[RPG Term] "Troupe-style play", what does this mean?

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I've heard Ars Magica referred to as being distinctive in that it promotes troupe-style play, and does it better than other RPG systems. Can someone explain what "troupe-style" means, and how D&D/D20 isn't doing it as well (or at all?) as Ars Magica?

Thanks!

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Troupe-style means that, instead of, say, a party of adventurers, with each player playing a single character, the players together form a larger group.

In Ars Magica, for instance, each player creates a Wizard character. They then all create a lieutenant for that wizard, and then, finally, a number of grunt-style retainers.

The players pick appropriate characters to take on any given mission, with the understanding that wizard-level play is different from lieutenant-level play, which in turn is different from grunt-level play.

Does that make sense to you?

 

[Thanee]

You basically play multiple characters instead of just one, just not at the same time, in order to be able to meet challenges on different levels.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Stormborn]

An example of troupe style play in a d20 product is in Skull N Bones where it is suggested that player make an officer level character to make the big decisions and give orders and a medium and low level character to carry them out. It would also be recommended in a d20 Future game centered around a starship - for example you might play the Capt. Picard, Worf, and a crewman in a ST:TNG game.

 

[mythusmage]

In essence ...

You have one star, two or three supporting cast, and everybody else is an extra. The starring role is shared on a rotating basis depending on the script (adventure).

The adventure revolves around what the star needs to do, with the supporting cast helping him out, and the extras supplying grunt work and red shirts (expendables). There is little (if any) emphasis placed on party balance and player participation. Though at times a player with initiative can make his extra shine. It's really best with a group who will let one member take the lead without fussing over airtime. Troupe play also tends to work better when adventures are not combat oriented.

 

[Wombat]

The points that have been made up to this point are pretty much correct, but there is an extra dimension to official Troupe Play, but it is also an aspect I have rarely seen and never attempted myself.

In addition to everyone having multiple characters (something I have co-opted for my current D20 campaign), in full Troupe Play there is supposed to be a rotating GM. Essentially everyone at the table would, at some point or another, sit behind the screen and run the session, but everyone is playing in exactly the same campaign. Needless to say, this could be very, very tricky, but I know some folks who have pulled it off.

Like I said, though, one aspect of AM that I like and have put into play in D20 is the multiple characters; attached to this notion is that there is a home base for the whole group. This means there is always a rationale for why the party stays together -- they are all part of the same wider team. If someone dies, there is a logical reason why 1) another character could join in and 2) why that character would know and care about what is going on. Consider it institutional memory. I have found that this is working excellently in the D20 campaign!

 

[grodog]

Eric---

There were some excellent articles on Troupe Style in early issues of WW magazine, before the LR and WW merger. Shannon Appelcline's index of WW at http://www.erzo.org/~shannon/gaming/indices/white-wolf.txt should be able to help you find them. You might also check out some of the old articles on rpg.net's The Oracle, such as Chris Kubasik's Interactive Toolkit at http://www.rpg.net/oracle/authors/chrisk.html