PHB2 Affiliations - How well do they play?
- Thread starter Azgulor
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Arnwyn
First Post
Love affiliations. One of my favorite additions to the game in more than a decade, and the only thing I'm sad about is that a good, detailed subsystem like that didn't come out sooner (or that I wasn't made aware of such things!). My players are really digging them.
We use them in our game - it's mainly seen play for religions/churches in our (slightly modified) FR campaign(s). Every cleric that has a hierarchical church automatically begins in an organization (with the requisite Affiliation score - usually 0, but it depends on level). We've detailed a number of benefits beyond the simple mechanical ones given as examples in the PHB2 that work for our particular campaign (eg. access to libraries, etc).
Tremendous fun, for our group at least.
We use them in our game - it's mainly seen play for religions/churches in our (slightly modified) FR campaign(s). Every cleric that has a hierarchical church automatically begins in an organization (with the requisite Affiliation score - usually 0, but it depends on level). We've detailed a number of benefits beyond the simple mechanical ones given as examples in the PHB2 that work for our particular campaign (eg. access to libraries, etc).
Tremendous fun, for our group at least.
I wasn't overly impressed with the concept initially. I actually disliked the example in PHB2 for using them in the game a lot.
However I really dig the churches from Complete Champion which use a similar format. They made a lot more sense to me.
I was also wary of adding new organisations to my campaign, but since I'm using the Greyhawk pantheon, all of the churches were already there. They make a great addition for npcs. None of my players opted to join one of the churches so far, though. I guess, the only one really interested in playing a character that cares about deities is the one playing the cleric
However I really dig the churches from Complete Champion which use a similar format. They made a lot more sense to me.
I was also wary of adding new organisations to my campaign, but since I'm using the Greyhawk pantheon, all of the churches were already there. They make a great addition for npcs. None of my players opted to join one of the churches so far, though. I guess, the only one really interested in playing a character that cares about deities is the one playing the cleric
Ycore Rixle
First Post
I wrote that chapter in the PHB II. It was basically a combination of a system that I've been using in my games for years along with Dave Noonan's earlier work on faction/reputation (eg Five Nations). To answer your question, Azgulor, they have definitely enriched my games, and players have enjoyed them.
The one way that I use them differently than the PHB II system is that I try to have the players get the executive powers quickly. I think it's a lot more fun that way, and it's following the principle of "don't save the good stuff for last because you might never get to it." One way to accelerate the players along the road to using executive powers is to have them gain the trust of the affiliation leader. Then the affiliation leader asks the players for advice on how to use his executive powers, and, in effect, the players get to control the executive powers even though they're not high enough in aff. score yet. How could this happen? Perhaps a child has inherited a throne and needs a trusted advisor. Perhaps the thieves guild boss can't trust any of his inner circle and has to reach out to some fresh recruits just brought in that no one would expect. Perhaps the archmage is feebleminded, but his apprentice can't let anyone know or there'll be war, so she looks to the players for help.
Another tip for using affiliations to enrich the world is to have affiliations unrelated to the PCs start causing environmental effects such as plagues, wars, or holidays. I've found that adds depth to the world, introduces plot hooks, and lends a lot of verisimilitude.
Jhaelen, I'm curious. What didn't you like about the example of play from the Affiliations chapter in PHB II? I hope it wasn't the players (whose names I took from one of my gaming groups) because at least one of them is a regular poster here on ENWorld!
The one way that I use them differently than the PHB II system is that I try to have the players get the executive powers quickly. I think it's a lot more fun that way, and it's following the principle of "don't save the good stuff for last because you might never get to it." One way to accelerate the players along the road to using executive powers is to have them gain the trust of the affiliation leader. Then the affiliation leader asks the players for advice on how to use his executive powers, and, in effect, the players get to control the executive powers even though they're not high enough in aff. score yet. How could this happen? Perhaps a child has inherited a throne and needs a trusted advisor. Perhaps the thieves guild boss can't trust any of his inner circle and has to reach out to some fresh recruits just brought in that no one would expect. Perhaps the archmage is feebleminded, but his apprentice can't let anyone know or there'll be war, so she looks to the players for help.
Another tip for using affiliations to enrich the world is to have affiliations unrelated to the PCs start causing environmental effects such as plagues, wars, or holidays. I've found that adds depth to the world, introduces plot hooks, and lends a lot of verisimilitude.
Jhaelen, I'm curious. What didn't you like about the example of play from the Affiliations chapter in PHB II? I hope it wasn't the players (whose names I took from one of my gaming groups) because at least one of them is a regular poster here on ENWorld!
Thanks, Frank! The ways you've described using them are the ideas that appealled to me when I read through the section. I'm still not 100% sold on all of the game mechanic benefits they bestow (another thing to try and balance), but from a role-playing perspective they appear to be a great tool.
Azgulor
Azgulor
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