Bards: Masters of the Universe

[mhd]

Today's Order of the Stick comic had the following exchange with the evil overlord (who's the father of the groups's nincom-bard):

"You're the one who taught me that bards are underpowered" "They are! With their mastery of narrative structure, they should be ruling the entire cosmos by now, instead of wasting time singing in taverns."

Which would be an interesting concept, that could probably be used even in a more serious, less fourth-wall-ish campaign. So, give me some powers that could be interpreted in working that way, manipulating fate etc. (Straight-forward, unmodified Luck and Serendipity would be rather boring answers).

[Gorkamorka]

I would call it an alternative version of the 'Commons Sense' Advantage. The change being that you get to narrate what the common sense is in stead of the GM.

[Anders]

Or 'Illuminated'.

[mhd]

Well, knowing what's going on (whether that's due to Common Sense or Illuminated) would basically imply that the universe is following those rules itself. And the bard narrating would be mega-cosmic-level reality control, if I understand that suggestion correctly.

Actually, bards being (partially) responsible for the narrative flow is a good concept. Scheming bastards with a rather unique Code of Honor. Or let's follow our usual genre mashups: Druids & bards certainly go together historically. Now our dungeon-y druids often are for a Moorcockian conception of "balance". So what if the bards are the CIA to the Druids' Swiss? Creating cosmic balance through action, heroes and villains, instead of just controling certain areas to make sure everybody stays out of it and the circle of life goes on? I could imagine two factions, but it's also possible that one order of bards does it. Or that there's no order at all, so the whole grouping of post-graduate bards is "chaotic", but their manipulating almost always goes against entropy by its definition, so it all evens out…

Your average party buff *is* a narrative influence, making sure that the actions are more heroic. Some kind of prophetic power would be possible, where only the bard's *character* sees the "meanwhile in the evil HQ" cut scene that the GM is narrating (but can't relate it to the other players due to his CoH and probably an enforced geas-like limitation).

A series of afflictions to enforce Campbellian archetypes ;)

[Tyneras]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

Or 'Illuminated'.

I once played with the idea of a tongue-in-cheek setting where all PCs had Illuminated so they could tell the difference between quest givers and scenery (aka everyone else). Never got off the ground, but it was a fun idea.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Gorkamorka

I would call it an alternative version of the 'Commons Sense' Advantage. The change being that you get to narrate what the common sense is in stead of the GM.

Rename it "Genre Aware"

[Engurrand]

"Genre awareness" which lets you predict gameworld events etc. just sounds like precognition to me. You agree with the GM that you get precognitive flashes of accurate information on things that are genre tropes.

[Fortecross220]

It seems like it'd be rather hard to separate genre aware from full on meta-gaming wouldn't you say?

[Johnny Angel]

Are you familiar with Brutal Legend?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%BCtal_Legend

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Engurrand

"Genre awareness" which lets you predict gameworld events etc. just sounds like precognition to me. You agree with the GM that you get precognitive flashes of accurate information on things that are genre tropes.

This is pretty much exactly how bards (Elan at least) work in OOTS. They know stories so they can predict them.


So here's my version.

Power Modifier: Narrative Causailty -15%
Must take Code of Honor (Laws of Drama) [-10]. Always heighten the drama if possible. This can range from posing at opportune times, to starting fights during a lull, to keeping others in the dark about plot elements.
Other bards trying to manipulate the plot act as a countermeasure. Bard powers can be disabled by a Quick Content of IQ+Talent between bards.

Narrative Bards claim to understand reality at a fundamental level and wish to guide others on what they consider their true path in life. Although they are odd traveling companions their apparent ability to see the future, single out items of importance, and the uncanny luck that follows them make them excellent allies.

Legends abound of god-like Narrative Bards able to entirely cheat the Laws of Nature in order to fulfill the Laws of Drama.

Daredevil, Empathy, Gizmos, Intuition, Luck, Rapier Wit (Cosmic, Detect Cliches, +50%), Precognition, Psychometry (Passive Only), Serendipity (Wishing), Super Luck, Social Chameleon, Unfazeable, Wild Talent (Emergencies Only)