11-16-2022, 10:44 AM | #31 |
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Brazil
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Re: Points without total
I as a GM like to always keep tabs on the CP totals of my players, since I dont like to "reduce their point cost" due to disadvantages gained in play. Also, since ALL advantages must be paid for, I like to also keep their "karmic balance" fair.
So for example, if a player is cursed by a witch and gains an unnatural feature, or a player ally is murdered by the bad guy for dramatic purposes or any such, I dont like to just simply "though luck punk lol". Instead, I keep those points "in the bank", as extra bonus points. Those I'll use to buy traits for the player, that arent the result of personal growth in experience (acquired knowledge in the form of skills, magic spells, attributes etc), but rather to traits "gained from the universe", like a new ally or contact, increased wealth, rank, magic toy etc. So, this traits still need to be brought up with CPs, but the players can opt to use their "karmic points" instead of their bonus CP, which they can therefore save for the stuff they have inside their brains and bodies. I am very strict with my "karmic rules" thou; a character that earns traits to which he cannot pay with either Karmic points or bonus CP, gets into "debt", which must be paid for the next session. This debt can be paid with CPs normally in the next session, or if still lacking, will take the form of new disadvantages or lost advantages. Like they say, Karma is a b... So this is why I always keep tabs of the points count of my players. I enjoy the fairness of it - particularly because I never liked the fact that disadvantages gained in play are "free", while advantages must be paid, even when gained exclusively by roleplaying (like a new ally). |
11-16-2022, 11:06 AM | #32 | |
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Brazil
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Re: Points without total
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The idea of points is an abstraction so that it wont just be completely random and thus stablishing some boundaries, so that one player wont be Superman and the other be Bob the Normal, and thus adding a certain degree of balance and also of personal development |
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11-16-2022, 11:15 AM | #33 | |
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Brazil
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Re: Points without total
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11-16-2022, 11:38 AM | #34 | |
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Brazil
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Re: Points without total
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Or it could be that, althought yes, the monk healed your eyes, that came with the cost of much of your life force, so you now lost 2 HT, 1 ST and 1 DX. Those "Karma Points" are mine as a GM to use - not the player. I define how they'll be used. So for instance, after raiding the "Cult of the Red Sun", the players "won" a -30 CP Enemy (either individually or the entire table), they now have 30 CPs of "Good Karma" to be gained, which I as the GM will define what will be. I can allow them instantly "buy off" some disadvantages - for example, thwarting the evil cult's plans was what they needed to lift their curse, or the events where so impactful that the player finally decides to quit the alcohool addiction, and so on. Or, for example, I could say that the Cult of the Red Sun had been closely watched by the Order of Dawn, who long had suspected of foul play, and they took notice of the players' actions and have decided to recruit them, so if in one hand the players now have a powerful enemy, they also won a powerful Patron. Or it could be just simply that they found magic items in the Cult's castle that are worth 30 CPs to each player (in case the all players end up having this Enemy). Sometimes I hold on to those points for 1 or 2 sessions, often cancelling them off with other traits. Sometimes I "spend" those in small doses over other traits. Whatever the case, I try to have the "Karmic Balance" of anyone of my players to never go above 15-20 CPs, either positively or negatively. And I also allow my players to give suggestions about what to do with those, but it's ultimately my decision. This system has the interesting effect of balancing my players expectations; after disaster befalls, they are sure to expect a blessing, but they also are wary of receiving too many "free" blessings, since they know that their luck wont run forever. It creates a massively interesting game dynamic, I recommend to anyone willing to try it. Edit: sorry for multi posting and for not being able to express in a more objective way, constantly repeating myself. I try to avoid doing it, but I just cant manage to Last edited by KarlKost; 11-16-2022 at 11:55 AM. |
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11-16-2022, 09:23 PM | #35 | ||
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Seattle, WA USA
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Re: Points without total
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11-21-2022, 01:34 PM | #36 |
Join Date: Jun 2022
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Re: Points without total
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character points |
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