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What a foe can do rather than what a foe is - humans with punch?
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<blockquote data-quote="EzekielRaiden" data-source="post: 8934784" data-attributes="member: 6790260"><p>Make factions.</p><p></p><p>Human beings are social creatures by nature. We are at our most successful when we collaborate to achieve ends. Factions enable a bunch of stuff that is very useful for antagonists narratively and mechanically:</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A shared identity. This both makes it easier to figure out who you're fighting/how to fight them (though surprises are always good here), and helps the players build an emotional connection to the faction as a group of antagonists.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Common goals. Instead of the scattershot goals of every random bandit and thug, factions provide something to rally around. They also let you differentiate opponents by method, not just by appearance.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inter- and intra-faction politics. TONS of juicy stuff here. Two factions hate each other, so both court the PCs. One faction has a simmering internal resentment the players can leverage to their advantage. Etc. Great stuff.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Reputation. The factions don't always need to be villainous or even antagonistic. They can be more complicated, and the players may actually want to curry favor with a faction they've opposed in the past (or vice-versa.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Long-term potential. Factions outlast individual members. This enables stories that would otherwise end when a given important bad guy dies. Further, the actual <em>defeat</em> of a faction--striking it down so it can't rise again, at least not in the foreseeable future--is a wonderful major accomplishment or campaign capstone.</li> </ul><p>If you want your enemies to be more about what they can do and <em>who</em> (rather than <em>what</em>) they are, make factions.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="EzekielRaiden, post: 8934784, member: 6790260"] Make factions. Human beings are social creatures by nature. We are at our most successful when we collaborate to achieve ends. Factions enable a bunch of stuff that is very useful for antagonists narratively and mechanically: [LIST] [*]A shared identity. This both makes it easier to figure out who you're fighting/how to fight them (though surprises are always good here), and helps the players build an emotional connection to the faction as a group of antagonists. [*]Common goals. Instead of the scattershot goals of every random bandit and thug, factions provide something to rally around. They also let you differentiate opponents by method, not just by appearance. [*]Inter- and intra-faction politics. TONS of juicy stuff here. Two factions hate each other, so both court the PCs. One faction has a simmering internal resentment the players can leverage to their advantage. Etc. Great stuff. [*]Reputation. The factions don't always need to be villainous or even antagonistic. They can be more complicated, and the players may actually want to curry favor with a faction they've opposed in the past (or vice-versa.) [*]Long-term potential. Factions outlast individual members. This enables stories that would otherwise end when a given important bad guy dies. Further, the actual [I]defeat[/I] of a faction--striking it down so it can't rise again, at least not in the foreseeable future--is a wonderful major accomplishment or campaign capstone. [/LIST] If you want your enemies to be more about what they can do and [I]who[/I] (rather than [I]what[/I]) they are, make factions. [/QUOTE]
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What a foe can do rather than what a foe is - humans with punch?
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