PA-Characters
PA-Setting. . . . . . . . PA-System
Time to resurrect some old ideas and put some new varnish on them. I am stealing from Gemini and History With Cards. The rules presented here assume we use Rolemaster as the game system, which will be the case at least during the preliminary playtest.
Contents
Premise
Because character unity of purpose is so important, and because a party theme or goal can be central to this unity, my suggestion would create a joint character generation mechanism utilizing cards and roleplaying to craft appropriate backgrounds for the characters and the group itself. It is intended that this would be fun, and this combined with actual character generation nuts and bolts may take an entire session, or at least much of one.
Setup
Each character will be dealt 5 cards from a standard deck. The GM will also have a deck of face down cards. The players will utilize these cards to craft their relationships and generate equipment for the group. Cards are valued in the following manner: 2-5 (1), 6-8 (2) 9-10 (3), face cards (4) and Ace (5). The play of cards should be spontaneous, and without table talk. The goal is for this to be fun, and surprises will contribute to that. Do not be afraid to step on the toes of another PC, use these instances to develop rivalries and interesting relationships between the characters.
Before card play begins a list of potential equipment will be made available to the PCs. This equipment will be generated from the starting equipment table, so it will be general in nature. This means it will be in the form of 'Melee Weapon' rather than 'Sword'. When a piece of equipment is acquired, they choose what it is specifically at that time. Some equipment will be general items which are unlimited, in other words everyone who chooses to may use an action to take them. There will also be unique pieces of equipment that will be removed from the list when chosen by a player.
Each player also takes two significator cards. These cards will be from another deck, and will only every be played face up. The purpose of this card is so that each player can denote how their face down card will resolve.
The Action
The GM will begin by setting the scene. This will give some basics about the local area where the players begin. This is for the origin story only, it does not have to be where they begin the actual game, and play of player cards can alter this significantly. Be creative! Each player will then have the option to play any one card face down, if they wish. This card will be used for prelude activities. During prelude activities players may bind their characters together, gain equipment, or anything else they think is appropriate. All players reveal their cards simultaneously, and from highest to lowest value (ties broken by numerical value and then suit as per Deadlands rules) they are resolved.
After the players initial cards are resolved the GM draws a card and plays it face down into the playing area. He will then narrate what this card symbolizes and how it will affect the characters in game. Some cards will have a single value for players to overcome jointly, others will affect all, with the player having the option to counter the effects or let them resolve. In general, to overcome a GM card effect, card(s) with a total value equal or greater than the GM card must be played.
Once the GM card is played, players play cards. These cards can be played for party effects or to overcome the effects of the GM cards. All players play their cards face down, simultaneously. Each player also chooses and plays one of their significator cards face up. If the color of the face down (effect) card matches the significator, it will go toward canceling the GM effect, otherwise it will trigger a party effect chosen by the player from the following list. Table talk is discouraged at this point as well.
Example: The GM has declared that the current event is a raid by a gang of nomads who are attempting to steal items from the players equipment cache. Amir decides he would like to attempt to stop this from occurring. Looking at his hand he decides the 9 of hearts is the card he would like to play, so he places that face down in front of him. He then slides his red significator card forward, face up. Because this color matches his 9 of hearts, the value of his card (3), will go toward defeating the enemies.
Everyone, including the GM, then reveals their cards simultaneously. Those which are overcoming the GM challenge go first, with those players narrating the way they attack the situation, even if their cards are not valuable enough to win. When those players are satisfied with their description, and the GM has participated, those who are performing other actions perform them in order of highest to lowest value.
Characters who are performing party effects are considered to have not participated (or to have been somehow ineffectual) in overcoming the obstacle. However, this should be viewed as an opportunity for party growth, a way for you as players to more deeply understand the characters previous dynamic. Higher value cards should indicated a higher level of performance in a given situation.
