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I love games that mechanise interesting relationship drama. It's easy to do and can be hacked into other games such as #DnD.
The concept is simple: reward players for interacting with each other. Talking about feelings, sharing secrets, doing non-adventure stuff together.
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The concept is simple: reward players for interacting with each other. Talking about feelings, sharing secrets, doing non-adventure stuff together.
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Most of the games that do it, bake it right into the central mechanics. Masks, Night Witches and Bite Marks give you a pool of team points that get topped up when you do in character stuff. Last Fleet does the same thing with a personal pool. You spend the pool for bonuses.
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But you don't actually need to be playing a game that's built around it. In #DnD you could let characters heal a few hit points when they have an interesting in character conversation. Or award XP for it. Use the incentives in the game you're running, to power drama.
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Doing this generates a richer more engaging game. I don't know about you, but the most memorable moments from games I've played haven't been about killing a monster or finding treasure. They've been about engaging conversations with the other PCs.
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By the way this is also an excellent cheat mode for the GM. Every time the players spend time chatting in character, you get to learn a bit about what makes them tick, and catch up after whatever curve ball they just threw you.
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You can choose what you want to emphasise:
- Have the players set IC goals and reward pursuing them
- Have the players create interesting relationships and reward engaging with them
- Reward conversations where someone reveals a feeling (anger, love, hope, fear)
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- Have the players set IC goals and reward pursuing them
- Have the players create interesting relationships and reward engaging with them
- Reward conversations where someone reveals a feeling (anger, love, hope, fear)
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Enterprising players will definitely engage with these mechanics once they realise the mechanical benefits. It's even better if you bake it into character creation a bit - e.g. by creating interesting relationships up front.
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Setup examples include:
- An interesting bit of backstory (fought in the war together)
- Some bit of unresolved baggage (were once in love but broke up)
- The seed of an interesting relationship (I want to impress this person)
Pillage any PBTA game for ideas, honestly.
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- An interesting bit of backstory (fought in the war together)
- Some bit of unresolved baggage (were once in love but broke up)
- The seed of an interesting relationship (I want to impress this person)
Pillage any PBTA game for ideas, honestly.
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Give it a try - with a simple house rule along these lines you can inject some real drama into your game.
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