A brief verbal account of what the hero did outside of game play to merit the increase is not necessary, but creativity on the player's part (if, for example, he or she writes a one-page tale about the hero's unplayed misadventures) should be rewarded in some way. This also gives the Narrator additional story hooks to consider, which is always a good thing.
I suggest a +5 limit on the increase of any single ability per episode, which the standard HP award already takes into account somewhat, to encourage a gradual increase in ability TNs and to prevent players from over-reacting to perceived future in-game threats by suddenly dumping the entirety of their hoarded HP into a single ability. The above limit could be doubled by a generous Narrator at the end of a story arc, if desired.
Adding the oft-suggested rule +1 HP cost per +1 TN per Mastery (which is a good optional rule for those who prefer a grittier Glorantha) would still allow a reasonable rate of advancement yet would allow for those hero-grows-to-overcome-nemesis stories which Ryan Caveney lamented.
Thought? Opinions?
-- Michael Richard Schwartz | Language is my playground, mschwartz_at_... | and words, its slides and Ann Arbor, Michigan USA | swingsets. -- yours truly
Powered by hypermail