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2 player auction...

Started by yrtalien, November 14, 2009, 03:54:51 PM

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RPGPundit

Quote from: scottishstorm;343776I think it's a point of partly hamstringing your npcs so they're competitive with the PCs, but only to a point.  Frankly, it would likely be disastrous if the npcs held all four #1 attribute ranks (at least potentially disastrous).  When it comes down to things the PCs -not the npcs- should be the "stars" of the campaign.

Well, I don't know. It could be an interesting spin if the PCs were the "runts" of the litter.

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scottishstorm

Could be. :)

Nearly every premise COULD BE fun and interesting to all involved, granted!

The essence of what I meant was... well, we;ve all seem this type of game where the GM's npcs sweep in to save the day, are ALWAYS one step ahead of everyone else, are bigger-stronger-faster, etc.  It usually gets old, particularly when the GM is competing against players on a 'player level'.  It reeks of foul play.

Agreed, though, that a game consisting of "little brothers" (and little sisters?) in the shadow of their older/more experienced siblings COULD be a blast.  This also has a great deal to do with attitude within the game.

gabriel_ss4u

Yeah, what do the players want?
want to be?
Some of the positions open after they choose; "I wanna be Capt. of the Guards special forces... the King's Knights!"
"And I want to be the Apprentice sorcerer, learning from Dworkin & Oberon"
So there are plenty of positions open.
Rebma, Arden, the City, the waters, the trade routes into shadow by land.
These are ready made NPCs, decide what you want them to be like, male/female, lineage...
(My fav. idea was that werecat daughter of Deirdre, Lady Felina. She makes for a tough gal / forest child npc. Always trying to live up to mummy)
Child of Lewella, in the mix in Amber proper. Something spells of water magic.
Some Trump/master power oracle to the king position too.
Just think of where you want who in the story/castle.
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Croaker

Quote from: scottishstorm;344161The essence of what I meant was... well, we;ve all seem this type of game where the GM's npcs sweep in to save the day, are ALWAYS one step ahead of everyone else, are bigger-stronger-faster, etc.  It usually gets old, particularly when the GM is competing against players on a 'player level'.  It reeks of foul play.
There's worse. When the "DM" (Cause it was dungeons only, and he isn't worthy of the title) empowers one player to this level, and make the game revolve around him and his exploits, with the other players being sidekicks at best.
 

scottishstorm

Agreed.  Well, I'm not sure if it's worse.  But, it's easily just as bad.

In the first case, the DM/GM almost uses the players as an audience while crafting a story around "his" glorious npcs.  In the latter, the DM is a lackey of another player.  Either way, that sense of one person using everyone else as witnesses to their glory... sucks. :P

gabriel_ss4u

Quote from: scottishstorm;344294Agreed.  Well, I'm not sure if it's worse.  But, it's easily just as bad.

In the first case, the DM/GM almost uses the players as an audience while crafting a story around "his" glorious npcs.  In the latter, the DM is a lackey of another player.  Either way, that sense of one person using everyone else as witnesses to their glory... sucks. :P

AGREED
this is why GMing amber is such a prestigious thing, there are few that believe it can be done as well as it is. You'd have to play with a good group/GM to know. GM's whose stories & NPCs are bigger/better than his players or the 'fun of the game' tend to write the ends of their stories alone, without a group.
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scottishstorm

Very much agreed.

Amber is less about "winning" than any game out there, IMO.  Triumphs are important, of course.  But, so are failures.  Sometimes, a mistake or inadequacy is far more entertaining to play (and see played) than the alternative.  And, the beauty of it all is these "flaws" strengthen the overall campaign if handled well.

Even in objective-based Amber games, such as a thrown war, "winning" isn't necessarily interesting or fulfilling.

jibbajibba

Quote from: scottishstorm;344161Could be. :)

Nearly every premise COULD BE fun and interesting to all involved, granted!

The essence of what I meant was... well, we;ve all seem this type of game where the GM's npcs sweep in to save the day, are ALWAYS one step ahead of everyone else, are bigger-stronger-faster, etc.  It usually gets old, particularly when the GM is competing against players on a 'player level'.  It reeks of foul play.

Agreed, though, that a game consisting of "little brothers" (and little sisters?) in the shadow of their older/more experienced siblings COULD be a blast.  This also has a great deal to do with attitude within the game.

This is the exact reason i don't use the elder amberites in my games.
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gabriel_ss4u

I do
:(

but they don't stick around for too long, they usually go off & do stuff.
depends on the level of gaming group if they need training or are ready to take on the Amberverse without aid & experienced uncles/aunts.
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RPGPundit

I almost always have the elders around. That's not the problem; its just a question of making it clear that the elders are more trouble than they're worth, and generally not having them there to fix all the problems and take the center stage.

RPGPundit
LION & DRAGON: Medieval-Authentic OSR Roleplaying is available now! You only THINK you\'ve played \'medieval fantasy\' until you play L&D.


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The most famous uruguayan gaming blog on the planet!

NEW!
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Dark Albion: The Rose War! The OSR fantasy setting of the history that inspired Shakespeare and Martin alike.
Also available in Variant Cover form!
Also, now with the CULTS OF CHAOS cult-generation sourcebook

ARROWS OF INDRA
Arrows of Indra: The Old-School Epic Indian RPG!
NOW AVAILABLE: AoI in print form

LORDS OF OLYMPUS
The new Diceless RPG of multiversal power, adventure and intrigue, now available.

gabriel_ss4u

true.
A GM should play them down if they are in a campaign, they don't wanna solve a PC's problems, unless they will be owed greatly for it, and as Pundit says, that MAY be more trouble than it is worth.
ut the character interaction and flavor are true points to Amber for me.
I enjoy a GM that can really make me feel as if i have (in character) met the Princes & characters of Amber.

It's fun to meet Superman in Champions, but if he saves the day all the time, what are you there for?
(Hello, my name is the Spleen, pull my finger)::: lisping PeeWee Herman voice:::
Well, that's ONE adventure, but not much more adventures for them than saving the hero one time, no one likes getting up-staged, but it does happen sometimes. Better if another PC does it than an NPC.
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