We’re getting set to start up our BE game (which I’ll be GM’ing), and this Thursday evening will be our 3rd session trying to get the game set. I blame poor time-management and trying to grok the setting / rules as our main speedbump points.
Anyhow, we should be finishing most of the character burning stuff tonight, and I’ve had a week or so to think about characters’ Relationships. Now, sure, they have a 2iC relationship or the like that they should burn up, but there’s a bunch of other relationships of, shall we say, a more antagonistic bent.
Should we be looking to give them a full character sheet, complete with skills, traits, etc.?
I assumed that was what would be necessary, and have worked up about half a dozen who are now close to a “ready to go” point. Is this too much? Not enough?
If they’re not “complete” characters, how do people decide what their skill levels, etc. should be when required?
Thought, suggestions or page references are gratefully received.
Up to two more lifepaths, not more than two. Anyway, I’d fully burn all the relationships that aren’t the PCs’ bodyguards, second in command, etc… You’ll want them that way when the game starts getting going.
How many relationships did your PCs take? If there’s a lot of antagonistic relationships that they paid good circles points for, then you’re a lucky GM. They just handed you some great ways to challenge them.
I’ll endorse Z-Dog’s recommendation. I’ll also add that what has worked for me, in addition to having the FoNs written up, is to have Beliefs written out for the pool of NPCs I expect the player characters to meet. These Beliefs drive their goals and motivations, so it makes it very easy to portray their interaction with the PCs. From these interactions comes conflict or cooperation. In the ensuing Duel of Wits, let’s say, I’ll come up with stats and skills on the fly.
One other technique I have mentioned before that I find useful is to make a matrix of all the characters (PC and GMFoNs (plus maybe a couple other important NPCs)) arrayed against the different scene types. In my prep for a Manuever, I’ll make notes in each cell for what the NPCs will (likely) be doing in their scenes, and the expected conflict I’ll be shooting for. This plan changes as the maneuver progresses, but at least it is a foundation from which to deviate. For the PCs, as they take their turns, I make brief notes regarding what they did–this is useful if only to track which PCs have taken the various scene types.
Like Mel, I would suggest just the main guys burned all the way, then the rest give beliefs for… even if it is only one or two, just remember that if their antagonistic, they want the opposite of what the player wants…
Then as you go keep a sheet or a set of index cards (if that is your thing), and write what skills you assign to them… The first time the Constable Shows up he has two beliefs… .then as they interact note that he has Persuasion 5 (bad ass), and the Trait Cryptic, then next time the face him you discover he is not too good of a liar (Falsehood 3), etc… just remember that they don’t get all 5s! and make us some wises as you go.
Your next game (or next phase) you will have more experience and can burn up characters faster, better, stronger.
all good suggestions above (index card idea is esp cool and handy)
I’d recommend keeping the burning light and to a minimum…burning up those FoN but keep everyone else on the back burner…you never know who’s really going to get a lot of love from your characters and who is going to get stabbed in the 1st scene
also: gather your player BITs and prep some Bangs! I think I’ve seen it recommended you do about 2 to 3 good ones per player
and have you read Paul B.'s essay on getting past the 1st turn? it’s worth a read or two
all good suggestions above (index card idea is esp cool and handy)
I’d recommend keeping the burning light and to a minimum…burning up those FoN but keep everyone else on the back burner…you never know who’s really going to get a lot of love from your characters and who is going to get stabbed in the 1st scene
also: gather your player BITs and prep some Bangs! I think I’ve seen it recommended you do about 2 to 3 good ones per player
and have you read Paul B.'s essay on getting past the 1st turn? it’s worth a read or two
Yeah. It’s important not to overwhelm yourself, so I can understand not burning everyone right off the bat if you don’t want to. If you don’t know what you want to do with them, then just hold off until you do and use the quick burning rules. That makes sense to me.
I guess I just like burning characters, so it wouldn’t bother me. It’s not “work” to me, but I can see how it might be if you’re not a system junkie like me.
My apologies for the delay in responding, but other things took (brief) precedence.
I think I’ve got most of the main guys burnt up now, although I’ve been very hesitant to give any of them more LPs than the players.
Now that we’re actually a couple of Manoeuvres in, things are starting to make more sense and “lock in” better. I still need to get some of the NPC / GM-FON beliefs nailed into place, but a pattern is starting to emerge, so it’s all good!
To answer Kintara’s question about character relationships, I’ve been lucky with these players!
In terms of relationships, We’ve got the following PCs:
the noble-born High Inquisitor (Infiltration FON) who…
… is trying to marry his bodyguard
… but is being blocked by his bitter brother and
… the Dregus (Vaylen’d Infiltration GM FON) whom he trusts and confides in on a very regular basis.
… in addition, he’s trying to recruit the head of the underworld to his own aims.
the noble-born Iron-wearing psychologist, head of a shattered house (Invasion FON) who…
… wants to make peace with the Cotar Fomas (who wears his father’s Iron)
… listens to his 2iC sister who, in turn is married to…
… his noble friend and ally (Vaylen’d Invasion GM FON).
… in addition, he is trying to get a codebreaking psychologist into the role of planetary Justiciar.
the noble-born court-lord/Anvil-lord (Usurpation FON) & would-be Smirsch-er (he’s just one secret volcano lair away from a James Bond villain) who…
… hates the Mandarin ex-Tresurer (non-wormed Usurpation GM FON) for his mercantile (read: non-noble) origins.
… has a more-or-less soulless 2iC (probably due to his instinct “I have resources, not friends”)
I would note that outside of the bodyguard and 2iC’s, these are all complicated relationships.
I think we’ve got some good stuff to go on, especially given how rapidly sketch-book characters are turning up, and how quickly the world is coming to life.
Given that we’ve got 3 noble-born FONs set on a Dunedin world where the church dominates the military and holds a lot of control, we’ve got some excellent conflicts brewing, and, as the players push their own schemes, I’m starting to see how to really push things forwards, and work towards some big changes on our planet.
Mark, if you want to keep balanced with your NPC FoN lifepaths, that’s cool, but don’t feel bad if you need to add a lifepath or two for a couple of reasons:
several players working against you means several brains versus your one brain…that may not add up to more IQ than you, but it means tag team oppositional thinking while you’re trying to think and adjudicate rules…it’s nice to have NPCs with a little “oomph” in them.
more lifepaths can mean they’ll hold out/last a bit longer…which is an element of the drama your trying to create (giving them big challenges to overcome)…more lifepaths can mean more rising action/opposition
that said, if you’re confident in your abilities and are ready to lay waste to their plans, have at it!!!
oh, also, remember: the NPCs have no true life of their own…they’re tools to batter and bruise your players…I say that because people expect this came to be a competition (which it is) but that doesn’t mean you run NPCs just like they’re PCs…
…they’re most effective when they’re aimed like arrows down the throats of your players…
They just handed you some great ways to challenge them.
