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hixton
Novice
Joined: 11 Feb 2012
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:35 am Post subject: [S1889] Advice wanted on hindrances |
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Hi,
First time running/playing SW, so I'm still feeling my way around the rules. Awesome system BTW!
One of my players has carefully picked flaws that don't seem to have any mechanical disadvantages, and is avoiding the effects of them, so I'd like to know if anyone has any advice or ideas on challenges I can produce to make life really difficult/much more fun for him.
The guy is playing a noble (noble, rich, connections edges) with the following hindrances:
- Code of honor
- Curious
- Loyal
He's playing with:
- German scientist (addicted (cocaine), bad eyesight, outsider)
- English officer (Clueless, greedy, curious) - total cad, womanizer etc
- Officer's batman (code of honor, loyal, phobia - OCD) (I know OCD probably doesn't count as a phobia, but I've got some nice ideas to make this work.
We're currently in the final stages of Fort Oublie (first scenario of Red Sands). |
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TheLoremaster
Heroic
Joined: 27 Jun 2003
Posts: 1913
Location: Buffalo, NY
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| Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:45 am Post subject: Re: [S1889] Advice wanted on hindrances |
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| hixton wrote: | The guy is playing a noble (noble, rich, connections edges) with the following hindrances:
- Code of honor
- Curious
- Loyal
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First thing to note is that he actually has TWO Major Hindrances (Code of Honor and Curious). This is not valid by the RAW, but you may have house-ruled it...
Otherwise, you're looking at role-playing restrictions, not mechanic ones, so you'd want to set up scenarios where his Hindrances would come into play. For Code of Honor, you might set up a situation where an underworld type offers him a large treasure-type reward, but only if he does something particularly nasty, like an assassination or smuggling. If he refuses because of his Code, he gets a benny for role-playing. If he goes along with it ... bad things happen to him. Maybe the assassination target is someone he knows, trusts, or loves, or it causes further complications.
Curious is a GM God-send, really. Basically, anytime you present a plot hook, this guy should be following up every single one. He shouldn't be able to resist, no matter how nasty it may be. He does, benny for him. He doesn't, bad things happen.
Same thing with Loyal; over the course of the campaign, it's likely that one of the other PCs will be injured, dropped behind, separated from the group, etc. He goes back for them? Benny for you. He doesn't? They die ... messily.
Again, the key with these sorts of Hindrances is to play to them. With luck, you won't have to do much. The situations will generally arise organically. But if you're ever stuck for a scenario idea, review the PC's list of Hindrances, and see if any of them trigger an idea.
Good luck!
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"Your GM is metagaming ... and wrong!" |
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ValhallaGH
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Joined: 25 Apr 2010
Posts: 4474
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| Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:02 pm Post subject: Re: [S1889] Advice wanted on hindrances |
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| hixton wrote: | Hi,
First time running/playing SW, so I'm still feeling my way around the rules. Awesome system BTW!
One of my players has carefully picked flaws that don't seem to have any mechanical disadvantages, and is avoiding the effects of them, so I'd like to know if anyone has any advice or ideas on challenges I can produce to make life really difficult/much more fun for him. |
Only give him bennies when he role-plays his hindrances. Then make sure he has to spend them to soak wounds, succeed at skill checks, etc. When you're one hour into the session and he's out bennies, you can look him in they eye and say, "Gee, if only you'd loyally gone to investigate the disappearance of poor Mdm. Dumond, you might have earned some bennies to use during this battle." 
Players can choose not to RP their hindrances. This means that they are choosing to avoid gaining bennies.
P.S. Noble has several drawbacks written into it. Mostly political / family foes who try to ruin the character; financially, physically, or politically. 
_________________
"Got a problem? I've got the solution: Rocket Launcher."
"Not against a Servitor."
"... We're all gonna die." |
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Pariah74
Veteran
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
Posts: 934
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| Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:08 pm Post subject: Re: [S1889] Advice wanted on hindrances |
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| TheLoremaster wrote: | | hixton wrote: | The guy is playing a noble (noble, rich, connections edges) with the following hindrances:
- Code of honor
- Curious
- Loyal
|
Again, the key with these sorts of Hindrances is to play to them. With luck, you won't have to do much. The situations will generally arise organically. But if you're ever stuck for a scenario idea, review the PC's list of Hindrances, and see if any of them trigger an idea.
