General WoD Discussion #1: Assemble

[bigstipidfighte]

I agree with the above posters, in that all in all, this could actually improve the story as the PCs are a more integral part of events. The players might believe you only started this story arc because of that one action, and if they do, well, that's just gravy.

I have a totally unrelated question about spirits. Is there any way to tell how much essence a spirit is currently packing? I imagine this would be an extremely useful ability, as I'd rather fight a starving Rank 3 than a well-fed Rank 2. Specifically, this is for a Werewolf game, so it would need to be something they had access to.

[ToySoldierCPlus]

I would argue that that's slightly off. Unless you have a perfect group who are very attentive to making their stories good *stories* you also need to know when to make things less flexible. A great example is mystery plots. It's true that you can just decide whatever interpretation they come up with is the correct one, but players will feel that, and it'll be less satisfying than if they figured out the solution you had in your head to begin with.

You misunderstand. I never said that everything has to revolve around the players. Just that Storytellers need to be flexible enough to react to whatever the players may do. That doesn't mean changing the solution to a murder mystery so that the players are right when they guess who the killer is, but it may mean providing some additional evidence when they burn down the mansion that had all of the planned evidence in it.

[Tokuhara]

You misunderstand. I never said that everything has to revolve around the players. Just that Storytellers need to be flexible enough to react to whatever the players may do. That doesn't mean changing the solution to a murder mystery so that the players are right when they guess who the killer is, but it may mean providing some additional evidence when they burn down the mansion that had all of the planned evidence in it.

Ok. So they delve into the Hedge to save the Hitman from torture when the Warring courts put a spin on it, making each other seem to be the thieves.

I also plan on adding a cult subplot who told the Night Courtier to assassinate the Day Courtier and wants to wipe out the Courts and rebuild them to rule over Humanity. Good Idea or Bad Idea?

[Yuki Akuma]

In general, planning exactly what you want to happen is a Bad Idea.

[Mr.Bookworm]

I think I found a a theme song for Changeling. Actually, a lot of that album could fit.

Ever been listening to music and it just clicks perfectly with something else?

[ToySoldierCPlus]

I think I found a a theme song for Changeling. Actually, a lot of that album could fit.

Ever been listening to music and it just clicks perfectly with something else?

Often.

Full Moon by Sonata Arctica for Werewolf. A Gorey Demise by Creature Feature for Geist (or Dwarf Fortress) in general, and The Greatest Show Unearthed for a specific Sin-Eater I would like to play. Pretty much anything by Nightwish for Mage and/or Changeling.

[Tokuhara]

In general, planning exactly what you want to happen is a Bad Idea.

The idea was to allow a minor Timeskip (about a season)

[Lord Raziere]

Hey is Geist any good? I've got Mage, Changeling and Werewolf, and I'm planning on never getting the other three splats, but I'm on the fence with Geist.

[Burnheart]

Hey is Geist any good? I've got Mage, Changeling and Werewolf, and I'm planning on never getting the other three splats, but I'm on the fence with Geist.

I like Geist, for reasons that this man explains better than i could.

[Lord Raziere]

cool thanks. Geist sounds like something worth looking into.

[Yuki Akuma]

Geist is awesome and you should play it.

[Lord Raziere]

Yea, it sounds like I could have a Moros/Sin-Eater Buddy Detective story from it.

or a Werewolf/Sin-Eater Buddy Detective story.

[The Glyphstone]

He's a by-the-book detective who came back from the dead and can talk to ghosts. He's a loose cannon cop who can transform into a berserk nine-foot-tall furry killing machine. They Fight Crime.

[Yuki Akuma]

Please do note that Sin-Eaters are one of the more powerful splats - and they have very broad abilities which are pretty cheap to buy.

Although pairing one up with a Mage or Werewolf shouldn't cause too many issues.

[JollyChris]

I know they won't cause problems with Mages but Werewolfs? I'd always heard they were weak in cross splat games.

[Fouredged Sword]

They are somewhat tough and heal fast. Also with a spirit mage in the group they have unlimited essence, so they can work out well enough as a meat tank. They can also kill humans and other splats without morality issues, something that is ofttimes overlooked but is very useful ability for someone who deals death to people on a regular basis.

[Kojiro]

Not really being familiar with the online World of Darkness fandom/RPG group/whatever, I am wondering, generally, how willing are people to allow fan things, like Genius, into their games? For some reason I was recently thinking that it'd be neat to join a "crossover" game as a Genius, but apart from that I don't know where such a game would take place, I don't know how likely it would be for such a thing would be allowed. That, according to someone much earlier in this topic (forgot which page), they're on the same power level as Mages makes it seem like it'd might not be allowed regardless of the Storyteller's opinions of such things, unless they were also allowing Mages, I suppose.

