Apathy Games

Savage Worlds Rule Guidance: Bennies Part 1

I asked the great folks over at the Pinnacle forums for advice on using bennies, and they blew my mind with the amount and quality of their discussion. I can’t thank them enough. They’re all brilliant.

In this part we’ll be discussing:

1. What bennies are and why they matter.
2. As a player, how best to manage your bennies.

And in Part 2 we’ll be discussing:

1. A system for a Game Master to handle giving out bennies.
2. Various house rules for bennies.

Bennies: Making your own luck

For the uninitiated, each player starts a session with three bennies (and the game master gets his own), which can be spent at any time to do one of three things:

• Re-roll any test. If you roll a test and don’t like the result, you can roll again and keep whichever result is better.
• Recover from being Shaken. When a character takes damage, he is shaken and has to recover before he can act. This usually takes a Spirit roll, and can eat up an entire turn. Not with a benny.
• Soak damage. Getting hurt sucks. A benny lets you roll to reduce the number of wounds you take from an attack.

These are not just tacked onto the system, either. Management of your bennies is a critical part of Savage Worlds strategy and character power. In fact, there are hindrances and edges that can give a character more or fewer bennies.

It is also expected that the Game Master will give each player somewhere from three to five additional bennies throughout a gaming session.

Common Problems

Most experienced role-players aren’t used to having a system like bennies be integral to a system or their characters, and thus several problems occur.

• Players hoard their bennies. Some players are afraid to spend their bennies, thinking that they may need them later, but in doing this, they make game challenges harder on themselves and more frustrating. This can make the game less fun for them.
• Players run out too quickly. Lets face it, players like to succeed. Often, a player will blow through all his bennies re-rolling failed tests, and suddenly not have one to soak a death dealing blow, killing their character and ruining their fun.

How to manage your Bennies

Guidance for how to spend your bennies really isn’t complicated. It follows a fairly simply progression.

1. You may freely spend one benny per encounter or scene. You’ll probably receive more from the Game Master at this rate.
2. Be cautious spending a second benny in the same fight, but do so when you believe it’ll make a significant difference.
3. Never spend your last benny except to soak an attack.

Come back tomorrow for part 2 on our suggestions for managing your benny economy!

Introducing a New Player – Engage Him Gradually

You’ve done everything to get to know the new player and make him as comfortable as possible, but now the time has come to start playing. Everyone jumps in, becomes their characters, and the dice start rolling. But, of course, the new player is silent and uninvolved. What do you do?

• Let him watch. Give him a little while to watch everyone else play for a bit, even after you’ve introduced his character. He’s learning the way people play, something you can’t teach and the rules don’t describe. You don’t have to push him before he’s comfortable.
• Solicit questions Throughout the game, and especially during combat, the gamemaster should stop and ask if the newcomer has any questions. New situations are coming. Monsters that the experiences players know may confuse the newcomer. Make it clear that he can always ask for more info, but don’t wait for him to do so.
• Don’t do all the player introductions at once. He won’t remember all the characters in detail. Instead, do the introductions throughout the session. Invite the new player to write down names and notes of things he finds interesting about the other players.
• Have each player engage the newcomer at different times. Throughout the session, each player should take time to interact with the newcomer in character. This is in addition to the introductions, which may be done in or out of character. This lets the newcomer see each character’s personality, and keeps them involved throughout the game.
• Don’t ask too many questions about his character. The newcomer doesn’t know his character yet. Don’t ask for that information during the first session. He’ll divulge what he’s got in his head, and that’s enough. Too many questions will overwhelm the newcomer.

Make sure to come back next week as we conclude Apathy University: Introducing a New Player.

Introducing a New Player: Provide a Simple Tailored Objective

The object of any game is to have fun, and your new player needs a moment of that all to themselves. You’ve already taken the time to get to know the player, what kind of character they want to play, and given them an overview of the rules. Now it’s time to get the game going, but how do you hook them in and make them want more? One simple option is to give them a personal win–a chance to shine in their first session.

