Re: Re: "Window-dressing" around HP spend

From: Jane Williams <janewilliams20_at_...>
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 07:46:06 +0100 (BST)

> Jane
>
> >You seem to be making a distinction here that I
> don't
> >see the point of, narrowing down "you" to the
> singular
> >and then seeing player narration as something
> >different? What's the importance of who does the
> >narration?
>
> IIRC, you play primarily electronically; our games
> our face-to-face.
> That's a style difference right there...

True, but....

> The standard HeroQuest practice is that the
> Narrator, um, narrates.

But not when describing a player's (proposed) actions, surely? The player narrates the main skill and augments they want to use. Not just:
I use sword combat with +2 from "Hate Lunars" and +1 from "swing from chandelier",
but:
I strike at his head, yelling "Die, Lunar scum!", and waving the chandelier I just pulled from my pouch.

The Narrator may then rule out some of the augments if she isn't very convinced.

> Since spending a hero point lets the player briefly
> directly control the plot,

Ah, that's a style difference. I give them a lot of control of the plot in the first place. Joint creation, all the time.

> it seemed appropriate to let them narrate
> briefly. It also
> avoids the problem of HP use being a dry call of
> "Bump!"

I'd never allow that anyway. Even if it's just a vague idea for me to flesh out, or a "help GM - what I can do?", I'd have to have some in-game effect, or no bump.  

> If you can think of something cooler, by all means
> feel free! These are guidelines for when you can't.

Oh, OK. I try to avoid using abilities that weren't used so far, because if they weren't used, it's probably because they're irrelevant. The banana-skin effect can give more inspiration, I find: amazing coincidences that would only happen to someone who's got the plot on their side.

Latest in the Upland Marsh campaign: my Darjinni, trying to use her blow-pipe at extreme range, wanted to use a HP. I'd already worked in every augment I could, reasonably or unreasonably (she was using a Frog Leap charm to jump vertically and shoot from the top of the bounce), so in this case I had a wandering spirit she hadn't realised was there decide to help her, and then wander off. Which leads to more plot. She'll be back to find it, and to find out why it hates dwarves, and to see if it wants to be friends.



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