Tagging Traits ala FATE

[ThrorII]

I don't think this is Rules as Written, and if it is I haven't found it.

Has anyone tried a FATE like approach to Traits? Meaning, besides the usual Player-heroes use of Traits, having the Loremaster tag a Trait to compel an action. Accepting the tag means gaining a point of Hope, rejecting it costs a point of Hope.

Using the books as an example for those of you unfamiliar with FATE:

LM: "It is your third day in Moria. The dark is overwhelming, as is the silence. You find a small guard chamber to spend the night. It is dusty, small, and there is a well in the corner. The lid to the well is shattered in to a million fragments, lying next to it."

Pippin: I Search the well.

LM: You can't see the bottom. A cool breeze blows up from the well.

LM: Pippin, you have the Curious Trait. For a point of Hope, would you like to see how deep the well is?

Pippin (taking the point of Hope): I pick up a pebble from the shattered lid and drop it down the well.

LM: The stone falls for many heart beats, until faintly below, possibly several hundred feet, you hear it strike bottom.


Has any one tried tagging Traits? What do you think of the idea? What about a variant where accepting the compel gains Hope, but rejecting doesn't cost Hope? Would you have the Hope go to the Character, or the Fellowship pool?

[Rich H]

Has any one tried tagging Traits? What do you think of the idea? What about a variant where accepting the compel gains Hope, but rejecting doesn't cost Hope? Would you have the Hope go to the Character, or the Fellowship pool?

I like it ThrorII, think it's a very interesting idea.

Personally, I'd keep the option as-is rather than the variant - purely because the +ve and -ve balances out and I think the alternative variant could if overused mean that Hope becomes a far less precious resource.

In my opinion the regained Hope should go to the Fellowship Pool so its of potential benefit to the whole party - the player can always take it from the Pool if others are okay with that.

[Beleg]

I'm probably missing something here, but isn't this basically the same as drawing a player's attention to the fact their trait is in fact useful in their current situation, and that they could use it to gain an automatic success or an advancement point?

[SirKicley]

I'm probably missing something here, but isn't this basically the same as drawing a player's attention to the fact their trait is in fact useful in their current situation, and that they could use it to gain an automatic success or an advancement point?

No Beleg, I don't believe that's it. Having played other games with similar systems (Smallville RPG "plot points", and Paranoia "Perversity Points"), this is not a way of reminding or pointing out to a player that his trait can auto-succeed on something.

What it is, is a carrot on a string DM/GM/LM ploy to move things along, provide clues, or scenarios, consequences etc, by dangling the carrot of a Hope Point in connection to a specified action a LM would like to see someone take and tying to "in-character" to someone's basic personality. (Pippin - curious)

Personally I think it's brilliant - if used sparingly.

I think it should go in the Pool as well as Rich mentioned (imagine that - I agree with Rich...again).

Finally, I don't think it should cost a Hope point if the player refuses. And this is one thing I feel most strongly about. Offer the carrot yes, but don't take away just because the player is not interested at the time. Hopefully your players are the type to roleplay and narrate a valid "in-game" reason why he's not into it at that moment.

Pippin: Hmmm, normally I would be fascinated by the prospect of that well....but I'm also "Hungry" trait, and right now I just sat down with a nice plate of stewed mushrooms and a piece of crispy bacon!"


Robert

[ThrorII]

Beleg,

The difference is that this allows the Loremaster to COMPEL a player-hero to take an action he might not otherwise. If they 'take the bait' of the Loremaster, they gain Hope. The 'bait' gives the player a reason to act in a way that may not be in the PLAYERS best interest, but consistant with the CHARACTER. The player (and group, if the Hope goes to the Fellowship pool) gains a mechanical benefit, and it adds to the story.

[Rich H]

Finally, I don't think it should cost a Hope point if the player refuses. And this is one thing I feel most strongly about. Offer the carrot yes, but don't take away just because the player is not interested at the time. Hopefully your players are the type to roleplay and narrate a valid "in-game" reason why he's not into it at that moment.

After consideration, I'm inclined to agree. These traits are tagged by the LM to make the game more interesting (often) by placing the PCs in jeopardy or at least by complicating the current situation. This would be most likely to lead on to other situations where strains on resources (eg, Hope, etc) occurred. Therefore just going with a Hope bonus and no loss seems to be more balanced.

[ThrorII]

Thanks for all the quick feedback.

My group is wrapping up StarBlazers! right now, and are used to FATE tagging and compels. I'm going to give it a try for TOR, which we are starting in a few weeks.

House rule:
The Loremaster can tag a character's Trait to compel a course of action. Should the player accept the compel, the companies Fellowship pool gains 1 point of Hope. There is no penalty for refusing the compel.

[Beleg]

Thanks for explaining guys
Now that I understand, I also think it could work well

[SirKicley]

In Smallville RPG and Buffy Vampire/Angel RPG, they use "PLOT POINTS" in very similar fashion.

If the GM wants to arbitrarily make a ruling on something that the player didn't say his character did, he GM awards a plot point. This is usually done for purposes of moving a GM's story along and setting a stage so-to-speak. You usually have to put someone in peril or else the scene isn't worthy.

GM: "Lois, I know you had plans to go out with Clark tonight but for whatever reason on your way you heard a ruckus from a nearby warehouse and you couldn't help but want to check it out - when you snooped around the back loading dock you saw three masked men stealing what looked like military equipment. As you reached for your camera, you feel a dull thud on the back of your head and you black out. Here's a plot point for me putting you in jeopardy."


In TOR I can see this related to the TRAITS for sure and dangle one as a carrot as Thror is suggesting is brilliant.

Robert


PS - @ THROR - How is Starblazer RPG? I got the PDF 6 months ago and looked at it, but never really tried it - nor do I have players or time to really explore it - but I do think it sounds interesting.

[ThrorII]

We're using StarBlazers! rules, but in the GM's own setting. The game flows well, and the rules are solid. As long as you have players who can create interesting characters, with lots of good Aspects to tag, it runs well. It is truly a matter of the players making the game.