• The Butt Kicker: For this player, it’s a simple matter of setting up a bar fight, extra monster, or purse snatcher who needs his head bashed in. Have the character get the drop on them in a fight or lower their defenses to make them easy to hit and voila! When the final blow is being dealt, let the new player dictate what happens to the enemy. This allows them to feel that they are a part of the action and gets the creative juices flowing.
• The Talker: Give the talker a chance to show off his bargaining skills or talk the local law enforcement into letting someone off the hook. In a modern setting let them talk their way into a local night club or past a security guard into an office complex. When talking for the NPC, first play up his reluctance to give the player what he wants, and then emphasize his change of attitude, giving your new player a strong sense of success.
• The Planner: This can be the easiest to pull off, because the planner wants to make this a success, but the most difficult if the player is still shy. Just give the planner a challenge to think through. Try not to get bogged down on the mechanics of getting it done. Have them talk through the entire plan, and then offer them help by telling them how easiest to do it within the confines of the game’s mechanics. Suggest ways to utilize other players so everyone can get involved. However, don’t let the other players grab the spotlight away and steal the new players thunder.

Coming up with this little moment will let the new player walk away from their first game feeling good about what happened. Even if they later run across a challenge they had trouble with they’ll still be able to look back with fondness.

What’s the best trick you’ve used to let a new player shine? What didn’t go over so well?

Introducing a New Player: Introduce Only the Basics of the Game

There are three parts of the game that must be introduced to a new player: the setting, what the players do, and the rules. The first two have to be discussed with the new player before they make character choices. The rules, though shouldn’t be discussed until afterward. Remember, your goal is to give them what they absolutely need to know, but not overwhelm them. There is a lot to learn.

What the Players Do

This is more fundamental to the game than either the setting or the rules, but sometimes relies on the setting for context. If possible, explain what the players do first, but if you must, it can wait until after you’ve described the setting.

Make sure the new player has an idea of what the player characters are trying to accomplish in this campaign, and how they’re going about it. In some games, this is simple. For example, in Shadowrun, you are a professional criminal doing jobs for giant corporations who want to compete illegally without getting caught. You use stealth, planning, and skill to accomplish goals and try to stay alive.

In a fantasy game, you might discuss how the players have taken it upon themselves to protect a small village from an orc invasion, and are seeking out the leader to kill him before he can attack the village.

The Setting

Keep to the very basics when describing the setting. If it’s based off of something that the newcomer will we familiar with, say so first. For example, D&D is a basic sword and sorcery fantasy setting with elves and dwarves, like Lord of the Rings. Legend of the Five Rings is based on feudal Japan. Mention some movies or shows that are similar, if there are any.

After you’ve established a baseline that the new player is familiar with, mention the important differences. For example, the Iron Kingdoms, by Privateer Press, is based on a classic fantasy setting, but it’s been moved forward to the industrial revolution. Magic has been industrialized, and steam engines power mechanikal creatures called steamjacks that do heavy labor and wage war.

You can then mention any details that are of importance to the current campaign, like a necromancer raising an army, or a dragon running for president of the United States.

Lastly, The Rules

It’s best to give the new player a character first. Then show him the core mechanic of the game by using one of his character’s skills as an example. You’ll probably want to do this a few times so that they’re comfortable with this. Go through the character sheet, explaining what things are, and letting the player ask questions. Don’t go into too much detail, he doesn’t need to know all the possible modifiers. Just make sure he understands his character sheet.

You’ll probably want to go over combat. Explaining initiative, actions, attacks, damage, and the like. Give examples and have the player make rolls. Of course, if the system is simple enough, like with Savage Worlds, you can just wait until combat happens in the game to describe these rules.

Introducing a New Player: Provide Limited Character Options

Previously we’ve discussed Conversing Before the Game Starts and Being Well Prepared. Now as our series rolls on we discuss the next step.

Alright, so you’ve discussed the basics of the setting, and it’s time to create a character for the newcomer. Whatever you do, do not just open the book to the character creation rules and say, “What do you wan to play.” He doesn’t know, and he’ll feel very stupid for not knowing.

Instead, come up with a few simple character ideas, without rules or anything written down, and present them to the newcomer. This gives him some choice, without overwhelming him. When he’s made his choice, go through the character creation rules, a step at a time, but instead of having him go through the book, ask questions about what he wants his character to be good at, and make the rules decisions for him.

For things that the player has to choose, such as hindrances, edges, feats, or special qualities, don’t give him a the full list, but pick a limited selection of easy to use options to choose from. It’s okay to say that you’re doing this. He will probably understand and approve.

