Re: [BNW] Bargainer PCs.

[whytcrow@io.com]

> White Crow, try to remember that the information in the sourcebook is
>yours to tinker with as you please.

Um...yes...I'm aware of that.  I just thought I'd throw out my 
overall opinion on the Bargainer and ask other peoples thoughts.

>Also, as with the Defiance, I get
>the feeling that the more powerful Bargainers tend to alter the facts to
>forward their own agenda. Like Truth, they keep the PCs in the dark a
>lot of the time, and don't part with the info until there's no other
>choice.

That's half the fun. ;)  But I see it as much as there is a danger in 
trusting other people.  Trust doesn't come easy, and making a mistake 
can lead to you (and other people) being killed.  You don't share 
easily in a world like that.  PLus, the less someone knows, the less 
of a target they may be.

>    Also, bear in mind Mr. Twist's repeated warnings about demons. If
>the PC Bargainers are foolish enough to try to summon a demon and cut a
>deal, they deserve the discomfort.
>    I do agree with you that the information contained within Bargainers
>can make it seem like they hog the glory from other players. The key is
>to not let that happen. Yeah, Bargainers are different from your
>"average" delta, but that can be as much of a curse as it is a blessing.
>If your Bargainer PC starts getting a little big for her britches,
>gently remind her that the other player's characters don't know what she
>has to do for her power, and demons just _love_ dropping the bomb on a
>Bargainer's closest friends. Makes their pawns. . .er, business
>associates, that much more malleable to their whims. Heh heh heh. . .

Hehehe....that's just plain mean.  I like it.  My point though wasn't 
that they are hogging the glory, but that there stuff just takes up 
more game time.  You don't want to short shift them, you don't want 
to short shift the danger, but you also don't want players sitting 
around with nothing to do while the Bargainer does her thing.

The other thing I don't quite like about how the Bargainers are 
portrayed is that they are so black and white.  (I see people looking 
quizzically at me, let me explain).  They summon demons.  PLain and 
simple, little room for interpertation.  I will run it more as the 
Bargainers not truly knowing the source of their power.  Are those 
truly faeries the Wiccan summons?  Does the New Ager talk to her 
guardian angel?  Or is the Covenant right, and it is demons?  The 
entities will still always think differently from us, and the 
Bargainer may never know what it is she asks for help.

>    Matt, thanks for the info. Crossroads sounds like it's going to be
>cool, and I can't wait for the Covenant sourcebook. I don't know about
>the rest of you, but I'm seriously anticipating Glory Days. That looks
>like it's gonna be a blast. Play in the era of the Yankee? Awesome!

I'm excited by most of them, less so by Glory Days, but that's an 
element of not having much interest in that era.  I have little 
doubts it will be cool though, and probably still have a ton of stuff 
to use even if I don't want to run in that time period.

Jennifer

The White Crow
FUDGE Deryni and the Penn Ar Mor Ars Magica Saga:
http://www.io.com/~whytcrow/rpg.html
"Xander, don't use Latin in front of the books."