[Yuki Akuma]

Well, I'm a total Genius fanboy, so I may be biased, but I love inserting Genius into the nWoD.

[Kojiro]

I love it too, really, and am going to be using it in the nWoD thing I'm doing with some friends in real life (we may even start with a Genius game, actually). That said, I can see why some people wouldn't like it, even if those things don't matter to me, so, yeah.

Actually, on this topic, I just checked the games forum here and seem to have just missed a nWoD game. Curses.

[Mr.Bookworm]

I vacillate between hating and loving Genius. Depends on the context.

On the one hand, it's MAGIC SCIENCE: THE PULPENING, and that's awesome.

On the other hand, it's MAGIC SCIENCE: THE PULPENING, and that's a steampunk sheep among the herd in the nWoD.

In a Genius-only game, it works, because then you can be Doctor Apocalypse and murder the Nazis from Mars with your death ray.

In a mixed game where everyone is on board with being magic superheroes, it can work, because then you can be Doctor Apocalypse running around with Frankenstein Batman and Gandalf Superman.

In a mixed game where you have one guy who's a Genius and someone else playing a Promethean or whatever who wants to do something serious, yeeeeeeah.

I mean, I guess you could strictly enforce themes and stuff and play a Genius seriously, but that would suck a lot of the fun out of them.

[Kojiro]

I could actually see playing a serious Genius working pretty well, provided you had the right attitude for it; it is a concept that has some inherent ridiculousness, even compared to most of the stuff in the World of Darkness, but provided you don't mind, or perhaps even enjoy, playing a serious character, then at least as far as I can see it could be done really well. I'd like it, at least; wouldn't mind being a serious or semi-serious Genius, if there was an appropriate RP.

Edit: Despite that, you did in fact nail one of the reasons I could see someone disliking Genius; between that it easily lends itself to ridiculous situations and that mad scientists are... Well arguably Prometheans and the like were created by mad scientists (but not the sort that make jetpacks and death rays), but they are sort of the odd man out. Really, it depends on what the storyteller is aiming for.

[Yuki Akuma]

Darnit I want to play Genius now.

I blame you, Kojiro!

In a Genius/Promethean crossover game, I would absolutely make the Light of Inspiration and the Divine Fire the same thing.

[Kojiro]

Huh, that could actually work; I was just talking about how Prometheans were created by people like, you know, Dr. Frankenstein. If you executed that right, though, that could work really well.

Also, if you, or someone else, gets together a game, either of Genius or some crazy nWoD crossover, I will totally join it.

[Yuki Akuma]

Geniuses with Exelixi 5 an in fact make Prometheans, you know.

[Tokuhara]

Geist is awesome and you should play it.

Played a Sin Eater in mixed company, and it worked beautifuly. I didn't feel underpowered, nor Overpowered

And in another WoD game, I'm going to play one again, who is a car thief who died because the Zippo he was trying to light a square with caused him to wreck a Lambo and drop it, lighting the interior on fire

[Kojiro]

Hm, is there some sort of etiquette to trying to assemble a game you yourself aren't going to be the GM (or Storyteller, in this case) of? It seems like it may be a bit rude to just go "Hey I want to play this sort of game but don't want to run it, someone else do it for me", but at the same time it's hard to get anything going without, you know, drawing attention to it.

[Burnheart]

Hm, is there some sort of etiquette to trying to assemble a game you yourself aren't going to be the GM (or Storyteller, in this case) of? It seems like it may be a bit rude to just go "Hey I want to play this sort of game but don't want to run it, someone else do it for me", but at the same time it's hard to get anything going without, you know, drawing attention to it.

Well i'd start with a good, clear idea for the game in question, while a simple "I want to play a game of x, who else is interested?" can work, if you have a good idea it may inspire a ST/GM/DM who sees it to jump in and run the game.

[JollyChris]

Hm, is there some sort of etiquette to trying to assemble a game you yourself aren't going to be the GM (or Storyteller, in this case) of? It seems like it may be a bit rude to just go "Hey I want to play this sort of game but don't want to run it, someone else do it for me", but at the same time it's hard to get anything going without, you know, drawing attention to it.

I'll second what burnheart said and ask what system do you want to play? because if it's nWoD i'll probably be interested in playing.

[Kojiro]

Alright, can do. Should I make a topic for that in the other forum section or just go on here? I have the beginnings of an idea or two already.

Also, nWoD, both for Genius, which is part of it, and because it generally works better with "crossovers", being designed to handle such things specifically.

[JollyChris]

It's best to post it in the finding players section.