[HoE] Multiple Arcane Backgrounds

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

tcb1539@cub.uca.edu wrote:

> Thanks for all the information. I think I may let him start as a
> Doomsayer,
> and eventually become a Junker during the campaign... It might work
> better
> that way... I'll have to see..

One of the problems with getting this list in digest form is I'm always
coming in on the end of discussions.  Well, CoTA says its a "possible"
combo on page 63.  But during the campaign?  Do you really want to do
this?  How many people do you have in the posse?  Are they all going to
want to wait around for him while he learns the trade, or are you
planning on making his instruction a focus of the campaign?  This
wouldn't be an easy thing to accomplish and would be really long-term in
scope.  You might want to go ahead and let him take the double
background at start, and in addition to paying the points for both
(point-wise, he's going to be pretty spread out...after required edges
and hindrances for both he'll probably be moderately specialized in a
few areas and really weak in most others...but this has been said
already), make him give you a detailed background in writing as to how
this juxtaposition of powers came about.  I'm pretty adamant these days
on my players writing at least semi-detailed backgrounds for their
characters (I won't even let them take the full 15 points for Veteran
until they make me BELIEVE their character actually is one).  If they
put the time in on creating the character, they tend to care about it
more and play it smarter, and very often the writing requirement tones
down the powergaming ("Y'mean I have to explain HOW I'm a Cyber-Syker? I
can't just BE one?"). We've ended up with some wonderfully rich,
developed characters that started with very humble beginnings...it just
seems to make for better role-playing when the players have something in
writing in front of them to draw upon (as well as giving me fodder to
work into the campaign).  At least that's my experience, and I'll get
off my slightly off topic soapbox now.  Anyway, if it were me, our house
rules take care of most situations like this.  The junker/doomsayer
cross-breed is rare enough that it would take a Joker draw during
character creation, but I'd probably let them do it if they drew the
card and wrote a good explanatory background.  Regardless, I wish you
luck with whatever you decide to do with it.  I'd be interested in
hearing how the situation turns out. :)

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