Re: [DL] Looking for random help

Yes, but these examples are a far cry from " My ancestry made a deal with Satan to devote a child every sixth generation to the cause of darkness. I am that child. As such I have these kick-ass (Over) Powers but am constantly tortured by dreams of some guy in red pajamas poking me in the ass with a pitchfork. For now I'm okay but its only a matter of time before I go ape-shit(tm) all over the whole rest of the posse and try to eat their brains." What you have cited are (relatively) mundane yet still exciting defining events in a character's life that do not, necessarily, lead to them being an Uber-Powerful yet dark and doomed hero. There is a world of difference between a "tortured" past and a "demonic" past.

I guess I might allow a Harrowed-Werewolf-Whateley-Clan-Metal-Mage into my game if they could provide a back story more interesting than a Stephen King novel (okay, I admit, not that hard) and prove they were doing it to strive back to some normalcy thus creating a more enjoyable campaign for them and the other players, and not to munchkin out, but I have this unfortunate Pavlovian reaction to seeing more than one Arcane Background at a time on a character sheet which causes me to start hurling random curses and throwing breakable objects at any player trying to justify their unduly powerful concept at me. This usually stands as the harder obstacle to overcome.

Let me explain... no there is too much.

Let me sum up:

Experience has shown me that the more complex and fubared a character concept is, the less likely it is to be enjoyable for the player, his/her posse, and me. Also the more complex, the more likely it is complex for the purpose of exploiting rules rather than role-playing. Also, Also, while the "corruption" archetypes and Arcane Backgrounds are all interesting, a whole posse of them is a royal pain to run.

The uniqueness of a character comes from how you play them, not the combination of abilities you give them at creation.

xxoo

The Wanderer

"Oh, I'm verbose am I? Well so's yer mother!"

----- Original Message -----

From: CHOFFMAN@Alorica.com

Sent: Friday, July 13, 2001 10:00 AM

To: deadlands@gamerz.net

Subject: RE: [DL] Looking for random help

In our group we call that the "Bad Girls" syndrome. The movie with Drew Berrymore, Mary Stewart Masterson, etc... For those who haven't seen it (lucky you it's really not good) all the characters were "Soiled Doves" driven to prostitution by some HORRIBLE event in there lives. One's husband died on the trail so she couldn't provide for herself, yadda yadda. About 20 minutes into the movie you're asking yourself "Does everyone in this show have a tortured past?".

Dramatic character development and good storytelling are helped a lot by normal characters having their status quo life shattered and having to try and strive back to some kind of "normalcy". i.e.#1: You're living day to day on the moisture farm then one day you buy some droids and BAM, you're aunt and uncle are disintegrated by stormtroopers. i.e.#2 You're working in your cubicle one day and BAM dark suits start chasing you around and you take the red pill.

I also agree with the Captain. There's nothing funnier than the blank looks I get from my posse of a Huckster, a Harrowed, 2 Mad Scientists, and Warrior/Shaman when you ask for a search roll. "We put all our points into Deth-Dealin'!!!!" Doesn't help much when you can't find the monster.

"Cactus" Chris

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