Editing Samsara:Character generation (section)

===Variation: Making it up as you go along===
For the truly freeform, you could have themes without worrying too much about what they actually cover.  Then, whenever a character enters a contest, the player could suggest that a particular theme might apply to this struggle.   This would shorten character generation and would likely avoid those situations where a character who is supposed to be a “Dashing Swordsman” forgot to include “acrobatics” as part of his Theme.  The converse, of course, is that this option might involve GM-Player negations that occur right as the action is about to start.  Thus, this option would be more appropriate for groups that know each other well.

One could extend this option even further, and allow the player the option to leave one or more Themes undetermined at the start of play.  At any point (and hopefully a dramatic one), the player could then elect to determine a Theme.  This might work very well for games about somewhat mysterious characters.  For example, the Sly Rogue finds himself confronted by some arcane writings and instruments, as part of his latest haul.  His player might say, “You know, it’s been a long time, but in my youth, I served as an apprentice to a drunken, washed-up wizard.  Maybe I can recall enough to recognize these things.”  He has just determined a previously undisclosed Theme.

This variation will require cooperation and negotiation between players and GM even more than the less ambitious version.  But using it would make discovery of the character an integral part of play.


Contents

[[Samsara:Main Page|Main Page]]

1.[[Samsara:Fundamentals|Fundamentals]]

2.[[Samsara:Contests|Contests]]

3.[[Samsara:Modifiers|Modifiers and the Character]]

4.[[Samsara:Attributes|Attributes]]

5.[[Samsara:Abilities|Abilities]]

6.[[Samsara:Motives|Motives]]

7.[[Samsara:Checks|Checks]]

8.[[Samsara:Character generation|Character Generation]]

9.[[Samsara:Samsara points|Samsara Points]]

10.[[Samsara:Long term play|Long Term Play]]

11.[[Samsara:Examples of play|Examples of Play]]

12.[[Samsara:Ultramundane abilities|Appendix A - Ultramundane Abilities]]

13.[[Samsara:Settings|Appendix B – Settings]]