I make NPC reaction rolls.
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01-23-2011, 11:12 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boston, MA
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Re: Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
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01-23-2011, 11:49 PM | #4 |
Petitioner: Word of IN Filk
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Longmont, CO
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Re: Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
It's a decent guide when a brand new NPC is coming into the game, especially if:
1) It's a minor character or 2) There's a decent chance the person would be suspicious of the PC or whom they appear to be. (If the angel looks like a typical solid citizen, and the NPC is a homeless 14-year-old who's been knocked around by the cops, a roll may be called for.) Most of the time, I just generally go with what makes sense -- but "makes sense" can include factoring the apparent Status, charm and Role into the equation, with or without a reaction roll.
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“It's not railroading if you offer the PCs tickets and they stampede to the box office, waving their money. Metaphorically speaking” --Elizabeth McCoy, In Nomine Line Editor Author: "What Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Stronger" |
01-24-2011, 05:55 AM | #5 |
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Birthplace of the Worst Pizza on the Planet
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Re: Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
Well, remind the Belseraph that he has a Bvlgari watch and an Armani suit, while the Impudite of Uselessness is making due with Wal Mart cast offs. Mention to the Lilith that she get's cutsies to the front of the line not for her winning personality but for her winning personalities.
I think the best answer for you is this: if your players are complaining, you probably aren't giving it enough weight. I would run a few scenarios where status, charisma and cash ARE important. Examples: Cops treating a high status fellow better. At clubs, charismatic and high status types get cuts while the others get to cool their heels...and even more dramatically, if (when) the PCs try to get their disreputable/ugly friends in WITH them, THEY get to cool their heels too. Properly tricked out Impudites and Lilim never seem to lack opportunities for Essence and Geases... Have a high status business type get offered potentially useful 'business' (i.e. adventuring opportunities) that aren't offered to the slobs of the game. *** But to answer your question: I tend to use the reaction rolls when I am approaching an NPC cold and have no idea HOW he will react. |
01-24-2011, 07:50 AM | #6 |
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: South of the Town across from the City by the Bay
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Re: Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
Religiously.
The reasons are well illustrated above. Essentially they help me GM personalities and social factions. Also, I interpret the game world using two social frameworks -- the human and the celestial -- to constrain what would normally be destabilizing aliens with superpowers. In my current human-centric campaign (sorta horror in mood with a thick veneer of quotidian banality and a dash of comedic cattiness...) I had to flesh out character co-workers fast. The dice entertained me because they made a group of "the cool, mean girls" detest the nerdy husband PC, but adore the creative professional wife PC. Thus this married couple starts to have varying interpersonal dynamics which helped flesh out the color of the session. NPCs are only as interesting as characterization behind them. And just as writers finds their characters writing the story for them, GMs with full bodied NPCs can find a similar creative process occur. This helps spawn plot hooks and side quests; indispensable tools to keep PCs from boredom and mischief. |
01-24-2011, 11:42 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boston, MA
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Re: Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
Okay, you've sold me. Thanks for the replies! I'm most persuaded by the thought that it will make it easier to generate NPC personalities on the fly...
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01-25-2011, 12:03 AM | #8 |
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: South of the Town across from the City by the Bay
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Re: Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
This is where I will add another comment. I know AD&D's companion magazine, Dragon, has had articles on how to roll random personality traits for Off-the-Cuff NPCs (that's actually the title of one of the articles, btw). I am pretty confident that SJG's companion magazine, Pyramid, will have similar articles as well. (Perhaps not IN specific, however that itself would make a great online article for the future.)
Personality traits are different from personal reactions. But they work together to create fun dynamics with your PCs. i.e. A notoriously violent and angry person who instantly believes the PC to be their new best friend (CD 6) already writes itself. This way you have at least two NPC "stats" that creates basic persona framework. (It also helps statistic creation when you have to upgrade NPC with a real character sheet.) PS: The Discord Table might substitute nicely for such a random personality traits table. Never tried it, might have too many negative traits on it. But the table framework should be useful for any personal GM creativity. |
01-25-2011, 05:39 AM | #9 | |
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boston, MA
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Re: Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
Quote:
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01-25-2011, 05:58 AM | #10 |
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Birthplace of the Worst Pizza on the Planet
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Re: Charisma, Status, and Reaction Rolls
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charisma, reaction rolls, rules, status |
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