Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Story Now, Skilled Play, and Elephants
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 8300970" data-attributes="member: 177"><p>The point wasn't about the Reluctant Hero specifically. Replace that with the Trickster, the Parental Figure, the Natural Leader, the Grizzled Veteran, or what have you. </p><p></p><p>Thinking in an immersionist sense - when inhabiting the mind of the Reluctant Hero, yes you make gameplay decisions that avoid conflict. </p><p></p><p>However, from a <em>story</em> oriented sense, that is keeping the character in their comfort zone. Characters do tend shine when in their comfort zone or area of expertise. Like, the Grizzled Veteran will kick butt and take names in a violent conflict. However, for that Veteran, one fight is much like another - it is not a place for change or growth, in a dramatic sense. </p><p></p><p>A good story has both places where the character's competence shines, but also places where they are not comfortable, and experience growth thereby. I submit that story-oriented Skilled Play will include using the game mechanics to adjust the pacing and dramatic tension to create satisfying story arcs.</p><p></p><p>In Fate, for example, the Reluctant Hero may use an Aspect to enhance an influential speech about how we really don't want to fight (shining in their comfort zone), but at another time, choose to accept, or even suggest, a Compel on that same aspect that throws the character into the middle of a fight that's tactically questionable and not what the mind of the character actually wants.</p><p></p><p>Cortex has similar choices - like taking a low die for a Distinction in a given moment will give you that moment of discomfort for growth/display character depth, but give you the plot point to use to shine later.</p><p></p><p>I submit story oriented skilled play may also include using mechanics to help manage spotlight and pacing for the group as a whole. The Fate version of this might go thusly - you're playing the Grizzled Veteran, and you're in the second fight of the night, and you've had lots of time slicing up bad guys. But, the Naive Librarian in the party has been cooling their heels. Instead of Attacking like you always do, a skilled play then may be to Create an Advantage for the Librarian to use, helping to give them spotlight time and a good scene for themselves, too.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 8300970, member: 177"] The point wasn't about the Reluctant Hero specifically. Replace that with the Trickster, the Parental Figure, the Natural Leader, the Grizzled Veteran, or what have you. Thinking in an immersionist sense - when inhabiting the mind of the Reluctant Hero, yes you make gameplay decisions that avoid conflict. However, from a [I]story[/I] oriented sense, that is keeping the character in their comfort zone. Characters do tend shine when in their comfort zone or area of expertise. Like, the Grizzled Veteran will kick butt and take names in a violent conflict. However, for that Veteran, one fight is much like another - it is not a place for change or growth, in a dramatic sense. A good story has both places where the character's competence shines, but also places where they are not comfortable, and experience growth thereby. I submit that story-oriented Skilled Play will include using the game mechanics to adjust the pacing and dramatic tension to create satisfying story arcs. In Fate, for example, the Reluctant Hero may use an Aspect to enhance an influential speech about how we really don't want to fight (shining in their comfort zone), but at another time, choose to accept, or even suggest, a Compel on that same aspect that throws the character into the middle of a fight that's tactically questionable and not what the mind of the character actually wants. Cortex has similar choices - like taking a low die for a Distinction in a given moment will give you that moment of discomfort for growth/display character depth, but give you the plot point to use to shine later. I submit story oriented skilled play may also include using mechanics to help manage spotlight and pacing for the group as a whole. The Fate version of this might go thusly - you're playing the Grizzled Veteran, and you're in the second fight of the night, and you've had lots of time slicing up bad guys. But, the Naive Librarian in the party has been cooling their heels. Instead of Attacking like you always do, a skilled play then may be to Create an Advantage for the Librarian to use, helping to give them spotlight time and a good scene for themselves, too. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Story Now, Skilled Play, and Elephants
Top