Let him change his character later. This may rub some gamemasters the wrong way, but it’s the only fair way to treat a new player. The last thing you want is for the newcomer to not enjoy his character after a few sessions, especially if it’s because you didn’t give him all the options.

Pre-built Characters

This is the simplest way to give a newcomer a character. Some players, if they’re familiar with RPGs, will scoff at this idea, but it can work well if you’re new player is completely new. Instead of going through character creation with the new player, give him the choice of a set of pre-built characters. Don’t include a name or gender, but you might want to give the pre-built character a one or two line description of their background and personality. Many games come with a standard set of pre-builts specificially for this purpose.

Even if you do go this way, give the player the option to change his character, or create a new one, at a later date.

Join us next Tuesday while we continue Apathy University’s series on Introducing a New Player.

Everyone Should Play an Obnoxious Character

Because it provides players with an opportunity to be someone other than themselves, role-playing can be a powerful educational experience, teaching us many valuable social skills. Which is particularly useful, considering that the majority of us grew up as socially inept geeks.

Over the years, I’ve seen numerous players make friends and become happier in life because of role-playing, and through that I have come to a conclusion: everyone should play an verbal, eccentric, and obnoxious character at least once.

Why? Because fear is a powerful enemy (I’m sure someone said that), and the role-playing environment is a prime opportunity to face that fear of acting out in relative safety. Once a player has done it there, it should help reduce anxiety in the rest of their life.

That, and everyone has a little demon in them that is just dying to be let out. We all want to be a jerk sometimes, and it can be refreshing to get it out of our system.

Of course, I still firmly believe that anyone who plays an obnoxious character gets what they deserve when the rest of the players chastise them, and if they make of habit of playing such characters, they should probably be shot. But that’s only fair.

Introducing a New Player – Converse Before the Game Starts

Last week we covered how you should be well prepared. Today we move on to when your new player is present and what to do before the game.

The first challenge when a new player arrives is getting them acquainted and comfortable with this new social group. This can be intimidating by itself, and will add to the newcomer being overwhelmed by the game.

While chances are the newcomer knows one or more of the players, they won’t be familiar with this particular set of people. The best thing you can do is to socialize with this player before starting the game. This also allows the gamemaster an opportunity to discover what kind of player the newcomer might be. Obviously, this won’t really be known until after a few sessions have gone by, but it’s a good idea to get a head start. Beyond the natural conversations that will ensue, here are a few tips for the pre-game socialization.

• Offer them a drink. Assuming your group is comprised of adults, start the socialization off with drinks. This has been the magic bullet of choice for most of human history when it come to getting people to relax. Plus, it paints the gaming group as more sophisticated than the iconic image of sweaty nerds in a basement.
• Take your time. Give the conversation time at least an hour. It may cut into your session, but this time is important, and if everyone is having fun, then it’s alright. That’s why you play, anyway.
• Avoid discussing the game. Yes, everyone is there to play, but at this point the newcomer is already dealing with getting to know new people. Don’t add the complexities of the game to this initial conversation.
• Talk about books, movies, and TV shows. You want to find out what the player likes, and this is where it will come out. When they mention a movie they like that is even remotely like the game you’re going to play, ask what their favorite parts were. This might give you some clues as to what type of player they might be, and what kind of character they might like playing.
• Don’t just talk to the newcomer. You’re not interrogating the new player. Instead, have a natural conversation including all the players. You’ll naturally break off into smaller groups of conversation.
• Avoid inside jokes. This holds true for the whole session. You don’t want to exclude the new player by spending half your time laughing at things the newcomer can’t understand.

After a while, it will be time to start introducing the character to the game. Depending on how you’ve arranged to do this, you should probably have the newcomer and whoever is teaching them separate from the group to do that, while the rest of the group continues to talk.

Join us next Tuesday while we continue Apathy University’s series on Introducing a New Player.

Developing a Backstory

The bar, the campfire, there are plenty of places in roleplaying games to tell stories within stories. Fleshing out a characters background helps delve deeper into the psyche and allow for greater understanding of this person. But how does one get started?

Start with keeping your idea for the story simple, and short. Although people may be interested in hearing the story they are not going to want to listen to a player drone on and on about something their character did. Try to keep it to less than 3 minutes as any more time and you might be hogging the spotlight.

