--- In wushurpg@..., Vasco Brown <unwiseone@g...>
wrote:
> I've been working on a custom mechanic to include in the Black
Powder,
> the Wushu game I'm working. Rather than go into detail here, I'll
just
> refer you to the page on the wiki where I've got it posted.
>
> http://wiki.saberpunk.net/pm2/pmwiki.php?n=Wushu.StruggleTrait
>
> If anyone has any comments or feedback I'd definitely be interested
in hear it.
>
I like the idea of having characters work through a central premise
throughout the game - many great characters from legend and popular
media are defined by such a struggle that permeates everything they
do.

Clearly the obvious struggle comes from the world of the superhero.

Spiderman/Peter Parker: Struggle Great responsibility (3) vs Peter
Parker's normal life (3). (As shown so well in Spiderman 2 Movie).

But legendary characters are often driven the same way:

Lancelot Du Lac: Loyalty To King Arthur (2) Vs Love for Guinever (4)

Perhaps it could be applied to TV characters:

Adrien Monk: Need to get badge back (1) VS OCD & Phobias (5)

In each character the struggle is central to what the character is -
it is not by any means a minor issue that can be forgotten.

Your mechanic establishes what kind of balance exists between the two
dichotomous factors and the conditions under which that balance may
shift, gives the characters an ingame benefit to roleplaying the
struggle, and a penalty driving the need to reestablish the balance
after tapping into the benefit.

This sounds great to me, but I think I need to see it in play to see
how well the players handle it - its success really depends on the
player's taking the notion on board of it being central to the
character and not just another trait.

I'm wondering how well it might work for struggle's such as
addiction - does the player get the dice reward for roleplaying the
fall into addiction and if so, how do the bonus dice benefit the
player?

Certainly though, I think it terrific for PCs that have competition
between things like loyalty, sense of duty, honour etc vs some other
demand.

It also covers a situational conflict. Consider the undercover cop:
Undercover cop: Don't blow cover 4/Keep within the constraints of
being a cop 2. Such a character would continuously be trying to keep
their actions within those expected by their cover and those expected
by the law.

It may cover a personality flaw:
Shaggy: Solve the mystery (2) VS Run away from scarey stuff (4)
Gilligan: Get off the island (2) Vs Being Gilligan (4)

YMMV on any of the above characters.

Escherwolf