Post by Manah on Sept 9, 2019 21:31:01 GMT -5
DRAMA POINTS
So, what are Drama points?
To be put simply, Drama Points are points - I know, shocking - that characters, including Player Characters (that would be you), can spend in order to help them reach their goals/succeed at life/not die a horrible, untimely death.
To be put less simply, Drama Points represent the fact that in stories, be it books, legends, movies and the like (and games, clearly), fate/luck/the author tends to favor certain characters more than others. Main characters, their greatest enemies, recurring secondary characters, families, friends and acquaintances of the main characters, all tend to survive despite often insurmountable odds, while others may drop like flies. Under the right circumstances, a weaker character with a lot of Drama Points can potentially mess a stronger foe up badly, or succeed despite extreme difficulty, even though they normally would fail.
Drama Points are sort of a measure of how important to the story a given character is. For example, an insignificant mook whose only job is to show up, get beaten up by the good guys and die like nobody's business probably has not a single Drama point to his name. Jake, the friendly and resourceful mechanic friend of one of the heroes, probably has a few Drama points for those times when survival is uncertain and the heroes aren't around, since he's a recurring NPC. Meanwhile, Doctor Nemesis, the main heroine's greatest enemy and long-time opponent, probably has like 5-10 Drama points since he's such an important NPC.
Investigators and Champions PCs have respectively 20 and 10 Drama points. They're the Protagonists, the main characters, the stars of the show. They're expected to be heroes and to look good doing it, and that means many Drama Points (and usually pretty decent stats all around, too).
Okay, and what the heck can I do with them?
Naturally, having them is all nice and good, but unless one can do something with them, they're useless, right? So what can one do with their nice and shiny Drama Points? ...Simple. Read on.
HEROIC FEAT
Sometimes, you REALLY need to land that one hit, to make that one jump, to hit that one target. Failure is not an option, and victory hangs in the balance of that one, single attempt. When that sort of situation comes up, use and Heroic Feat. For 1 Drama Point, your character gets +10 to a single roll, or value (like Damage, for example). Any subsequent uses of the same type of roll benefit from the bonus as well on the same turn, such as in the case of multiple actions. Only one Heroic Feat per turn may be used, and it must be declared before the roll is made.
Example: Luke Skywalker absolutely needs to fire a photon torpedo into the Death Star's thermal exhaust port right here and now, otherwise the Rebel base will be destroyed once and for all. He feels that his Dexterity (3) and Gun Fu (3) roll will not quite make it, so he goes for a Heroic Feat, adding +10 to the roll! Rolling a D10, he gets a 4... adding 16 to it for 20, or 5 successes! ...Which the GM rules to be just enough to make it. BOOM goes the Death Star as Luke makes his escape.
Sometimes, you REALLY need to land that one hit, to make that one jump, to hit that one target. Failure is not an option, and victory hangs in the balance of that one, single attempt. When that sort of situation comes up, use and Heroic Feat. For 1 Drama Point, your character gets +10 to a single roll, or value (like Damage, for example). Any subsequent uses of the same type of roll benefit from the bonus as well on the same turn, such as in the case of multiple actions. Only one Heroic Feat per turn may be used, and it must be declared before the roll is made.
Example: Luke Skywalker absolutely needs to fire a photon torpedo into the Death Star's thermal exhaust port right here and now, otherwise the Rebel base will be destroyed once and for all. He feels that his Dexterity (3) and Gun Fu (3) roll will not quite make it, so he goes for a Heroic Feat, adding +10 to the roll! Rolling a D10, he gets a 4... adding 16 to it for 20, or 5 successes! ...Which the GM rules to be just enough to make it. BOOM goes the Death Star as Luke makes his escape.
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I THINK I'M OKAY
Turns out the bullet failed to hit any internal organs, the knife got mostly stuck in the victim's leather jacket, or maybe they rolled with the hit and the baseball bat failed to squish their brain. Somehow, what seemed like a horrible, grievous wound turns out to be 'but a flesh wound'. It's just a scratch. It's no big deal after all. Essentially... you think you're okay.
For 1 Drama Point, the character immediately heals Half the damage taken at that point, rounded up, as it turns out to be not as bad as they initially thought. I Think I'm Okay can be used once per turn, at any point, even during a foe's action.
Example: Jason Voorhees, who usually has 122 Life Points, is laying in a pool of his own blood, having taken 134 damage, leaving him a -12 Life Points. The lucky teenagers who managed to take him down celebrate their survival for a moment... when Jason uses a Drama Point to instantly heal 67 Life Points, bringing him back at 55... and freaking out the kids as he gets up AGAIN.
Turns out the bullet failed to hit any internal organs, the knife got mostly stuck in the victim's leather jacket, or maybe they rolled with the hit and the baseball bat failed to squish their brain. Somehow, what seemed like a horrible, grievous wound turns out to be 'but a flesh wound'. It's just a scratch. It's no big deal after all. Essentially... you think you're okay.
