Re: [HOE] Running perfect HoE Campaign

["Jeff Yates" <jyates@primaryfunction.com>]

While not currently running a HOE game (we're still in the 1870s!), I also
have to chime in.  The most interesting and most powerful character in my
posse is a norm.  And not a fubar'd norm (much):  he's got a hankerin' for
alcohol, and some ugly as sin, but no mysterious pasts.  But the other
players fear and respect the Outlaw Jose Wales (no relation).  I guess I'm
saying that norms that get roleplayed are very often the richest/most
developed characters.  And the most effective.

I personally allow pretty much all the ABs, because I can do many terrible
things to them.  You wear green or purple robes?  Unless the opponents are
brain dead, they recognize Nuke potential, and shoot the doomie first.  It's
not unfair to the doomie, it's just a survival instinct of goons to shoot at
the most dangerous opponent.  Same can often be said about Hucksters -- cast
one hex and become several bandito's #1 target.  The bad guys can be
suspicious lots!

And I definitely agree with the day to day issues many of the ABs can have.
And should be stuck with.  A camp/settlement/town full of norms probably
wouldn't be comfortable with a doomie moving in.  But a group of mutants
might not be so turned off.

And as far as the writers not caring about norms -- they've been done.  The
basic rules cover the normal stuff.  Additional writing is needed to provide
info about non-normal stuff.  Now, if what you  are looking for is really
more stuff to add to your "normal" character, you really start pushing that
character away from normalcy.

Jeff "sure you can play a heavy cyborg -- let me tell you what your rule of
engagement are... HAHAHAHAHA!" Y.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kai Tave" <kaitave@harborside.com>
To: <hoe@gamerz.net>
Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2001 2:02 AM
Subject: Re: [HOE] Running perfect HoE Campaign


> On the other hand, HOE with no arcane powers has already been done.  It's
> called Gamma World, and I didn't particularly care for it.
>
> AB's should be limited on a case by case basis.  If a player has a really
> groovy idea for a Doomsayer, don't hold him back.  You can still use
> Doomsayers for bad guys and such, and if it gets the player to contribute
to
> the game in a creative and entertaining manner, so much the better.  On
the
> other hand, if the player is a known powergamer who doesn't care about
> spreading the word of the Glow so much as nuking stuff left and right,
talk
> to him about what playing a Doomsayer really means.
>
> I agree that Librarian arcane powers are dumb.  Won't get an argument out
of
> me there.
>
> But honestly, the list goes through this argument what seems like every
> month.  Really.  There is no right or wrong answer; it's dependant on the
> group you play with and your style of play.
>
> Also, I bet Mad Max would've taken arcane powers in a heartbeat.
>
> Speaking of mundanes, some ways to give mundanes a bit of an advantage:
>
> 1). Socializing.  Not every community will accept a
> Syker/Junker/Doomsayer/Templar with open arms (though Templar are usually
> sneaky sorts anyway).  This will probably vary from settlement to
> settlement, but some folks won't like to deal with certain arcane folks.
> Think anyone near or around the remains of Virginia City wants anything to
> do with Doomsayers?  And that little town in New Mexico might have
> lynch-on-sight orders for bald-headed folks ever since a Syker raped the
> mayor's daughter.  Normal folks, that is no arcane backgrounds or
mutations,
> will probably face much less of this, making things like acquiring
> information or persuading someone to do you a favor.  Sure, the Doomie
could
> threaten someone and the Syker could take over his mind, but then you're
> just shooting yourself in the foot by causing MORE animosity.
>
> NOTE: Do not have every single town prejudiced against AB's.  That's being
> unfair.  Mix it up.  Some towns LOVE Doomsayers.  Some towns don't.  Smart
> players will be making maps.
>
> 2). Cause and effect.  It's a simple and understandable oversight, but not
> all GM's treat supernatural powers as "real" things.  What I mean by that
is
> that some folks just treat their miracles/powers as canned effects where X
> Strain gives you Y effect with no regards for the actual consequences of
> their actions.  If your Doomsayer is a Nuke freak, just wait until your
> players need to do something that takes them inside a cave, or inside a
> ruined building, or an underground bunker with tight corridors.  Also,
Nuked
> bodies bear no salvage.  Wanted the Kevlar vest off of that Black Hat?
Too
> bad it's now one with the universe.  If your pyrokinetically-inclined
Syker
> is a little too liberal with his Arsons, it's possible he could do
anything
> from causing a raging brushfire to accidentally setting the settlement
> you're defending on fire.
>
> NOTE: Again, do not constantly put the arcane characters in situations
where
> their powers are useless or detrimental to their own health.  Simply make
> sure they understand that with great power comes great responsibility.
>
> 3). Strain.  It doesn't last forever, and when it's gone, you'd better
hope
> you can get by without it.  The dime novel Leftovers gives a perfect
example
> of a Doomsayer who cuts loose with several Nukes, only to discover when he
> had to run that he didn't have enough juice left to Powerup his electric
> pickup truck.  In the short-term, AB's are very powerful.  In the
long-term,
> mundanes can often bridge the gap handily.
>
> 4). Equipment.  Cut mundanes some slack on starting gear.  If the
character
> is a mundane, look a little more favorably towards him when he asks for
the
> dozen shotgun slugs at character creation (assuming he does, in fact, pay
> for them).
>
> 5). Authority.  Have folks respect the authority of Law Dogs or
Librarians.
> While Brother Manhattan might be able to deliver a rousing sermon, he
might
> not necessarily have the same sway as a tin badge when trying to recruit a
> posse to go tackle the raider's camp.
>
> 6). Fate.  If all else fails, toss mundanes a couple fate chips at
chargen.
> My gut tells me one red and one white is a nice lagniappe.
>
> Mundane characters make for some interesting characters.  I certainly
don't
> advocate FORCING your players to conform to any standard, but do point out
> that being normal can have its own rewards in a world gone mad.
>
> --Kai Tave
>
>
> >I would agree with the people who say starting AB's should be initiates.
> >
> >Looking back, I would run HoE without ANY Arcanes or I would ONLY allow
> >initiates/greenies.  Maybe I would let a Templar in,  but really.  NO
> >Harrowed (Unless everyone was Harrowed).  Junkers... I would limit, but
> >allow, provided they weren't doing much with Gun Spirits (Something
people
> on
> >this list forget).
> >
> >Doomies are much more fun as villains, Sykers similarly, but in my days,
it
> >seems players want to rack up the supernatural power and go out and rock.
> >And that just aint American. Did Mad Max need snacky powers?  Did the
> >Jerusalem Man need anything except his guns?  Wizards existed in The
> >Gunslinger, and Roland wasn't one of 'em.
> >    There are always exceptions, but as I get older, I think a major
> problem,
> >with both this list and HoE in general is that the writers/players don't
> seem
> >to want to think about anyone without arcane powers.  And they make the
> silly
> >mistake of giving interesting people with no powers (Librarians), really
> >stupid powers.
> >
> >
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