[HoE] Re-Starting Characters

[Matthew Steflik <grifflik@stny.rr.com>]

Steve Crow wrote:

> How do folks deal with injecting "new" characters into an experienced
> bunch
> of characters?

This actually happens to me quite a bit...my gaming group tends to do a
lot of in-fighting (we've often joked that we'd be better off playing
Amber, but no one wants to try to run it...anyhow...) and the mortality
rate has a tendency to be high.  Since I (personally) have a problem
with players going for the "big four" archetypes (templar, junker,
doomsayer, syker), I came up with my own house rules to try and
"encourage" people to play more "norms" with the bonus of additional
points during construction after they have lost their previous
characters.  This sort of addresses (albeit indirectly) what you're
referring to (forgive me for bringing up my house rules again...I've
mentioned them before and I don't want to quote them verbatim - if you
care, you can find them at:

Gimme Shelter - http://www.geocities.com/grifflik/

While this doesn't address the problem directly (and I apologize for
that, Steve), it seems to do the trick for my particular group.  The
Veteran thing can't even be brought into it - EVERYONE takes it in my
group.  It's almost seems to be an unwritten requirement (which is why
I've been asking on the list about Veteran alternatives...we've been
through the existing ones MANY times). They are all experienced gamers
(over 10+ years and too many games/systems to mention for most), and
Deadlands isn't really a "level" based gaming system (as I'm sure your
aware).  New characters (played by veteran players) tend to make up for
their inexperience through knowledge of the game system - they know what
their limitations are coming in, and know when to play off their edges
and hindrances to quickly assimilate themselves into the existing
posse.  Now, if you're talking "newbie" new players (as in "have never
played before"), I've had a few of them as well.  As cut-throat as my
posse can be, they always tend to be a little lenient on new players
(God bless 'em) , helping them along until they "know the ropes" and
providing backup in the game for their inexperience as they "catch up"
as you put it (until such a time that they feel it is necessary that
they learned a lesson about how not to trust ANYONE in the group - then
one of them screws the newbie over as a sort of object lesson..life is
hard).
Bottom line; newly created characters are put directly into action with
existing (experienced) characters with a possible optional (according to
the house rules) bonus in character creation points for skills and
whatnot.  Other than that, it comes down to "dealing with it" and pure
role-playing experience.  That's how it works in my personal group -
probably not a lot of use to you.  I know it wouldn't work for the
majority of groups out there, but that's how it is for us.  Just thought
I'd share.

Matt Steflik
Master of Wahoo
Gimme Shelter - http://www.geocities.com/grifflik/