For 1 Drama Point, the character immediately heals Half the damage taken at that point, rounded up, as it turns out to be not as bad as they initially thought. I Think I'm Okay can be used once per turn, at any point, even during a foe's action.
Example: Jason Voorhees, who usually has 122 Life Points, is laying in a pool of his own blood, having taken 134 damage, leaving him a -12 Life Points. The lucky teenagers who managed to take him down celebrate their survival for a moment... when Jason uses a Drama Point to instantly heal 67 Life Points, bringing him back at 55... and freaking out the kids as he gets up AGAIN.
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PLOT TWIST
Sometimes, just when you need a day off, you call your boss... only to find out your workplace is closed for the day due to a blackout. Or maybe the criminal you're after has made a crucial mistake and has accidentally dropped a vital clue behind, allowing you to get back on his trail. Or perhaps the cavalry shows up just in the nick of time.
One per episode, a character may spend a Drama Point to try and twist the story in their favor. Maybe it turns out that among the gang of street thugs about to stab'em, there's good ole Tom, an old friend of one of the heroes. Maybe an old friend kicks the door in just as you're about to be slaughtered by one of your worst enemies. And so on. The player offers the Drama Point along with the suggestion of what they want to the GM, and if the GM accepts, they get it. If not, they get the Drama Point back, no harm, no foul... but they have to get out of their mess on their own.
Example: Mike has just been captured by a large group of cultists who have decided to use him as sacrifice to the Old Ones in a ritual that very evening. He is tossed into a jail cell, tied up and alone, his friends having no idea where he is. Mike's player hands over a Drama Point to the GM, saying 'I check to see if there's not a nearby piece of sharp metal around I could cut the ropes on, maybe on an old pipe or something in the room'. The GM smiles, and says 'Well, as it turns out, you're sitting against such a pipe, and you can feel a broken, sharp edge on the side...'
Sometimes, just when you need a day off, you call your boss... only to find out your workplace is closed for the day due to a blackout. Or maybe the criminal you're after has made a crucial mistake and has accidentally dropped a vital clue behind, allowing you to get back on his trail. Or perhaps the cavalry shows up just in the nick of time.
One per episode, a character may spend a Drama Point to try and twist the story in their favor. Maybe it turns out that among the gang of street thugs about to stab'em, there's good ole Tom, an old friend of one of the heroes. Maybe an old friend kicks the door in just as you're about to be slaughtered by one of your worst enemies. And so on. The player offers the Drama Point along with the suggestion of what they want to the GM, and if the GM accepts, they get it. If not, they get the Drama Point back, no harm, no foul... but they have to get out of their mess on their own.
Example: Mike has just been captured by a large group of cultists who have decided to use him as sacrifice to the Old Ones in a ritual that very evening. He is tossed into a jail cell, tied up and alone, his friends having no idea where he is. Mike's player hands over a Drama Point to the GM, saying 'I check to see if there's not a nearby piece of sharp metal around I could cut the ropes on, maybe on an old pipe or something in the room'. The GM smiles, and says 'Well, as it turns out, you're sitting against such a pipe, and you can feel a broken, sharp edge on the side...'
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RIGHTEOUS FURY
Someone killed the dog your late wife left you and stole your car. Or perhaps your name is Inigo Montoya, and the guy in front of you killed your father. Or maybe someone kidnapped your daughter, and you don't have money... as opposed to a very particular set of skills you have acquired over a very long career. Either way, you're mad as hell, and you're not going to take it anymore.
If someone pissed you off sufficiently (we're not talking about someone taking the last chocolate cookie here, buddy; it's your GM's call if your reason is good enough), you may use 2 Drama Points to enter a state of Righteous Fury. When that happens, you get a whoppin' +5 to ALL Attacks for the duration of an entire fight. And yes, it is cumulative with Heroic Feat. A Righteously Furious hero is a near unstoppable engine of destruction... and that's why going at them through their loved ones is not always a smart move.
Example: Doctor Octopus has learned of Spider-Man's true identity, and has decided to ruin his whole career by attacking Aunt May, sending her to the hospital at an inch of death. However, as it turns out, that wasn't such a good idea. When Spidey meets him again, he's mighty pissed. He spends 2 Drama Points, the GM nods, and he proceeds to bead Doc Ock with his own g**damn tentacles.
Someone killed the dog your late wife left you and stole your car. Or perhaps your name is Inigo Montoya, and the guy in front of you killed your father. Or maybe someone kidnapped your daughter, and you don't have money... as opposed to a very particular set of skills you have acquired over a very long career. Either way, you're mad as hell, and you're not going to take it anymore.
If someone pissed you off sufficiently (we're not talking about someone taking the last chocolate cookie here, buddy; it's your GM's call if your reason is good enough), you may use 2 Drama Points to enter a state of Righteous Fury. When that happens, you get a whoppin' +5 to ALL Attacks for the duration of an entire fight. And yes, it is cumulative with Heroic Feat. A Righteously Furious hero is a near unstoppable engine of destruction... and that's why going at them through their loved ones is not always a smart move.
