Resources, uncommon and useful

[Hogeyhead]

I have only ever played this game once, however it has been for many years, and I have played a rich wizard, with an emphasis on rich. Since the beginning of the game I've had 5 resources and filthy lucre. I have learned that being able to easily bribe the chief of police 50 million dollars is useful. I have learned that having a immense fortified mansion kitted out with well trained soldiers is useful. I have learned that paying 10 million dollars for the best sword made in modern times is cool (not exactly useful for me but cool). I once killed a denarian (Magog) purchased a Russian rocket and satellite put the coin in the rocket and fired it into orbit.

The long and short of this is that this would have been much more difficult to do (in the case of the mansion impossible as that is a lifestyle thing not a roll) with even one less in resources. I present to you noble roleplayers that the next time you need to make a character, make him rich. Really really rich. It's fun.

[Sanctaphrax]

Agreed. Resources is great.

And it's one area where being a magical superbeing doesn't help much, so it's extra great for mortals.

[dragoonbuster]

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

This is why I find the Resources skill to be frustrating, personally. It comes attached with zero of the many, many real-world issues and realities that crop up when you're laying out exorbitant amounts of cash, and trying to include those issues diverts the entire game in a way that I don't care to spend my time GMing much. I'll be honest, "I bribed the local police chief $50m" is just absurd on so many levels. Players try to buy their way out of every situation--how BORING. Heavy Resources use ends up turning a game into a Batman comic book, minus the cool parts. Maybe I've never had a high-resources PC that had a player who understands how money works, but so far I haven't had a high-Resource PC that I particularly enjoyed GMing all that much.

[Taran]

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

This is why I find the Resources skill to be frustrating, personally. It comes attached with zero of the many, many real-world issues and realities that crop up when you're laying out exorbitant amounts of cash, and trying to include those issues diverts the entire game in a way that I don't care to spend my time GMing much. I'll be honest, "I bribed the local police chief $50m" is just absurd on so many levels. Players try to buy their way out of every situation--how BORING. Heavy Resources use ends up turning a game into a Batman comic book, minus the cool parts. Maybe I've never had a high-resources PC that had a player who understands how money works, but so far I haven't had a high-Resource PC that I particularly enjoyed GMing all that much.

well, a lot of that can be dealt with with compels, I suppose.

I played a rich brat once.  Scholarship was my other apex skill which comes in handy for declarations especially if you combine it with a fancy smart phone and other technology and libraries (which he could afford).  I never got to do too much with resources skill but just having the best cars, and drivers and a nice big house with a butler along with all the gadgets was fun to play as a concept.  The campaign never went far enough for me to really see what I could do with it.

[Sanctaphrax]

Trying to buy your way out of everything sounds fine to me. I could do a lot with that, as a GM.

[Hogeyhead]

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

This is why I find the Resources skill to be frustrating, personally. It comes attached with zero of the many, many real-world issues and realities that crop up when you're laying out exorbitant amounts of cash, and trying to include those issues diverts the entire game in a way that I don't care to spend my time GMing much. I'll be honest, "I bribed the local police chief $50m" is just absurd on so many levels. Players try to buy their way out of every situation--how BORING. Heavy Resources use ends up turning a game into a Batman comic book, minus the cool parts. Maybe I've never had a high-resources PC that had a player who understands how money works, but so far I haven't had a high-Resource PC that I particularly enjoyed GMing all that much.

You would'nt have enjoyed our game period then. We have been playing for like three years or something, and now one of the players is in control of most of the street level crime in the area (city). Also you can't really bribe fey you know.

[blackstaff67]

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

This is why I find the Resources skill to be frustrating, personally. It comes attached with zero of the many, many real-world issues and realities that crop up when you're laying out exorbitant amounts of cash, and trying to include those issues diverts the entire game in a way that I don't care to spend my time GMing much. I'll be honest, "I bribed the local police chief $50m" is just absurd on so many levels. Players try to buy their way out of every situation--how BORING. Heavy Resources use ends up turning a game into a Batman comic book, minus the cool parts. Maybe I've never had a high-resources PC that had a player who understands how money works, but so far I haven't had a high-Resource PC that I particularly enjoyed GMing all that much.

Last time I had such a PC, he often wound up bankrolling the rest of the party and rather resented it when I Compelled him. After that, I mandated a Resource cap of Good(+3) for all my games since.

[Taran]

Last time I had such a PC, he often wound up bankrolling the rest of the party and rather resented it when I Compelled him. After that, I mandated a Resource cap of Good(+3) for all my games since.

That's a problem with the player, not the skill.   If the player is resenting compels, they're probably playing the wrong game.

[Quantus]

That's a problem with the player, not the skill.   If the player is resenting compels, they're probably playing the wrong game.

^this.  Compel's exist entirely to impose consequences on a player that has a "cool" concept that might be running out of control, it's the core of how the game is balanced.  That's like playing D20 DnD and complaining that you have to surpass a target's Armor Class to land a hit. 


But ya, as a GM I think I could have a lot of fun with the downsides of throwing that much money at your problems, especially if they do it too often or for more that fun toys and travel.  The guy you bribed being stupid with the money, getting caught and turning you in.  FBI investigation that keeps cropping up and causing problems.  Attracting the attention of a Fae or Dragon or dragon or something.  An embezzling Attorney that made a Bargain on your behalf ("You gave my Power of Attorney to WHO?!?").

[toturi]

That's a problem with the player, not the skill.   If the player is resenting compels, they're probably playing the wrong game.

I have never seen a player refuse or resent a Compel that made him use a skill that was higher than one that he was using.

In fact for the most parts I have never seen a GM compel a player to use a skill that allowed him to use a higher skill either.

[Tedronai]

The only times I've ever seen Compels cause resentment were when someone at the table didn't understand that they could be negotiated as well as accepted/refused.

[Taran]

I have never seen a player refuse or resent a Compel that made him use a skill that was higher than one that he was using.

In fact for the most parts I have never seen a GM compel a player to use a skill that allowed him to use a higher skill either.

It's probably more a compel around the fallout of using a high skill rather than being complelled to use a higher skill.  So, he rolls well to pay off the police chief.  And then Gets compelled to say the FBI is investigating the chief.   Now his ties to bribing an officer will be revealed - leading to jail time - unless he does something about it.