Bards: Masters of the Universe

[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

[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.

[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)