What is a "Narrative Mechanic"?

[Parmandur]

I asked because lots of people use it in different ways. For example, i don't really think of metacurrency as a "narrative mechanic" but obviously some folks do (and adamantly!). So I am truly interested in how you personally define the term.

What is a meta-currency being meta- towards? The narrative.

 

[Reynard]

What is a meta-currency being meta- towards? The narrative.

It can also be meta toward the mechanics. Using metacurrency to get a bonus or reroll or temporary feat is not any more connected to the narrative than the mechanics without using the hero point or whatever. The crossover to "narrative" is fuzzier. The example I mentioned earlier was a Hero variable power pool. It allows Bat.an to have just the right tool in his belt. Is that a narrative mechanic? If not, is it if it requires a metacurrency spend?

 

[Parmandur]

It can also be meta toward the mechanics. Using metacurrency to get a bonus or reroll or temporary feat is not any more connected to the narrative than the mechanics without using the hero point or whatever. The crossover to "narrative" is fuzzier. The example I mentioned earlier was a Hero variable power pool. It allows Bat.an to have just the right tool in his belt. Is that a narrative mechanic? If not, is it if it requires a metacurrency spend?

It's a continuum.

 

[Reynard]

It's a continuum.

Right, with narrative on one end and not-narrative on the other.

 

[Parmandur]

Right, with narrative on one end and not-narrative on the other.

With narrative control on one end and action declaration and DM adjudication on the other, I would say.

 

[Pedantic]

With narrative control on one end and action declaration and DM adjudication on the other, I would say.

No, I think that's both a false spectrum (those are not opposite, only one is concerned with the method of resolution), and not the same question being addressed by "narrative mechanic" here. The relationship between a player's action declarations and their character's actions doesn't necessarily weigh on resolution mechanism, and especially it doesn't weigh on the player vs. GM relationship.

 

[Squared]

My definition would be that Narrative mechanics are derived from a players actions, not the characters.

“Is there a rock in the middle of the road?”
Narrative player: “There is now”
Traditional GM: “I don’t know, roll a d% to find out”

*Luck talents or abilities occupy middle ground. They use standard narrative mechanics but the ability comes from the PC, not the player.

^2

 

[hawkeyefan]

Maybe some examples might help?

Is Inspiration from 5e D&D a narrative mechanic?

If so, how so?

If not, why not?

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Maybe some examples might help?

Is Inspiration from 5e D&D a narrative mechanic?

If so, how so?

If not, why not?

Not to my mind, it is a metagame mechanic. it allows a reroll, the narrative has not been established yet. While I have no experience with "narrative" games to my mind a narrative mechanic would allow the rogue to declare that "why, yes I braided some lockpicks into my hair" or I certainly have a crowbar in my inventory, or Bob the fence live around here.

 

[Micah Sweet]

In your own words, not using jargon or other bespoke terminology. What, to you, qualifies as a "narrative mechanic"?

Any mechanic designed to affect the game without being representative of any actual physical thing (including supernatural things like magic) in the game world. Metacurrency, pacing mechanics, anything that allows players to invent material outside of their PCs in-universe control, any mechanic designed to affect drama or that pushes genre conventions over simulation of the actual imaginary world in which the PCs and NPCs exist.

I tried to keep as much jargon out of that as possible.