I am finishing off the new version of Reel Adventures at the moment and have come across a bit of a problem that I can't solve. It is something that the last playtest threw up with Cath.
As the game progresses the players give the nemesis threat. Every scene each player gives the nemesis an amount of threat equal to the act number. This does of course mean there is an exponential build and in the last game I played the nemesis had 19 threat at the end and nothing to do with it really. This is obviously not right. Threat should be threatening and at the moment it just builds and is useless at the end.
Threat is used by the nemesis to make resources that are then anted in action. At the moment the nemesis can get those back if the hero fails.
I can see a few solutions:
1) The nemesis gets a static amount of threat each scene, 2 say. I like the build as it ties in well to the nemesis getting more prominent as the game progresses, so would prefer not to have to resort to this.
2) The nemesis needs to be encouraged to be more proactive in act 3. At the moment he gets one scene a round, but I could introduce something where he can buy extra scenes in order to do more to the heroes.
3) Make it that the nemesis spends, rather than antes, resources so that he has to top them up all the time with threat. This is more thematically appropriate I think.
4) Allow the nemesis to spend threat to muck around with how the system works for resolving a piece of action.
Or possibly a combination of these things. At the moment I see the act structure like this:
Act 1: finding out about the heroes and the nemesis
Act 2: The heroes gather their forces and fight back
Act 3: The nemesis tries to off the heroes and bring his plan to fruition
Finale: Big fight
So basically the nemesis needs to be encourage to spend threat in act 3 to screw the heroes over. Preferably monologuing as he does it.
What do you guys think? Threat just isn't doing enough at the moment and needs to be more....threatening.
Cheers
Iain
The question to ask is probably, what does threat threaten?
Submitted by Matt on Wed, 13/02/2008 - 21:40.
Now, given that you've made what's at stake for characters something important where it was not so much before. Maybe the nemesis should spend threat to put that stake at greater risk somehow?
-Matt
Realms Publishing
That's a difficult one. I
Submitted by Joe Murphy on Wed, 13/02/2008 - 21:43.
That's a difficult one. I kinda like (3), from what I know of the mechanics. It seems to keep the nemesis busy.
The static increase seems a good mathematical solution. You could also flatten that exponential curve - 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10.
Would it make any sense to make this a dial? Ie, something the group chooses, with various advantages and disadvantages?
Menace
Submitted by Iain McAllister on Wed, 13/02/2008 - 22:02.
The nemesis can 'menace' something that is at stake for a hero and that could cost him threat, though doesn't at the moment. That is certainly something to consider.
Joe, at the moment I like the progression because it ties tightly to the act number and is easy to understand. The choice thing is interesting, making the nemesis more or less evil depending on preference.
I want the nemesis to be quite bond-like, camp evil almost. So giving him lots to play with would be appropriate. The dial is a nice idea, but I think for another project. I have now included 3 as it makes sense.
Cheers
Iain
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