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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nagol" data-source="post: 6106485" data-attributes="member: 23935">Kryptonite is another form of story-hook, albeit an outlandish one as befits the milieu.  It serves the same basic purpose as handcuffs or knockout drops do for a regular person -- how can we make this competent individual feel helpless and weak?I use the Hero system quite a bit for "little" (i.e. no special powers) games like pulp/modern espionage/investigation and the like.  Disadvantages work very well as a set of hooks for PC engagement and as a way for the players to signal what they are looking for from the game so you don't end up continually threatening a PCs love interest whose player has limited interest in saviour stories, for example.  An effective backstory can be just a useful, but disadvantages are a terrific tool to get the same basic amount of backstory from each player and get the players thinking about what they want/can tolerate in the campaign.  The player gets compensated for taking the disadvantages  through the increased competency of his character.  The GM gets a snapshot view of expected complications and obvious directions for campaign flow.  The GM can also provide a basic steering mechanism by assigning a specific set of disadvantages to all PCs in the campaign.I'm played games with zero combat and others where either the GM or group decided how the combat went or how magic manifested.  If folks come together intent on playing a game narratively, no rules are necessary -- just convenient.</blockquote>

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