"You Are a Horrible Person" RPG Think Tank

[BlindObfuscator]

My friend and I have an idea. An entourage of characters, all chaotic evil, attempt to further there evil schemes by joining an evil guild of evil. But to do so, they must of course prove themselves. And so they are each given tasks of various absurdity, ineffability, and evilness that they must undergo in order to join.

These tasks would require manipulating one's fellow players into helping them, eventually stabbing them in the back when the time is right. In simple terms, it's a competitive co-op.

We want to turn this into some sort of RPG, but we have no idea how to start. Any advice?

Suggestions for content as well are HUGELY welcomed.

 

[Bedrockgames]

My friend and I have an idea. An entourage of characters, all chaotic evil, attempt to further there evil schemes by joining an evil guild of evil. But to do so, they must of course prove themselves. And so they are each given tasks of various absurdity, ineffability, and evilness that they must undergo in order to join.

These tasks would require manipulating one's fellow players into helping them, eventually stabbing them in the back when the time is right. In simple terms, it's a competitive co-op.

We want to turn this into some sort of RPG, but we have no idea how to start. Any advice?

Suggestions for content as well are HUGELY welcomed.

One of our games is a mafia RPG, so it is a kind of evil party setting. There is also an element of competiveness in the game as well. I found it didn't require special mechanics or anything to pull off the PvP aspect of the game. But making characters squishy to boot kind of helped (that way you are can actually back stab someone in the game).

If I had to do it again, I would have payed more attention to surprise and make it do more damage (something I am doing in my current rules system).

This kind of adventure needs plenty of advice for the GM. It also isn't everyone's cup of tea so just be aware of that going in (if sales are a consideration).

 

[jefgorbach]

Email/private envelope each of the players their personally assigned side-quest(s) so both PC/Player alike only know each HAS one, but not the exact details ... so even If/when they decide to cooperate, the question remains if anything exchanged is truthful just as IRL.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Email/private envelope each of the players their personally assigned side-quest(s) so both PC/Player alike only know each HAS one, but not the exact details ... so even If/when they decide to cooperate, the question remains if anything exchanged is truthful just as IRL.

This works great in my experience. When I run mob games I give every player a secret task from the capo. Sometimes this includes killing another PC (and all the players know that is a possibility) so suspicion and fear really drive the adventure.

 

[GreyLord]

the game...cutthroat caverns???

 

[howandwhy99]

Suggestions for content as well are HUGELY welcomed.

First off, I don't think there is much of any cooperative element here. I believe the focus of your game is to create a situation where players are only rewarded by manipulating other players into giving up their game resources.

There may be such a game out there, probably more likely in the board game or card game realm. But I'm not sure it would be considered fun by most. Playing a game that is set up to entice fellow players to stab each other in the back wouldn't a great seller IMO. It's sort of like taking the worst problems of Monopoly and centralizing them.

First: there is only 1 winner. He can kill, enslave, or beggar the rest, but only one person wins the game.

Second: all actions must be done secretly, as in a passed note, to the DM. Exceptions would only occur under the "Lie" action. A person could take an action openly, only if he wants the other players to learn it directly. (Indirect learning might come from rumors spread between players during diplomacy. )

Third: Any "cooperative" or joint actions taken by players must be negotiated by those players beforehand. The player who settled the negotiation goes last (and can thereby change their mind)

Fourth: Rewards come from others in the group, not from outside monsters or loot. Want a better sword? You need to take it from someone else in the party. Perhaps all treasure assignment is randomized by the GM.

You know there are plenty of ways to make games which create conflict between players. It's not hard. Harmony is the tough nut to crack.

 

[Stormonu]

First off, I don't think there is much of any cooperative element here. I believe the focus of your game is to create a situation where players are only rewarded by manipulating other players into giving up their game resources.

There may be such a game out there, probably more likely in the board game or card game realm. But I'm not sure it would be considered fun by most. Playing a game that is set up to entice fellow players to stab each other in the back wouldn't a great seller IMO. It's sort of like taking the worst problems of Monopoly and centralizing them.

First: there is only 1 winner. He can kill, enslave, or beggar the rest, but only one person wins the game.

Second: all actions must be done secretly, as in a passed note, to the DM. Exceptions would only occur under the "Lie" action. A person could take an action openly, only if he wants the other players to learn it directly. (Indirect learning might come from rumors spread between players during diplomacy. )

Third: Any "cooperative" or joint actions taken by players must be negotiated by those players beforehand. The player who settled the negotiation goes last (and can thereby change their mind)

Fourth: Rewards come from others in the group, not from outside monsters or loot. Want a better sword? You need to take it from someone else in the party. Perhaps all treasure assignment is randomized by the GM.

You know there are plenty of ways to make games which create conflict between players. It's not hard. Harmony is the tough nut to crack.

You realize you are describing the Munchin card game, don't you?

 

[Wycen]

Munchkin
Cutthroat Caverns
Apocalypse World

 

[frankthedm]

I always assumed mixed clan coteries in Vampire:the Masquerade had some elements of this. Unless the party was blood bound to one another, the Camarilla conga-line of baskstabbery would logically spill over to the party in some degree.

 

[howandwhy99]

You realize you are describing the Munchin card game, don't you?

That one qualifies

Only it's too popular