Ping me on LogrusMUSH about the Dresden RPG. It's based on FATE and as such it works a lot better for things that are more loosely defined, but it may still ultimately be a little bit problematic. I can answer lots of questions about it, though, which I can't do about Champions because I never liked the hero system. It is really bad for people who aren't number-crunchy. Which, uh, you're in that exact position!
In writing, when you have characters that are uber in a narrow field, the key is to write in such a way as to take away the character's hyper focus and rely on the secondary abilities to save the day. This is how you generate real jeopardy. It's why Superman even *has* kryptonite.
With Kryptonite, you take away the Super and leave the Man. Then the Man has to figure out an alternate means of winning. It means that, as a GM, you have to figure out what that alternate means can be, and then let the players discover it.
If I were writing a story here, I would have a single NPC...perhaps a villain, perhaps a teacher...separate the 3 characters, and take away their one schtick. Each character, alone, must figure out how to solve the problem without their primary tool. This NPC might be trying to figure out if these characters are more than the sum of their parts. As a story, then, there is a carefully crafted exit strategy and the trick is...can each character do it? And it's got to be something important. Something either in terms of sacrifice or of self discovery. Something that really takes stuff away from the characters.
I don't know how that can translate into an RPG. It could work well as fore-story. Something that you do in between, in a series of one-on-one sessions where you talk the characters through it, and then put them all back together for the big finale.
Since you're writing up each character, you could also go so far as to put Other Stuff on their sheets for them. Maybe you even wait until they're right up in the thick of it, and let the scenario dictate what it should be. What awesome secret can they find out about themselves that re-balances the character and gives them a fitting foundation for episode 2.
I would start by doing something that ties the universe and the primary nemeses together. Some kind of Greater Forces at play, and part of the schtick is that the 3 characters start out completely outside these forces, and that in and of itself gives them power, because they're not part of the system that is inherently balanced and keeps things in check. For example, you might have something akin to the struggle between Fae, where the system itself directs everything through a particular set of channels. Mortals, obviously, violate all the rules of the Fae, while at the same time being totally subject to some of its nastier powers. Thus, there's a starting point to balance vulnerability with power. Since you've got a bunch of magicians, I might go that route but maybe with Dark Forces. Perhaps demon summoning leading toward the inevitable invasion from Outside. From there, you end up with a teacher who is him or herself stuck within the system and thus unable to affect it, but can see that these 3 mages are something unique, something outside, and while at first their powers *within* the system are weak, they can break some rules. This might lead you to summoning electronics demons, mind-controlling spirits and melding wind spirits with demonic powers (just to ping each of your 3 mages) in a crazy way that changes the power dynamic.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2013-05-20 03:36 am (UTC)In writing, when you have characters that are uber in a narrow field, the key is to write in such a way as to take away the character's hyper focus and rely on the secondary abilities to save the day. This is how you generate real jeopardy. It's why Superman even *has* kryptonite.
With Kryptonite, you take away the Super and leave the Man. Then the Man has to figure out an alternate means of winning. It means that, as a GM, you have to figure out what that alternate means can be, and then let the players discover it.
If I were writing a story here, I would have a single NPC...perhaps a villain, perhaps a teacher...separate the 3 characters, and take away their one schtick. Each character, alone, must figure out how to solve the problem without their primary tool. This NPC might be trying to figure out if these characters are more than the sum of their parts. As a story, then, there is a carefully crafted exit strategy and the trick is...can each character do it? And it's got to be something important. Something either in terms of sacrifice or of self discovery. Something that really takes stuff away from the characters.
I don't know how that can translate into an RPG. It could work well as fore-story. Something that you do in between, in a series of one-on-one sessions where you talk the characters through it, and then put them all back together for the big finale.
Since you're writing up each character, you could also go so far as to put Other Stuff on their sheets for them. Maybe you even wait until they're right up in the thick of it, and let the scenario dictate what it should be. What awesome secret can they find out about themselves that re-balances the character and gives them a fitting foundation for episode 2.
I would start by doing something that ties the universe and the primary nemeses together. Some kind of Greater Forces at play, and part of the schtick is that the 3 characters start out completely outside these forces, and that in and of itself gives them power, because they're not part of the system that is inherently balanced and keeps things in check. For example, you might have something akin to the struggle between Fae, where the system itself directs everything through a particular set of channels. Mortals, obviously, violate all the rules of the Fae, while at the same time being totally subject to some of its nastier powers. Thus, there's a starting point to balance vulnerability with power. Since you've got a bunch of magicians, I might go that route but maybe with Dark Forces. Perhaps demon summoning leading toward the inevitable invasion from Outside. From there, you end up with a teacher who is him or herself stuck within the system and thus unable to affect it, but can see that these 3 mages are something unique, something outside, and while at first their powers *within* the system are weak, they can break some rules. This might lead you to summoning electronics demons, mind-controlling spirits and melding wind spirits with demonic powers (just to ping each of your 3 mages) in a crazy way that changes the power dynamic.