Example: Doctor Octopus has learned of Spider-Man's true identity, and has decided to ruin his whole career by attacking Aunt May, sending her to the hospital at an inch of death. However, as it turns out, that wasn't such a good idea. When Spidey meets him again, he's mighty pissed. He spends 2 Drama Points, the GM nods, and he proceeds to bead Doc Ock with his own g**damn tentacles.
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BACK FROM THE DEAD
Everyone dies. Or at least, most people do. And even when they do, sometimes they don't have the decency of staying dead. After all, being dead in a roleplaying game can get boring, fast. Of course, any decent GM will let out create a new character to continue, or maybe use an already existing NPC. But sometimes, it's just nice to defy death with our current character whom we know and love, right?
Back From the Dead allows one to do just that. Maybe a great doctor manages to save your life when all seems lost. Or sure, you're dead, but hey, that's why undead exist, right? ...Or maybe you just happened to have a twin brother living out of town who just shows up at the funeral. You get the picture. How many Drama Points you spend dictates how fast you come back: 1 to return next season, 5 to come back next episode, and 10 to return in the same one as the Grim Reaper took you. If you don't have enough, you can always spend all the ones you have, and then spend the next ones you get to pay the debt as you go. The player and the GM can work out the details of the 'resurrection' together.
Example: Dean and Sam Winchester. Enough said.
Everyone dies. Or at least, most people do. And even when they do, sometimes they don't have the decency of staying dead. After all, being dead in a roleplaying game can get boring, fast. Of course, any decent GM will let out create a new character to continue, or maybe use an already existing NPC. But sometimes, it's just nice to defy death with our current character whom we know and love, right?
Back From the Dead allows one to do just that. Maybe a great doctor manages to save your life when all seems lost. Or sure, you're dead, but hey, that's why undead exist, right? ...Or maybe you just happened to have a twin brother living out of town who just shows up at the funeral. You get the picture. How many Drama Points you spend dictates how fast you come back: 1 to return next season, 5 to come back next episode, and 10 to return in the same one as the Grim Reaper took you. If you don't have enough, you can always spend all the ones you have, and then spend the next ones you get to pay the debt as you go. The player and the GM can work out the details of the 'resurrection' together.
Example: Dean and Sam Winchester. Enough said.
And, how do we regain them once they're spent?
Earning Drama Points can be done in various ways, described below.
1) Experience Points
Drama Points can be bought with Experience points, on a One-for-One basis for Investigators, or Two Experience points per Drama Point for Champions. This 1-on-1 privilege is lost to Investigators when they become strong enough through experience to catch up with Champions, in which case they too need two for each point they 'buy'.
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2) Quotable Quotes
Sometimes, a hero says something freakin' cool, hilarious, badass or memorable. In those times, the GM may decide (or the player might suggest, and the GM accept) that it's worth a Drama point as a reward for their mental gymnastics to come up with it.
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3) Heroic Acts
You're heroes. Heroes do heroic things. Of course, just beating up some bad guys doesn't earn you zilch; that's just expected of the good guys. However, when you perform a truly heroic act involving self-sacrifice, risk to oneself or the things you care about, in favor of the greater good, THEN you're being a hero. Just keep in mind that there is a fine line between 'brave' and 'stupid', however, and be careful to keep in mind where that line is drawn.
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4) When Bad Things Happen to Good People
Sometimes, despite the best efforts of the heroes, the story demans that a certain event happens anyway, or that a given villain survives to fight another day. Or maybe the heroes have to be captured, or they home base has to be destroyed or else the story just doesn't work. And yet, that still sucks, right? ...Well, in those cases where the GM knows she's basically screwing you despite your best efforts, she'll hand you between 1 and 3 Drama Points depending on how much of a pain in the ass she knows she is right about now.
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5) The Agony That Is Life
This is the part where having troublesome Drawbacks pays off. When your Drawbacks come back to haunt you/bite you in the buttocks, you might get 1 to 3 Drama Points for it. It has to be truly problematic and troublesome (so no 'I have Addiction to smoking. I smoke a cigarette. Gimme my Drama Point!') to the character to count, possibly leading to tragic situations or emotional trauma. Maybe an old Adversary has returned to make your life a living hell again, and this time it's personal. Or maybe your Magic Addiction caused you to go too far, and you hurt someone you cared about. Either way, something went wrong, BAD, and now you have to deal with it. Have some Drama Points for your troubles.
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6) Support your Friends and Allies
Sometimes, a good friend, or an ally of yours suffers badly. Sometimes they lose confidence in themselves, or they're down in the dumps after a date gone way wrong, or maybe they're just not the same after getting in an argument with their beloved mother. Either way, they're having a bad time... but luckily, here you are. Through good roleplaying, encouraging words, some support and a good pep talk, maybe you help them get back on track, get over it and get the job done. Thanks to you, they remember that they're a hero, and heroes can't just lay down and die. And for that, you deserve 2 Drama Points.