Example: During the aforementioned nomad raid, Amir and Dieter play two cards total value 4 toward defeating the raiders. The GM has played a 10 (value 3), so the players succeed in defending their camp. Since Amir played the higher card, he is determined to be the prime mover in this conflict. He declares that he used his cunning and guile to draw them into a trap (that he richly described), and then knocked them from their horses, while Dieter dispatched the downed men. Dieter agrees with this and adds that one of the nomads was able to avoid the trap, but as he was riding away he shot him in the back with an arrow. Rumi and Dave did not play cards toward the situation, so their actions do not contribute to defeating the raiders.
Party Effects
Cards may be used in a number of ways, and what follows is not to be assumed to be an exhaustive list. If a player has a creative idea, the GM will narrate its effect on the fly using these rules as a guideline. Table talk is encouraged during this portion of card play. I think we should try to avoid 'play one on me now, and I will play on you later', but this is not expressly forbidden.
Equipment
If a card is played for equipment, the player describes how the given GM situation led them to acquire the piece(s) of equipment from the cache, and they mark it off the list and take it, generating its quality and inventing any necessary specifics. The player may take a number of items equal to the value of the card played. Alternatively, a unique item may be removed from the list in exchange for a random equipment roll.
Conflicts
Narrate a relationship building conflict between your character and one other character. It can occur within the current GM obstacle, or outside of it. Each character gains background options equal to the value of the card. Any other player may get their character involved by discarding a card of equal or greater value. This player declares their participation and also collects the same reward.
Example: In the action after the nomad raid, Dieter plays a 7 of diamonds into the party effects section. He declares it a conflict with Dave, explaining that he was on guard that evening, and he feels he should have been the one who saved Rumi. This guilt has led him to constantly try to outdo Dave, as well as beat him at any competitions they find. Each character gains 2 background options due to this experience.
Vinculum
Create a shared experience or belief between your character and another. Both characters need not perceive or understand the connection in the same way, but they must both know of it. Each character who has a vinculum gains 1 die in their characteristic pool per level of the card. The maximum characteristic number is not increased. Vinculum may be 'me too'-ed with consent of both players.
Vinculum rolls may also be converted directly into skill points on a 1 for 1 basis.
--Dieter the Bold 13:52, 16 April 2011 (MST) So with character generation of 600+10d10, every vinculum level gives plus 1d10 to that generation?
--Jason 19:44, 16 April 2011 (MST) Yes, to each character. The maximum roll is still 100, but having 12d10 to roll greatly increases the chance of getting up there.
Example: During the nomad raid, Dave plays a 6 of spades and declares this a vinculum to Rumi. He explains that she was asleep when the nomads arrived and surprised them, and her campsite was exposed in a dangerous position, so he rushed out there and dragged her from her tent, saving her from certain death. This creates a bond of trust and admiration between the two characters. Dave chooses to take 2d10 in stat rolls, while Rumi converts her vinculum into 2 skills points.
Fate
The player may declare any card 'Fate'. Fate cards are immediately converted to a number of rerolls equal to the value of the card. These may be used during character generation or saved for use during play. If used during character gen, the player may reroll any number of dice in a single batch for the cost of one reroll, and multiple rerolls may be used on the same set of dice. Rerolls saved for game play may be used to reroll any set of dice thrown by the player, or any GM dice which directly affects that player.
GM Role
During this prelude section the GM will play a total of 4 cards as obstacles. Once those are played, any player with extra cards plays them face down and they are resolved as normal.
Character Generation
In standard Rolemaster character generation, the characters would have 5 or 6 background options and 600+10d10 characteristic pool points. Characters in this game will have 4 background options plus those gained during card play and 600+10d10 characteristic pool points, plus those gained during card play (maximum 100). Background options may be used to take a piece of equipment from the cache, those with the least equipment having the first choice.
Once all players have determined which equipment everyone wants to pay for, the remaining equipment is divided among the characters in however distribution the players can agree on. All equipment must have condition numbers assigned. Assume maintenance to be at maximum for given condition.
