Declarations?

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Clay
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Declarations?

Post by Clay »

After reading games like Spirit of the Century I've been debating on and off giving the Player more creative control in a game. The way this would be handled is Declarations.

Essentially, a character can spend Endurance for the opportunity to declare something about the world. They roll with Abilities they think are appropriate, and if they succeed against a DN set by the GM, whatever they declare comes to be.

Random example: Characters are caught out in the wilderness and a violent rainstorm settles in. A Ranger character declares, "I think there is a cave to take refuge in around here." He spends some Endurance and rolls 5 Dice (2 dice default and, say, +3 Knowledge:Wilderness Lore), getting an 8. Game Master set a 6 DN for the declaration, reasoning it's not an unreasonable assumption, and the party finds a cave.

Of course, I'm not entirely sure this is really necessary. The Player, under the current rules, could just say "I look around for a cave," the GM sets a difficulty, and everybody go from there.

Of course, making Declarations like "There's some damning evidence in those documents, I know it!" are a different matter entirely, and perhaps too powerful.

What do you guys think? Good idea? Bad idea?
blaster219
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Post by blaster219 »

I'm not entirely sure that its needed. As you say, existing rules handle this sort of stuff well already.

A few games I play have the ability to spend points (In Unisystem its Drama Points, in M&M Hero Points) for plot twists. Basically the "I'm stuck and need a little help here". In both cases, no roll is necessary. If the GM thinks that the "twist" is reasonable it happens, if not, the player gets the spent points back.
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calibur1
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Post by calibur1 »

BESM 3rd edition has a similar optional rule where a player can spend 50 Energy Points and change or alter the plot, retelling it from a new perspective. I don't believe that it's necessary. I think that it's a matter of play style. Some GMs like open-ended games with loose plots, and others prefer more structured stories. I don't believe it has anything to do with anime? I say that if you like plot manipulation by the players, then include it as an optional rule in either the Game Mechanics or GM's Section of the book.
Erinak
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Post by Erinak »

Like the general idea giving players more...control over a setting, kind of including them into the story as helping to shape it over just reacting to what the GM tells them is there. I agree its a matter of playstyle.

I think Buffy the Vampire Slayer rpg did something like actual plot changes by players. Never played it, but I remember reading a review where certain characters could spend points to add/change plot details.

That being said - I'm wary of introducing mechanics solely for that purpose or spending resources which would make creative expression just a function of rules. Closest thing I use is 'luck' ability or call it whatever you like - which is open to much creative interpretation when it works. If someone needs a water well to kick that electricity spewing monster into to short circuit it, but the GM didn't expressly say there was one - roll that luck. Depending on the success - maybe there is a well if you rolled high; or if you rolled low maybe you just find a bucket of water; or if rolled even lower, nothing but a damp mud puddle in the area.

Some players won't ever like spending resources to alter plot though cause it's hard to show consistently what you get for what you spend.
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

*nod* Again thanks everyone. I generally get cold feet with meta-gaming, and these are a lot of the reasons why. I think I'll leave this sort of thing to GM house-ruling.

Rolling it into Luck is pretty interesting though...I'll have to think about it.
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