Stating Leaders

[ways and means]

I was wondering how people would stat world leaders (for example the president) in terms of resources and contacts, these skills should probably exceed their over skills by several degrees which doesn't fit in with the pyramid system. Would you stat them with just higher skills or rely on stunts to keep the pyramid?

[zenten]

I was wondering how people would stat world leaders (for example the president) in terms of resources and contacts, these skills should probably exceed their over skills by several degrees which doesn't fit in with the pyramid system. Would you stat them with just higher skills or rely on stunts to keep the pyramid?

The pyramid is only relevant to PCs.  And playing the president of the US isn't going to make for a very good PC, too much other stuff to do.

[ways and means]

Was trying to Stat Emperor Palatine. Was trying to figure out where his resources would sit on the table  having access to millions of loyal servitors and all.

[Tallyrand]

The pyramid is only relevant to PCs.  And playing the president of the US isn't going to make for a very good PC, too much other stuff to do.

I beg to differ...

Newly elected President Richard Carter has a problem, the White Council knows that he made a deal with the Summer Queen to win him the election and his Vice President Anthony Rice just revealed himself as a White Court Vampire.  Now Richard has to run the country by day while putting out the supernatural fires caused by the new balance of power in the supernatural world while staying one step ahead of the wardens.

Richard Carter
High Concept: The President of the United States of America
Trouble: Set Upon on All Sides
Background: I Am Not My Father's Son
Rising Conflict: I Wear This Medal Because Other Men Died
First Story: A Hero Makes the Hard Choices
Guest Star: "Hey....you look just like..."
Redux: "I Have the Alphabet Soup on My Side"

Skills
5: Contacts, Presence
4: Rapport, Scholarship
3: Intimidate, Resources
2: Athletics, Deceit, Empathy
1: Alertness, Guns, Intimidation, Investigation, Lore

Stunts
Full Faith and Credit: +2 to Resources when acting in the capacity of the President

The Most Powerful Man in the World: When spending fate on a roll in the official capacity of the President add 3 to your total instead of 2.

It's Like Riding a Bicycle: Once per Scene spend a Fate Chip to add 4 to a Guns roll when dealing with Military Weaponry.

Commanders Presence: Use Presence in place of Intimidate when issuing orders.

Sort of Like a Super Hero: +2 to Deceit when trying to convince someone that you are not the President of the United States.

[ways and means]

I beg to differ...

Newly elected President Richard Carter has a problem, the White Council knows that he made a deal with the Summer Queen to win him the election and his Vice President Anthony Rice just revealed himself as a White Court Vampire.  Now Richard has to run the country by day while putting out the supernatural fires caused by the new balance of power in the supernatural world while staying one step ahead of the wardens.

Richard Carter
High Concept: The President of the United States of America
Trouble: Set Upon on All Sides
Background: I Am Not My Father's Son
Rising Conflict: I Wear This Medal Because Other Men Died
First Story: A Hero Makes the Hard Choices
Guest Star: "Hey....you look just like..."
Redux: "I Have the Alphabet Soup on My Side"

Skills
5: Contacts, Presence
4: Rapport, Scholarship
3: Intimidate, Resources
2: Athletics, Deceit, Empathy
1: Alertness, Guns, Intimidation, Investigation, Lore

Stunts
Full Faith and Credit: +2 to Resources when acting in the capacity of the President

The Most Powerful Man in the World: When spending fate on a roll in the official capacity of the President add 3 to your total instead of 2.

It's Like Riding a Bicycle: Once per Scene spend a Fate Chip to add 4 to a Guns roll when dealing with Military Weaponry.

Commanders Presence: Use Presence in place of Intimidate when issuing orders.

Sort of Like a Super Hero: +2 to Deceit when trying to convince someone that you are not the President of the United States.

That is kind of awesome.

[Sanctaphrax]

The current rules cover leaders quite well, I think.

Superb Resources or Contacts is a big deal. It's not something that a normal person has.

