Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ezram 07-04-07, 05:16 PM	For example, the Dedicated Heroes have good perception, willpower and knowledge, but the Strong and Tough heroes, for example, mostly shine in an action oriented horror setting (hm....) is there a way to balance them, or is it something your players work with?
DragonBringerX 07-05-07, 03:04 AM	Ok, I love this question. This may take a bit of explaining to do so sit down for this if you already aren't. Simple answer: yes Complicated answer: :D Ok: I am currently running (for the 6th time) a survival horror campaign. Now, the entire thing takes place within a giant mansion/ manor (4 stories high, 2 stories down) and of course getting there. Now, I run this game for 1 to 5 players using the d20 moder book with very slightly modified rules merely to fit the theme (see below). Now, the party (preferably 3 players works best) gets 1 npc of each of the six classes to start with. (one smart, 1 strong, 1 tough, etc). There are 4 more in the house (3 of them 2nd lv, and 1 is 1st level and the classes are mixed but not evenly). Now, my game works along the lines of "work together or die". Everyone doesn't fight, yet no one is useless. Some are good at combat, some are good a research, one is good at treating wounds while another is good at treating mentally (before someone goes crazy). Each as a wide range of fields but all are useful. The strong and tough stick to combat, the fast does a bit of combat and exploration, the dedicated is the medic, the smart disables traps and makes improvised weapons (moltov cocktails), while the charismatic is good at talking people down and doing research (but his feats are combat focused). I do have one more interesting feature of my game, and that is if a PC dies, they can pick up any of the remaining NPC's in their current condition. (oh, and unfortunately adding more players midway through game is a bad idea). Now, this makes it to were the PC's know I'm not messing around with them and I don't feel bad if they die. Also, it doesn't make it weird to have to introduce a new character latter. Now, as I mentioned above, this is a survival horror setting that is very controlled. I have found little to no problem. However, if this is just a horror campaign, you may need some modifications as well but you will have to answer a few questions first. What kind of horror is this? (survival, sci-fi, religious, subtle or extreme) Where will your game take place? (a house, island, town, city, a country, inhabited or abandoned?) When will your game take place? (now, a few years ago, many years ago, few years from now, many years from now?) And is there any apocalyptic theme in the setting? (pre or post) How many people will you be running for? How many NPC's will you need? (many, few, none) These questions will affect what you mean by "balanced". For example, if your setting is cthulhian horror set in 1920, a smart hero is going to be very useful now is he. Or if your setting is sci-fi horror set in solving a mystery before a killer gets to you, the though or strong hero might not work well here for they wont get action until late game. Now do you see my point? :( I know this might not be exactly the answer you were looking for, but as I get more details about your game...I can help you out fully and would be glade to share some xp :D . [varient] my game includes 2 new stats...Mental Health and Mind Set. This stat starts off at 10. When something really creepy happens or unnatural, they roll a sanity check (d10). If they roll their mental health or lower...they succeed. This doesn't mean they take 0 mental damage. Most of the time it does, but some times an effect is so terrifying that even if they succeed, they still take 1 point or half the amount. Now, what I require people to roll for is determined by their Mind Set score. This is a score that ranges from 1 to 5. (1 being more realistic, believes fact not fiction. 5 being fantastic, believing the ghost, aliens, and other non-provable things exist). For more detailed rules on this sanity system please PM me...I'm always glade to share and I am proud to say that this has been tested and works!
i_am_some_guy 07-05-07, 04:53 PM	[varient] my game includes 2 new stats...Mental Health and Mind Set. This stat starts off at 10. When something really creepy happens or unnatural, they roll a sanity check (d10). If they roll their mental health or lower...they succeed. This doesn't mean they take 0 mental damage. Most of the time it does, but some times an effect is so terrifying that even if they succeed, they still take 1 point or half the amount. Now, what I require people to roll for is determined by their Mind Set score. This is a score that ranges from 1 to 5. (1 being more realistic, believes fact not fiction. 5 being fantastic, believing the ghost, aliens, and other non-provable things exist). Very interesting concept. I tend to use Wisdom and WIS damage to reflect sanity attacks/loss. Make a WIS check against whatever DC the event calls for and suffer (or survive) the effect. Your NPC concept is very "paranoia" like. But, can fit -- the "hangers on" stay in one room and come out when the folks that act start to die off.... I've currently been working up a survival horror game based on night of the living dead. All players live on the same floor of an apartment building in downtown chicago. Civil unrest is on the streets and everyone is warned to stay home. They wake the next morning with all tv channels off the air, just a few radio stations on, and a zombie cleaning lady wandering the halls outside their apartment. It would be interesting to try and include your NPC idea into the mix by having the players create their "family".
DragonBringerX 07-07-07, 01:57 AM	My players love the idea, I've told them ahead of time that this is the case. Now in my game, their characters are the only ones they create, I create the NPC's (i love creating characters) and so they feel very attached to theres and have a feeling of a "safety net" when they begin to see another NPC like them but different in certain ways. For example: One PC is playing a smart hero that is a computer game designer/programmer but also is a big time hacker, the other Smart Hero NPC that they start off with in the party is a demolitions specialist, but also is generally very adept with computers and other techs. Another PC is playing a dedicated hero that is a medical expert, but is also skilled at helping people cope (like a psychiatrist) while the dedicated hero is a surgeon. So, similar but not the same. You'll quickly find that the PC's stick to their NPC "counter parts" as to make sure they don't die either. I find the whole thing interesting to see how they react and such. I just realized I should mention this...another great tactic in survival horror is to "really" flesh out the NPC's, so that if anything bad happens to them, the players really feel emotional about it.
joekap 07-07-07, 01:31 PM	that is awesome, the way the PCs will stick to thier counter parts...like in the movies, a character finds someone of like mind and run around getting chased by the monster together. very good.
i_am_some_guy 07-07-07, 07:01 PM	Taking that to the next stage in my NoTLD game would be that the NPCs are a family. The husband (or wife) is the player while the other NPCs are the rest of the family. That would make the desire to have everyone survive much higher, and losing an NPC much harder to handle... I know that if I ended up in a haunted house with some guy that was a little like me all I need to make sure of is that I can run faster than him....
DragonBringerX 07-08-07, 01:47 AM	I know that if I ended up in a haunted house with some guy that was a little like me all I need to make sure of is that I can run faster than him.... :heehee
Ezram 07-08-07, 02:38 AM	But the low willpower, it is not a hindrance?
j0lt 07-08-07, 10:11 AM	But the low willpower, it is not a hindrance? In psychological horror games, Iron Will suddenly becomes a much more important feat.
joekap 07-08-07, 09:31 PM	I know that if I ended up in a haunted house with some guy that was a little like me all I need to make sure of is that I can run faster than him.... yeah or that i hat the only gun, or the bullets atleast...not to shoot the monster mind you....for shooting the other guy in the leg if it turns out he is faster