Keep the story personal to your character, maybe a story of how they started adventuring? Or someone the character looked up to as a child that strongly influenced who they became when they grew up? Do they have a special weapon or item that is important to them that they carry around constantly, what’s that story?

Consider what this story is telling about the character, how is it showing deeper flaws or lighting up interesting side bits about your character? Are you adding to the overall mythos of the story and the world you are playing in?

Once the story is in place how do you build it into the campaign as not to make it feel forced? The easiest way is to tell the GM you have a story you’d like to share with the group and let it come naturally into a planned down time. The GM at this point can prompt you by painting the scene around you allowing a sub-story to naturally flow into the feel of the game. The other would be to ask specific questions of the characters from one character to another. This can lead also lead to an organic story time amongst the characters while in between events that the GM has planned.

Keeping a couple of simple stories at your disposal about your character to share when the time will not only help you tell stories but will help you deepen the character.

How do you get started in writing a character story?

Introducing a New Player: Be Well Prepared

The level of preparation for any given session varies. Sometimes you show up late, or forget your character sheet. Sometimes the adventure isn’t fleshed out. Maybe you haven’t considered what to do about food. These things happen, and to a certain extent are expected. But not today.

When you’re introducing a new player, you want it to look like everyone is on the ball. You want the game to run smoothly. It may be a lie, but you want the newcomer to think that all sessions are as awesome as this one. Let them find out the horrible truth once they’re already addicted. As such, whether as a player or as the Gamemaster, make sure you are prepared.

• Flesh out the adventure. As gamemaster, you’ll be busy trying to make the game fun for the new player. You want to have the adventure completely ready to go, so you don’t have to waste time on it mid-session, and so that it’s easier to modify on the fly, if the need arises.
• Know who is going to explain the game. It might be the gamemaster, but it could well be a player who is good at this sort of thing, or the player that invited the newcomer. Whoever it is should take some time before the session to consider and possibly practice explaining the game, so they aren’t fumbling around when the time comes to perform.
• Have extra dice. Either the gamemaster or a player should have a full set of dice and other gaming gear for the newcomer to use. Pencils, paper, character sheets, miniatures or tokens–make sure you have all of it.
• Show up on time. As a gamemaster, get in contact with all of your players and ask that they make an extra effort to arrive on time. You want them around for the pre-game conversation, and you don’t want the other players or yourself to start the session frustrated. If you are a player, your duty here is simple: be to the session on time, have all of your things (it’s best to keep them all in one place), and be ready to contribute whatever is needed.
• Have a food plan. You want the new player to be excited to come back. Make sure you have a plan for snacks, drinks, and meals. The gamemaster doesn’t have to provide all of this, and in fact it’s best if the players split responsibilities. But don’t require anything of the newcomer this first session. It nothing else, free food has a magical effect, and may win you a convert all on it’s own.

What other kinds of preparation should be done before a session?

Naming Your Character

The most immediately noticeable and commonly used aspect to any character is its name. Your character’s name will stick with you for an entire campaign, so it should be meaningful. Some people have a very difficult time choosing a quality character name, while others don’t even try.

Names come from somewhere. Figure this out, and the rest is easier.

Luckily, most fantasy core handbooks, such as the Iron Kingdoms Character Guide and Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook, include a list of appropriate names that take much of the work out of it. But this is insufficient for a richly developed character. For that, you must ask yourself a few more questions.

• Why did the character’s parents choose this name? – Parents always have a reason for choosing a name, even if it’s just that they liked the sound of it. But usually the choice is more significant, such as naming their child after a relative, friend, or other significant person.
• Does the character go by their given name? – They may not, but then you must know why not, what name they do go by, and how they came by that name.
• What about nicknames? – Most people have several labels placed on them throughout their life. Choose some, and how they got them, though you may find it easier to figure out the source of a nickname first, and allowing that to determine the name chosen. This will create more natural nicknames.
• Should your character have a surname? – Yes. Your character’s surname connects them to a family, or their family’s profession, depending upon the setting. These are very important pieces of your character’s history, and should not be ignored.

These simple questions will do two things. Firstly, they will give your character some all-important depth, and more importantly, you will have a character name that you won’t be ashamed to tell other characters.

What is the best character name you’ve come up with, and why?