Good luck! |
I agree with everything he said, and I would add that the best way to get folks to play the Hindrances that aren't mechanical is to reward them when they do. Start rewarding (occasionally) players with mechanical hindrances who don't try to circumvent them, or when those hindrances really burn them.
IME the guys that avoid those types of hindrances will see those rewards for hindrances and start playing theirs up.
Alternatively, you can make them pay bennies to counter their hindrances effects. Don't want to be Loyal at the moment? No problem, pay a benny, otherwise, go help your friend.
Also, specifically with these hindrances you should take him to task. I don't let people in my games have Code of Honor unless they detail exactly what that code is. The rules say, "act like a gentleman" and IMO that's a great guideline, but not nearly specific enough to just let it go.
Loyal? Is it just to the party, or does he have friends and family? Maybe ones that aren't so combat efficient? What would he do if his sister or girlfriend was captured, and held prisoner, but going after her was certain death?
Curious? You should be exploiting the heck out of this one. Give him a dangerous piece of loot that needs to be safeguarded, will he use it? What would the One Ring be like in the hands of somebody with Curious?
_________________
"Games give you a chance to excel, and if you're playing in good company you don't even mind if you lose because you had the enjoyment of the company during the course of the game. "
~Gygax |
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Pariah74
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Joined: 16 Jun 2009
Posts: 934
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| Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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Oh! Even better, give him some extras as allies to command...then when one of them goes down in battle have the villain(s) retreat and kidnap the guy!
Make him go after his "meat shield" 
_________________
"Games give you a chance to excel, and if you're playing in good company you don't even mind if you lose because you had the enjoyment of the company during the course of the game. "
~Gygax |
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Sitting Duck
Legendary
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 4559
Location: Podunk Junction, State of Confusion
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| Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 8:42 am Post subject: Re: [S1889] Advice wanted on hindrances |
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| hixton wrote: | | Officer's batman (code of honor, loyal, phobia - OCD) (I know OCD probably doesn't count as a phobia, but I've got some nice ideas to make this work. |
Personally I would have gone with the Delusional Hindrance instead. And in fact that's how I did it when I once statted a character with OCD. Or if it's a particularly obnoxious variety of OCD, you could make it a minor Habit, so as to stick him with a Charisma penalty.
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Snate56
Legendary
Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 3641
Location: Monroe, Washington
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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Here's an idea...
If you don't want to make bad things happen out of the blue, when he skips one of his Hindrances and forgoes the Benny, then YOU take the Benny! Make sure he realizes why, too.
Essentialy, when the situation arrises, take a Benny out and place it on the table, signifying that an opportunity is here.
Steve
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"We've got a blind date with destiny... and it looks like she's ordered the lobster." <The Shoveller> |
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Blogotron
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Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 712
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| Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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Loyal...To whom?
To the Party members? To a master? To God Queen and Country? To a political party? TO an ideology? To a paymaster? To his commanding officer?
Code Of honor.... as pertains to...and definition of...
My current Space: 1889 game (I am not the GM) has a Criminal with a Code of Honor as pertains to harming Women and Children and appearing as an Upright cleric of the Church of England in public.
Have him define what the Code of Honor means to him... is he a D&D Paladin or is he more of a Batman character with clear definitions of right and wrong but no compunction to use less-than-savory means to bring villains to Justice.
Curious... I'd deny him Bennies if he did not roleplay this. Since he is not Yellow (Coward) then he should be investigating every plot hook, every scream, every out of place shifty eyed foreigner.
I (and I am far from alone on this) use hindrances as a way to earn bennies. In fact its the primary way outside of combat to earn them in my games.
To emphasize this for a game or two have the players start with no bennies ( and no combat until the chance to earn three bennies has occurred) and allow the PCs to gain them through suffering from their Hindrances. Show them that roleplaying is fun and you earn in game benefits and your player will come around.
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Savage Worlds doesn't even have a bell curve. It has a probability line that looks like it was drawn by a blind person in an earthquake. Anything can happen. |
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USP45
Novice
Joined: 23 Apr 2010
Posts: 98
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe take a page from the FATE point economy system and "compel" the hindrance yourself.
If he accepts it, give benny. If he does not, make him spend one. This way you're assured that at some point in the game he's not going to have any bennies left and be forced to accept one in exchange for a hindrance-action. |
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