Hindrances, Take I

SavageRobby · Post by **SavageRobby** » Sun May 27, 2007 7:39 pm

I love Hindrances in RPGs. I feel they add a level of depth and roleplaying, and add huge opportunities for players and GMs alike. That said, here is my first draft for Hindrances for C&C.

[quote]Code:

What are the rewards for taking Hindrances? Yeah, don't ask that yet, I'm not sure, but I'm open to suggestions.
I was thinking about creating some background Edges/Advantages that PCs could take, but I'm still just tossing that around.

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Sun May 27, 2007 8:00 pm

I like the edges/Hindrances system as well. I'm not too sure at the moment what the benefits for taking hindrances (aside from gaining edges) could be as of yet.

SavageRobby · Post by **SavageRobby** » Sun May 27, 2007 8:26 pm

I'm not sure either. I started converting some Edges to C&C, but the list of background edges and other edges I'd consider, trying to take into account the open nature of the SIEGE engine, is fairly small (around 10).

I thought using Hindrance points for Edges, ability bumps, and additional backgrounds (I saw someone's Background skills list, akin to the skills in CZ, and am going to use something similar to those).

Edit: To give proper credit, I found the docs I was referring to - Gray Elf's backgrounds and traits document.

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:48 pm

Easy: a hindrance modifies certain situations, such as -3 on Dex checks in darkness (Faulty Nightvision -- nonhumans only) and a bonus/edge/advantage does pretty much the opposite.

Oh, and there should not be a benefit to taking hindrances... they are hindrances, after all; sort of defeats the purpose if you make hindrances useful. The benefit is the roleplay, not in min-maxing, unless that's how you like to play.

SavageRobby · Post by **SavageRobby** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:23 pm

serleran wrote:
Oh, and there should not be a benefit to taking hindrances... they are hindrances, after all; sort of defeats the purpose if you make hindrances useful. The benefit is the roleplay, not in min-maxing, unless that's how you like to play.

The only reason to give a corresponding advantage to a Hindrance is to get players to select them in the first place. Its been my experience players (even good ones) aren't too eager to take them otherwise.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon May 28, 2007 7:41 pm

SavageRobby wrote:
The only reason to give a corresponding advantage to a Hindrance is to get players to select them in the first place. Its been my experience players (even good ones) aren't too eager to take them otherwise.

No kidding! The liklihood of your character dying is high enough as it is!

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:23 am

Well, to solve the "why should they take one?" problem, that's very easy too: every hero has flaws. They are required to select one, or more. Done.

Scurvy_Platypus · Post by **Scurvy_Platypus** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:37 pm

SavageRobby wrote:
The only reason to give a corresponding advantage to a Hindrance is to get players to select them in the first place. Its been my experience players (even good ones) aren't too eager to take them otherwise.

serleran wrote:
Well, to solve the "why should they take one?" problem, that's very easy too: every hero has flaws. They are required to select one, or more. Done.

Holy moly. I agree with Serleran. I think the world just took another step towards the apocalypse.
Seriously though, Serleran is right. Doing some sort of background or trait thing is fine, but once you start encoding a system and give them a benefit for taking some negative, your starting down the min-max path that everyone claims to love C&C for _not_ having.

Additionally, while I like adding stuff to the system, this is simply offering the excuse to have more penalties without any reason. People play rpgs for lots of reasons, but to have an intentionally gimped character usually isn't one of them.

Giving a mechanical benefit for what could be considered arguably a strictly roleplaying thing is a slippery slope. If you feel you have to reward them, include it in the XP that's being given. That whole "good roleplaying" XP that people like to hand out.

If that's not good enough, give them bonus XP everytime their trait causes problems for the party.

serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:55 pm

Quote:
Holy moly. I agree with Serleran. I think the world just took another step towards the apocalypse. Very Happy

In the end everyone agrees with the serleran.

SavageRobby · Post by **SavageRobby** » Tue May 29, 2007 4:18 pm

I'll have to ponder that approach. It goes counter to my instincts .... but that doesn't make it wrong.

anglefish · Post by **anglefish** » Wed May 30, 2007 3:35 pm

SavageRobby wrote:
I'll have to ponder that approach. It goes counter to my instincts .... but that doesn't make it wrong.

Something that's in this vein that may go with your instincts is Feng Shui's "Melodramatic Hook" that I've borrowed when I can remember to do so.

Simply, the Melodramtic Hook is one of the main reasons why your character is motivated to be an adventurer. For Feng Shui, typical reasons would be that your sister was kidnapped by drug lords or your father was a cop who vanished on a case.

In fantasy, a lot of the Dragon Lance characters had Melodramatic Hooks.

Basically stuff that are adventure hooks with a big motivation for the PC, if not also a reoccuring villian.