The Storyteller, Role-man, and Game Mechanic Papers are an attempt to provide a forum for presenting opinions on detailed subjects. This forum is unique in that because participants are limited to one "brief" with no opportunity for rebuttal, there are no simultaneous discussions, flames, and "quote bites" which tend to be distracting.
The role of these papers builds on an analogy of the judicial court system. Game Masters have always been the judge when it comes to their games, and they are the ones who will rule on the material presented. The jurisdiction of a Game Master is, of course, limited to the extent of his game. The role of the lawyers is played by those who submit briefs. Briefs are written to meet certain specifications including size and appearance. Hopefully the issues presented in the briefs will help Game Masters make more informed decisions in their games.
Suggestions for improving the utility of these documents are welcomed. Also, anyone interested in writing briefs for future topics should send electronic mail to ZZTong@aol.com. (At this time, this project is only open to AOL members.)
----- Presenting Briefs for this topic are: AmyC950247, J Crocker, NeumannR, Starjammer, and ZZTong. (Briefs are presented in a random order.)
"Presence and Presence Attacks"
STORYTELLER
Presence attacks provide simple rules to simulate several effects found regularly in comics. PRE attacks can be the fear caused by a particularly hideous monster, the loyalty inspred by a charismatic leader, or the persuasiveness commanded by a skilled diplomat, depending on the special effect. Because of the large number of modifiers that the GM can place on them, it is easy to prevent players from abusing them in combat. Soliloquy bonuses give players incentive to develop a personal style. PRE attacks that target players can show how very effective speakers can get people to consider (momentarily) something they normally wouldn't.
ROLE-MAN
It seems to me that presence attacks are great for storytelling and also a bit clumsy. If my
character is facing off against an intimidating foe, someone really terrifying, I want to play out
how my character is going to react. Would my character be frightened? Awed? I want to be able to determine that myself, and with the rules for Presence Attacks, I can't really do that. It's all determined by a roll of the dice and a table.
On the other hand, Presence Attacks are my character's way of displaying his/her charisma when dealing with NPCs. I can decide just how charismatic or commanding my character is and then use the system to exert that level of importance, or lack of. So Presence Attacks are useful in fleshing out my character and helping him/her interact with his/her environment.
The problem is that Presence uses a system to determine something that should come out in the playing of the characters. Is that added bit of detail worth the constraints?
ROLE-MAN
Presence Attacks afford the player one of the most wonderful role-playing opportunities, especially in a four color, superheroic game. The fact that talking takes no time allows a creative player the opportunity to take mere words and convert them into a powerful force. PRE fortunately is inexpensive, and the PRE Attack table allows a lot of latitude in the amount of dice the GM can award for a particularly good show. The potential benefits of a good role can translate into instant benefits when they are needed most, which in turn can encourage the whole party to really get into their roles, which is the whole point of playing the game!
GAME MECHANIC
All too often, Hero System players and GM's decry the system for Presence and Presence
Attacks. "It should be a function of roleplaying," they say. "How impressive a character is
should be a part of their character concept."
This is ludicrous. Firing energy blasts is also a part of character conception, but we still pay points for the ability, and govern it with rules. The ability to send an entire squad of agents running without firing a shot is at least as useful as the ability to blast them all to kingdom come.
The whole reason that any rules system exists is so that everyone can know what they're talking about. Saying that a character is "real impressive" is no more informative than saying that they're "real smart" or "real strong." The system allows for measurable ability, with measurable results. Otherwise, arguments over subjective rulings would destroy the game.
The art of using Presence Attacks works much the same as anything else. A combination of using the rules, roleplaying, and the good judgement of the GM. Just because it's a different kind of ability, one concerned with attitude, doesn't mean that it shouldn't be handled in a similar manner.
GAME MECHANIC
Presence Attacks must differentiated from soliloquies. Neither a Presence Attack or a soliloque takes any time to execute, but a Presence Attack can have an effect on combat by making an opponent hesitate. Any character can employ a soliloque, but Presence Attack basically costs 5 points per die. Since a Presence Attack more closely resembles an attack action than a soliloque, GMs might consider adopting a house rule making a Presence Attack a 1/2 phase, phase-ending action.
The true value of any power really depends on the Game Master's style. Presence Attacks are not universally adopted by all GMs, so this just makes the issue more apparent. If the GM interprets the Presence Attack rules such that Presence Attack actions are largely ineffective, the true value of the PRE characteristic is less. Still, its generally not a good idea to change the cost of PRE. GMs might be better off warning players during character generation that Presence Attacks will be discouraged during play. This way the players can make other arrangements to accommodate their character's special effects.
Stick Figure Theatre by Chris Avellone
Amy G. Crittenden aka Theala Sildorian theala@shore.intercom.net