Aspect Tendencies

[Falar]

I've been taking a look at Aspects a bit, since they're the core of the system and I must admit that they're something rather outside the area of what I'm used to - and I've noticed a bit of a disturbing tendency when I'm thinking of aspects in Character Creation. Actually two of them.

I tend heavy towards just using Phrase aspects to define my characters and stick away from both Props and People, which are arguably one of the things I'd want to see at least one or two of when I'm GMing. I also tend towards more Situational aspects than Story aspects. And Story aspects are much more beneficial from the GM side of the story than a straight Situational one.

Now, of course, a lot of aspects are pretty multifunctional, both Situational and Story and some Phrases include a Prop or Person ... but I was wondering where the rest of the board tended and what they thought of the importance of getting a good mix?

[arentol]

You are creating characters in a vacuum right now. I think you will find it easier to create person and prop aspects when making a character as part of a group during city and character creation.

[Deadmanwalking]

Also, balancing the categories isn't at all necessary, though it can be cool. One of the two characters I've got going in PBP has no prop or people Aspects at all, but he works fine. The other has all phrase Aspects, but two double as people and a third as a prop, and he also works fine.

It depends on what kind of character you want to play, whether very self-contained aside from maybe the other PCs, or very much in-tune with people and places they are.

As for story vs. situation, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Come up with a story and story Aspects will follow fairly logically from there.

[Falar]

I'm not particularly worried about it - it's actually part of why I never make a character past the first adventure. I was just wondering what other members of the board tended towards mostly in their creation or if they've even noticed their trends.

[Deadmanwalking]

Oh, in that case:

I can come up with scene and story Aspects fine, but as a rule, in terms of characters, I almost exclusively use phrase Aspects. Some double as a person or prop, but they're never just a person or prop, they're always something about the character in question personally. I don't really see this as a problem, but it's a definite tendency of mine.

[Bosh]

It's not important to be too balanced, personally most of my aspects tend to be skew heavily towards personality and attitude descriptors for example my favorite SotC character had:
"My father told me to duel often."
"The Black Fox strikes again!" (The Black Fox was his Zorro-wannabe alter-ego)
"This situation calls for a swan dive."
"I must redeem my family's honor."
Attention span of a gnat.