Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-23-2014, 08:57 AM   #1
vicky_molokh
GURPS FAQ Keeper
 
vicky_molokh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
Default [Basic] Destiny: good examples of destinies and their implementation in-game?

Greetings, all!

Does anybody have good experience or theoretical knowledge of 'proper' ways to handle Destiny*? As in, examples of destinies of specific levels, and how the GM went about making them come true within the timespan of the campaign?

I always imagined that an example of a 15-point positive Destiny would be a PC destined for achievements comparable to that of Temujin, Gautama, Einstein, Muhammed, Gates, maybe Leonardo Da Vinci, Pythagoras and/or Plato (not so sure).

But I have a much harder time figuring how to lead the events towards the destiny fulfilling itself. (I once tried when a PC had it, but the campaign ended after 1½ chapters.) Anyone got good examples, preferably actual-play ones?


* == not the Monster Hunters / Impulse Buys variant of the trait, but rather the Basic Set variant.

Thanks in advance!
__________________
Vicky 'Molokh', GURPS FAQ and uFAQ Keeper
vicky_molokh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-23-2014, 01:47 PM   #2
David Johnston2
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Default Re: [Basic] Destiny: good examples of destinies and their implementation in-game?

The important thing to remember about Destiny is that just a Common Sense is worthless if the GM already gives the players warnings that he is being stupid, Destiny is worthless as an advantage if the GM fudges on behalf of players already.
David Johnston2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-23-2014, 03:42 PM   #3
Flyndaran
Untagged
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Forest Grove, Beaverton, Oregon
Default Re: [Basic] Destiny: good examples of destinies and their implementation in-game?

Destiny could work as a way to color NPC reactions and information.
Only the one with said advantage gets the accolade from defeating the big bad, for example. Things just work out to magnify the publicity of that character's deeds over and above the others'.
__________________
Beware, poor communication skills. No offense intended. If offended, it just means that I failed my writing skill check.
Flyndaran is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-24-2014, 01:35 PM   #4
Jasonft
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Default Re: [Basic] Destiny: good examples of destinies and their implementation in-game?

A good example of both the 'attracts attention and accolades' they describe above and, if you pay attention to subtle details everyone in the story misses, a genuine Destiny of greatness and glory:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciaphas_Cain

Ciaphas Cain is an Imperial Commissar in the Warhammer 40K universe. The books are written as his private recollections of his lifetime of service after his semi-retirement. He claims to be a self serving coward and rogue, but he actually does care about those under his authority.

Cain also keeps getting drawn into situation after situation where his actions turn the tide of major battles and sometimes world-spanning campaigns. He's convinced the God-Emperor has a nasty sense of humor...

I think Cain has a Destiny and refuses to recognize it. Somehow major events just seem to find him no matter how hard he tries to avoid them.

(edit) From the Wikipedia article:

"Cain maintains his reputation of heroism primarily for its benefit to him; most soldiers around him obey his orders without question, and he is constantly invited to parties and upscale social functions. It is, strangely, aided by his habits of self-preservation; in seeking out the last place the enemy is likely to be, he frequently wanders into the exact place they're pulling off the most secret or critical part of their schemes."

Last edited by Jasonft; 09-24-2014 at 01:39 PM.
Jasonft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-24-2014, 04:45 PM   #5
D10
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: In Rio de Janeiro, where it was cyberpunk before it was cool.
Default Re: [Basic] Destiny: good examples of destinies and their implementation in-game?

Destiny can be used as a sort of unusual background for death waving purposes.
D10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2014, 10:43 AM   #6
vicky_molokh
GURPS FAQ Keeper
 
vicky_molokh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
Default Re: [Basic] Destiny: good examples of destinies and their implementation in-game?

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Johnston2 View Post
The important thing to remember about Destiny is that just a Common Sense is worthless if the GM already gives the players warnings that he is being stupid, Destiny is worthless as an advantage if the GM fudges on behalf of players already.
Well, it could still be a factor in the amount of fudging - comparing the destined vs. the non-destined PCs.
__________________
Vicky 'Molokh', GURPS FAQ and uFAQ Keeper
vicky_molokh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2014, 11:50 AM   #7
weby
 
weby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Default Re: [Basic] Destiny: good examples of destinies and their implementation in-game?

In my current campaign destiny works as follows: It is something intanglible that will cause things like important NPCs want to help(or hinder you in some cases if they are opposed to your goals) towards your destiny.

In many ways destiny is something that powerful scrying might uncover and will thus influence actions of powerful beings. It has no direct "game mechanical" effect, but a strong plot effect.

Basically my definition is based on movies:

15 pt. Title role
In films: in large letters: “Starring XX as XX”

This means that you are one of the primary beings in the legend, this is both good and bad. Good in that if the group is successful you will go to history, bad in that there will be way less freedom to chose character development.

5pt Name Role
In films your character is named in the credits by name XX as XX

This means that your name will be remembered by scholars if all things go well.

0pt Supporting character
In films your role is mentioned like: “XX as Cop #1”

No special effects.

-10pt(mundane) Spear carrier In films not even your role is listed in credits

You are very unlikely to be singled out in a group,

Thus things like: when talking to your group the elven princess will likely not even look at you(not to mention acknowledge you).


Currently the campaign is in progress (156 sessions (8-13 hours each) in 3.5 years so far and the background story arc is about 1/3 way through) and so far that approach seems to work.
weby is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
destiny

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:53 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.