A Legendary Resources roll can buy a private island, IIRC.

Which means that a Feet In The Water character can buy an island every session for a fate point each time, but whatever.

I often use a sponsor debt-based version of Windfall when designing politically powerful NPCs. Plus a stunt letting you hire people with Contacts.

PS: Some of Carter's stunts look off to me. Otherwise, I like him.

[Masurao]

I think you should also consider the fact that the President doesn't have millions to spend by himself. In essence the US of A makes his Resources rolls when it comes to official capacity. Having a high Resources yourself might help you in governing all the checks and balances and of course outside of your official role.

I mean, any nobody could theoretically become the leader of a country, but why would that suddenly net him a Superb or better Resources skill? And if the leader is but a figurehead, with little control over the country's spendings? Then there is no reason to assume he has higher Resources in his official capacity.

So, I would advise you not to stat the leaders in this way (when it comes to Resources and Contacts and such), but rather stat their countries or organizations. For example, when it comes to Emperor Palpatine, he does have enormous resources at his beck and call, but so do the Grand Moffs or Darth Vader. ***NEEDLESS SPOILER WARNING*** Yet when the Emperor died, the Death Star was destroyed, these Resources did not die with him, they got to whatever greedy, power-hungry grubber got their hands on them first. ***END NEEDLESS SPOILER WARNING***

[The Mighty Buzzard]

I think you should also consider the fact that the President doesn't have millions to spend by himself.

Er... No, the salary isn't in the millions but their leftover campaign contributions may very well have been.  The last President the US had that didn't have Resources of at least Great was Truman.

[Masurao]

Er... No, the salary isn't in the millions but their leftover campaign contributions may very well have been.  The last President the US had that didn't have Resources of at least Great was Truman.

Yeah, but he can't exactly use it to buy mansions and guns, for example, now can he? And if he peeves of his sponsors, he might lose their contribution for a possible next campaign. Or have I got the wrong idea of how personal those sponsorships are?

[The Mighty Buzzard]

Yeah, but he can't exactly use it to buy mansions and guns, for example, now can he? And if he peeves of his sponsors, he might lose their contribution for a possible next campaign. Or have I got the wrong idea of how personal those sponsorships are?

More or less correct, if he plans on running again.  The money's technically his to do whatever he likes with but if he's going to run for reelection he's probably going to save it for that.  If he's not, it all goes in his pocket to do whatever he likes with.

[Masurao]

Okay, then I was wrong when it comes to American presidents Though I guess some African despots might probably have their country's resources to use as their own... Certainly not so here in the Netherlands.

[Richard_Chilton]

There are campaign finance laws that specify what you can do with campaign contributions as opposed to "gifts" - both of which have to be reported.

Do a search for "John Edwards arrest" and you'll find some more details on that.  And in Canada there are restrictions when it comes to hiring family members.

The biggest problem the modern leader faces is that he lives in a fishbowl.  You have photographers following you for that great picture.  Did you acquire "Ancient Mystic Doohickey" and put it somewhere for safekeeping? If so then it has to be reported as a valuable "gift".  Get banged up and go to the hospital to get fixed up? You'll have to tell the voters about that the next time you run (many areas insist you make your health records available).  Hang around with disreputable folks (i.e. be seen talking to the PCs)? Then your own supporters might take action to prevent the enviable scandal.  And if a leader truly believes in the supernatural then he will be seen as a nutcase - or a threat to the supernatural world.

Hmmm...  Now I'm picturing a group of PCs rescuing a politician (say mayor or state senator) from a "Big Bad" only to see him hounded from office because of the scandal.  They "save" him but ruin his career.

Richard

[Sanctaphrax]

That is a truly excellent point, Richard.

It will come in handy, I think, in my PbP game.

[Michael Sandy]

Possibly a little hinky, but is the "Office of the Presidency" something you would handle as an Item of Power.

"It is what it is.  +2 to resources roll Provided it is in line with the OotP, once per scene"