Shadowrun
Shadowrun Play => Shadowrun: Anarchy => Topic started by: Gingivitis on <10-14-16/1751:14>
-
After running a few Anarchy sessions and listening to some others and reading about more (I cannot get enough of this), I have experienced two things regarding Plot Points and I am looking for input.
1. At the end of the session, because players can spend 3 per turn and I can play only 1 per turn, I ended with a pile of unusable Plot Points. What can I do with these? I have some ideas.
- Implement Super Plot Points: I trade in 5 for a really buff Plot Point effect? This may lead to players not wanting to feed me.
- Eliminate or Increase GM Plot Point spend limits? This may lead to players not wanting to feed me.
- Grant extra Karma if my horde hits certain thresholds: +1 Karma if I hit 10 Plot Points at the end of the game? I wouldnt be able to spend them but at least the exess Plot Ponts would have an effect...
- Some Combo above?
2. While some players will spend Plot Points like there is no tomorrow, some will horde them for various reasons. Maybe they feel they don't have enough to contribute, or they think they won't be able to gain them back, etc. Also if NOBODY spends Plot Points, you never refresh your pool. How do you encourage them to be spent?
- If no players spend a Plot Point during the turn, the GM gains one for free. Like tense music building up!
- If a player doesn't spend a Plot Point in a given turn, they automatically spend one on their next Narration on a Glitch die. Like a Stall die!
These are just ideas I am shooting out on my lunch break. Let's discuss unintended consequences...
-
GMs can spend one plot point per turn. I took that as on each Players and on the GMs turn. So unless you're rewarding the Players with more than one Plot Point per turn it should all work out. If you're handing out more than one Plot Point to a Player on each of their turns, I would imagine you'd have a giant pile of GM Plot Points by the end of the game.
If the Players aren't spending Plot points shoot them until they start Taking the Hit or Dish Best Served Cold regularly.
Seriously, someone with a big ole pile of Plot Points? CyberZombie HTR Squad with Minigun arms and Chainsaw Legs, the whole works.
-
Hmmm. I am reading this differently. From p. 34, "Once all players have had a chance to narrate their character's actions, the turn ends and a new turn begins." I interpret that as:
A Turn is a set of Narrations, beginning with the GM's and ending with the last player's
So, at a table with 4 players and a GM, if everyone plays a Plot Point on their Narration, by the end of the Turn, the GM has 4 Plot Points (he spent his one, but gained 4). The next turn, if everyone plays a Plot Point on their Narration, by the end of the Turn, the GM has 7 Plot Points (he had 4, spent one, gained 4). This obviously escalates if players play more Plot Points than one per turn (as they can), and it subsides if they stop playing Plot Points.
So it sounds like you advocate the GM playing more than 1 Plot Point per turn; you allow playing 1 Plot Point per Narration? How has that been working for you?
-
The difference between Narration, Turn and the intended Plot Point spend should probably be clarified. But, yes, if the GM is only spending one Plot Point per (2 out of X Narrations) where X is the number of players and the Players are able to *Each* spend multiple Plot Points per Narration that creates an obvious imbalance. I can't imagine that was the intent unless the GM is supposed to be very tight with the Plot Points.
Several of the things that Plot Points can be spent on are obviously intended to be used as reactions during other Narrations. I doubt the intent was that the world (the GM) only reacts to one player's Narration per complete Turn.
*shrug*
Did everyone have fun? You did it right then. I suspect that the Players want the world to react to their actions though.